Who needs an engine!
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Hants
Age: 80
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Ridge Running
Some comments on the original clip. The Grob 103 Acro is what he Air Cadets call the Viking T1 and very aerobatic it is too!
Air Cadets are taught to fly on a ridge in Scotland and are sent solo to gain badge claims like 5 hours duration. Some have only had 6 solos before going to the site although they have to do a further five before being let loose on the ridge after being taught how to fly it. It can be quite exciting teaching tyros to get in close to the rocks. The ridge at Portmoak is not as long and impressive as in the clip but it is just as much fun.
The variometer (central instrument at the top of the panel) is a Winter vario which is purely mechanical and is not electronically linked to provide sound. In the clip he is flying at about 85kts and is mostly losing height but if he positioned himself a bit further away from the ridge into wind he would be climbing but that was clearly not what he wanted to do.
ACW
Air Cadets are taught to fly on a ridge in Scotland and are sent solo to gain badge claims like 5 hours duration. Some have only had 6 solos before going to the site although they have to do a further five before being let loose on the ridge after being taught how to fly it. It can be quite exciting teaching tyros to get in close to the rocks. The ridge at Portmoak is not as long and impressive as in the clip but it is just as much fun.
The variometer (central instrument at the top of the panel) is a Winter vario which is purely mechanical and is not electronically linked to provide sound. In the clip he is flying at about 85kts and is mostly losing height but if he positioned himself a bit further away from the ridge into wind he would be climbing but that was clearly not what he wanted to do.
ACW
"
Nah, this is proper ridge soaring.
Probably the nearest to flying like a bird.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: UK
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Bet he can't do that in the opposite direction, though.
Go try gliding; see what it is like to deliberately enter a spin at 1000ft, or spiral upwards with a bird of prey on your wingtip.
