Glider down in a field in Angus
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Glider down in a field in Angus
Nephew just called and said there is a glider down in a field at Easterton Farm Melgund near Brechin in Angus He said it did not look damaged but the field is so small with a hill in the middle he doubted it was a planned landing. Will go along in the morning and have a look. Here's hoping all is ok
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Really !! In a 600ft by 600ft hilly and rough field, if that is the case i would hate to pay the maintenance on one. Also how do they get it back in the air or is gliding a one shot deal
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Yep, if you get it wrong, you visit a farmer.....
Your friends then come with the glider trailer, help you to remove the wings, load it up, and you all stop at the pub on the way home, after of course apologising to the farmer
But that is not the intention. These days gliders have good performance even into wind, and a cross country triangle typically is planned to end up where you started, saves taking it apart.... On a good day a lot of gliders will manage tasks between 140, 300, 500 kilometers, depending on weather and skill. In the UK several pilots have flown 750 k. I'm pretty sure in exotic places the 1,000 kilometer distance has been achieved...
If the weather or whatever lets you down, a field is chosen; size (large) surface - (not recently plowed) slope (don't try to land downhill, doesn't work). Cows are OK, so are sheep. Horses can be expensive. Crop is OK if you can see the soil through the leaves....etc etc.
About 30 gliders ended up during a regional competition in a couple of fields north of Birmingham. That evening the local Police rang the competition director (people see a glider in a field, must be an emergency). Said the Officer of the law to the nonplussed Director...."The next time you plan to have 30 gliders landing in my district, we will require 24 hours notice in advance......"
Your friends then come with the glider trailer, help you to remove the wings, load it up, and you all stop at the pub on the way home, after of course apologising to the farmer
But that is not the intention. These days gliders have good performance even into wind, and a cross country triangle typically is planned to end up where you started, saves taking it apart.... On a good day a lot of gliders will manage tasks between 140, 300, 500 kilometers, depending on weather and skill. In the UK several pilots have flown 750 k. I'm pretty sure in exotic places the 1,000 kilometer distance has been achieved...
If the weather or whatever lets you down, a field is chosen; size (large) surface - (not recently plowed) slope (don't try to land downhill, doesn't work). Cows are OK, so are sheep. Horses can be expensive. Crop is OK if you can see the soil through the leaves....etc etc.
About 30 gliders ended up during a regional competition in a couple of fields north of Birmingham. That evening the local Police rang the competition director (people see a glider in a field, must be an emergency). Said the Officer of the law to the nonplussed Director...."The next time you plan to have 30 gliders landing in my district, we will require 24 hours notice in advance......"
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If that's the best field available, then so be it. Simple edict for glider pilots is that a good landing into a bad field is better than a bad landing into a good field. Glider pilot had presumably assessed that it was the best landable option. Not actually that big a deal as gliders often land in fields, usually without damaging the glider, pilot or causing any damage to the field. Flying cross country a glider pilot is often operating mentally for much of the flight in EFATO mode....constantly weighing up options, fields, routes, etc. That's part of what makes it so much fun.
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I suspect that all that will be there in the morning is an empty field. Maybe some tyre marks in the entrance, maybe a tyre mark from the main wheel if the field was soft enough.
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Originally Posted by mary meagher
I'm pretty sure in exotic places the 1,000 kilometer distance has been achieved...
It's an interesting read
Epic Flights: 1200km in Scottish Wave
I believe it still stands as the UK record?
I also believe another UK record of 38600 feet was achieved north of the border from Aboyne?
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They ring base and someone (or several someones) comes out with the trailer. They take the wings & tailplane off, put it all in the trailer and drive back to base. Then they take it out and rig it again...
So was operation Market Garden ..... and those must have been some brave guys.
The tows were a bit longer than the ones on the "tugging thread" currently running. Must have been pretty hard work tugging and being tugged for a couple of hours.
The tows were a bit longer than the ones on the "tugging thread" currently running. Must have been pretty hard work tugging and being tugged for a couple of hours.
Last edited by Dave Gittins; 30th Mar 2012 at 12:21. Reason: carp spelling
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