SSD, got it in one!

When I first joined in 2002 I heard stories about the old-fashioned b*llockings at full volume. It had almost been consigned to history but one individual occasionally regressed. He was unfortunate enough to try it on with a mate of mine in front of a number of members. Said mate waited until he got the bloke on his own and told him forcibly that if he EVER did that again he would be made to feel so small he'd wish he hadn't opened his mouth. He never did it again.

These days we all treat each other with respect. It doesn't matter whether you are a bus driver, a high court judge, builder, pathologist or policeman - we are all equal. Nor does it matter whether you are a novice or a sky god.

Nobody forces themselves on to the committee just to gain power anymore - we select the most able and then we have to drag them on.

Many things have changed for the better, but being a member's club does mean that you do have to put yourself out to help others and yes, sometimes the days are long and quite arduous. But the rewards are immense - and I don't mean just the flying.

Sounds so familiar, Doncaster Gliding Club, late seventies, me very shy approached someone asking how do I get to fly, within half an hour was up in the Falke, grinning for three days..... CBSITCB

Here in Canada the intro flights are overpriced, but the Five Flight Packages are generally more reasonable.

If you have a number of clubs in the area, go visit them, talk to the students and find out how many flights they get in a day and any recently licensed pilots to see how much commitment is required and how long it takes to get licensed.

There is a lot of work in running the daily operation, looking after the equipment and the grounds.

There can be petty dictators; more often a small clique that calls the shots. What I find is that if you pitch in, you get listened to. Getting things changed requires talking to lots of people and building consensus.

The non cross country days I usually show up anyway and help out. That pays forward for the days I just jump in my glider and disappear for some hours.

My last club had five modern single seaters and a summer towpilot for weekdays. That provided considerable opportunity for new ppls to get cross country experience. That ratio is 24 members per single seater.

My new club has two single seaters, one modern and one older glass ship, for 70 members, but the only people I've seen taking them XC are instructors.

If I was joining a club as a student, I'd want to know there's a formal program to move licensed pilots to XC.

If you have only 1 flight, think about a holiday gliding course of 3 to 6 days or so. Near S London would be Kent GC at Challock (I started there), Lasham or Booker. But as it would be a holiday and staying at the club pretty much any club in UK that offers holiday courses would be great. You build up a lot of flying and have fun the same time. Accomodation can be a bit spartan, but you are there to fly and have a beer or three. Ive done mini courses at Challock, Dunstable, Lasham and Deeside. Had a great time at all. If you choose somewhere with winch or autotow you get lots of take offs/landings which is what you need to practice.

You can do that but you will never progress beyond bumbling idiot, if you even get that far. You also need other people to help you fly - and you repay them by going home after your turn? That's not on.

The attraction of gliding is that you will never, ever be as good at it as you want to be. To improve, you have to learn from others. And the "others" will be keen to teach you and help you learn, if you contribute. And let's remember, you will have to go cross country and who will pick you up? I well remember a few "anti-social" types staying in fields for hours waiting to be retrieved. And nobody cared...

Even flying clubs required some effort and social interaction. Furthermore, they can be great places to spend some time. Therefore, if you don't want to contribute and hang around after "your" turn, may I suggest you take up jigsaw building or navel gazing, certainly not a past-time that involves social interaction.

PM

There are some pretty good gliding flight sims. Just saying...

Indeed, I have been told!!!

Also it's not an 'either or' situation. I've just rejoined my old GC, the last time I flew a glider was three years ago. I'll probably do it for a year, thoroughly enjoy it and pack it up again for another few years. I'll still fly powered of course but I think I can just about squeeze a Wednesday maybe three times month at the GC. I just fancy poling a glider around again, when I get fed up I'll pack it in again.

It does eat into your time, you may as well write off the whole day when you go gliding, and I mean at this time of year putting the gliders away at 2200 after arriving at 0700. Sometimes you may get a couple of hours soaring in, sometimes you may get a couple of five minute circuits in but that's the deal with gliding, either accept it or don't do it. It is however far more sociable than power flying, although having said that I like being on the winch, take your flask and some butties and chill out between launches....as long as I'm not on for hours at a time.

I love flying. My social life is elsewhere. When I go flying it is to be in the air, not to be chatting and socialising. If I wanted that I would have taken up golf or something. My ideal day is to turn up, fly, go home

Fair comment Captain, we all do it for different reasons and long may it continue.

thing,

You could spend all day in the air, like a friend of mine in my old gliding club, who on a recent flight, logged 6.43 hours and 448 km!

Of course he's rather keen :ok:

Just had a look in the logbook and my longest flight was 5:40. I remember the only reason I came down was that my bladder control was on emergency max...never liked using peebottles/bags. Tried one once and got most of the contents over my jeans and was a bit pongy when I came back. Probably too much detail there.

too much information? here's more!
 

Not at all. The time to deal with bladder problems on a long flight is before you take off! Well equipped with containers (plastic bags) that won't leak.
And you lads are well equipped in other ways as well....as the little girl said to the little boy, that's a handy thing to have on a picnic!

There are Eastern European gliders that have plumbing arrangements for passing fluids directly overboard.

And some entrepeneurs promise that female contraptions are available to meet the needs of the lady pilots. Some girls wear Depends, which is what the astronauts now do while waiting on the launchpad....but I used to sit on a couple of bath towels, worked for me.

My longest flight was 8 hours and 53 minutes, covering a task of 511 k.

One does not want to be distracted by mundane physical problems. Also I am informed that if you are going to crash, it is dangerous to crash with a full bladder!

I had to pee into a winter glove once as nothing else was available. Chucked it out the dv panel! My pre flight checks thereon after were PCBSIFTCB to bring the pee bottle!

Indeed, good point, receiving a severe blow in the region with a full bladder can cause it to rupture, and that can turn an already non-nice crash (or barroom brawl) into something quite less nice even. One more reason for taking a leak before any flight (main reason for me is that I would just hate spoiling the fun of being airborne by dreaming of a toilet :\).

Glider Pilot Relief
 

A search on GPR will produce all sorts of information:eek:

The ladies are well advised to have some padding under whatever device they are using.

Right now I'm partial to freezer bags which are long and narrow.

Careful chaps and chapesses!

This might become the first Private Flying thread that is moved to Jetblast. ;)