My first XC was in a LS4b at Parham.

It was a northerly day so onto the ridge for the club PAR-HAR-LWN-PAR, so 124km total. I managed it at 100kph and landed back fairly happy completing it... only to find the logger hadn`t recorded the flight, and someone else had then taken the glider for their 5 hour attempt.

Looking forward to getting back gliding again very soon after 2 years off!

First solo, T21, RAF Sealand, 1973, 20-something dual launches in my book if I recall. Westerly winch launch, right hand circuit. "OK bloggs, top of the launch, turn right. At the downwind turn, if you have 900 ft or less (IIRC), turn downwind. More than 900 ft, turn 270 dgrees left to downwind to lose the extra height."
By heck the T21 went up a bit quick with 9st of Bloggs and no instructor. Launched into the smog and heat from Shotton Steelworks, turned crosswind, climbed (?) to 1200ft at the top of the downwind leg. Did a 270 - 1400 feet.
With the breathtaking logic of the bright Air Cadet, I do another 360. 1500 ft (I couldnt centre in a thermal even then) but the whole sky was going up with the heat from that steelworks)
Im now halfway downwind but at 1500 ft when a wee lightbulb goes on and I reach for the spoiler.
Pete Eyes, I so much enjoyed that course; Jim Chaplin thanks for sending me solo. Isnt it amazing how we can re-live our first solo in such detail, so many years later.
Anybody know where I can find a barge to go fly 'for old times sake'?:D

A lot of gliding clubs have a 'barge'. You tried Aboyne? Easterton? I know there is one at Portmoak, not quite sure what a visitor would have to do to get a flight in one.

My second 'within sight of a gliding field' land out was slightly bizarre in a quiet sort of way and also before mobile phones became the norm.

New site (site check a couple of weeks previously) - first flight of the year in libelle and I allowed myself to get a little low during a fairly local trip !
Couldnt quite make it back to the airfield and I ended up almost on top of a large,extremely flat harrowed field (much flatter/smoother than most airfields) - so I flew a nice circuit down to an almost fully stalled landing - as near to the gate as poss and close to a house with a phone line.
It is only during the flare that I notice little blue shoots growing :)...so anyway I walk to the house - no answer from the GC and the house owner offers me a lift to the GC (about 1 mile) - nobody in clubhouse so I set out to retrieve the glider myself !
The helpful house owner had told me that the field belonged to the large estate so I went to the managers house and spoke to the wife !
''Which Field ?'' she says... I explained and she said ''oh no - thats his new crop '' (linseed - very fashionable then) so anyway we retrieved the glider with her quadbike and letting son hold wingtip and I was thinking that I might escape without meeting 'Him' but of course he turned up just as we finished - 'Oh bloddocks thought I' but in the end he was happy that I hadnt caused any damage to his pet crop !
It was quite amusing to arrive back at the club towing my trailer and seeing the 'WTF' expressions on their faces :)

That reminds me that one of our members didn't quite get into Little Ris and landed his Open Cirrus in a field right next door so I took his trailer down there using his SAAB... boy - it was the worst access track I ever saw on a retrieve and must have scraped away a fair amount of SAAB on the way :) - over large rocky areas but the car seemed to survive to tow another day.

Of course unfortunately I cannot tell you about my most interesting land out LOL :O

Gliding at RAF Sealand
 

You might find this photo interesting, and even recognise some of the faces from RAF Sealand around that time. I did my three solo's in 1967 at Sealand, but this photo is from sometime in the 70's, when I had developed (pun intended) an interest in photography, and the guys at Sealand indulged me for a day.


I haven't done any Gliding for a while, but the Sealand experience set me on a lifetime interest in aviation, which cumulated in my PPL(A) three years ago. I did fly into Saltby last year and spent an enjoyable afternoon soaking up the gliding environment again. Maybe one day....


I also have a photo of me sat in the back of Chipmunk WP962 at RAF Colerne, that is now on display at RAF Hendon, but that's another story.

http://www.rjdawson.co.uk/flying/pic...3-2008_022.JPG

Nice pic -
And Ah yes - when the ATC used to do a LOT of gliding... I am sure there must be some great stories from ATC gliding Schools/Squadrons :)

Any more nice pics Bob ?
There is also the Air Cadet Gliding pix thread somewhere on here if you have some good uns !

rgds LR

Not particularly got any thrilling stories, though winching for Camp Hill's Vintage Week that one time was something of an...experience.

Now I mention it, went for my 5hr flight last year...got 4hrs50...

Damn

Old RAF & ATC Pictures
 

Away for a couple of weeks, but will dig some more pics out on my return.


Rgds

Most embarassing flight...
 

Wasn't a bad day - some lovely clouds upwind. Took a 2000' aerotow - in an Open Cirrus.

With that sort of performance how could I fail to reach that huge Cu a little further upwind?

Well....

• I hit some sink - so increased speed
• I hit more sink - so increased speed some more
• By now I was thinking "when I get past this sink the climb is going to be fantastic" - kept going
• Pushed on a little further - still hopeful
• Worked out with all that sink I could just make it back to the airfield - if I turned NOW
• Amazing sink - back to the airfield REALLY quickly
• Landed BEFORE the tug :sad:

OC619

After 38 years of flying courtesy of the iron thermal, I did the glider conversion course this summer, something that had been on the "to do" list for many years.

After 7 dual flights the instructor kicked me loose for my first solo. Off I go behind the tug, release on downwind, 2 360's, and set up for the landing. On short final I see everyone is lined up along the side of the runway to watch my landing :uhoh:

I get it down without too much embarrassment and braked to a stop. As my instructor walked towards the glider I had a flashback to the exact same tableau, only this time it was 1976 and a 16 year old BPF was sitting in the 150 he had just used for his first solo :cool:

On the third solo the instructor tells me to go to 3000 feet on the tow and see if I can find some lift. I fly around more or less aimlessly until I am down to 1400 feet and just about to turn to join the circuit when the vario starts singing. By more luck then skill I manage to more or less get centered in some lift and 5 or so minutes later I am back up to 3000 feet.

I know not very impressive to real glider pilots but it was enough to well and truly set the hook. The season is almost over but now I have all winter to search the glider for sale websites......

Well well, Big Pistons! Welcome indeed!

Few gliding clubs in the US or Canada use winch launching, in Britain we just hate to spend all that money for an aerotow....At my age, if I don't connect with a thermal at the top of a 900 foot winch launch, bugger the cost, I shell out for a tow....NOT to a particular altitude, but hang on till the tow pilot has towed me under a decent cloud and into a thermal. THEN I let go. (just a handy tip....lots of silly chaps think they won't get their money's worth unless they hang on to the prearranged 2 or 3 thousand feet.

No, dear, the tug pilot is engaged to DELIVER you to a decent thermal. When you see him suddenly rise up, and shortly after, you also rise, why that is your signal to disengage and TURN. Suggest that as a beginner, releasing lower than 2,000 would not be sensible.

There are actually 3 kinds of rising air. Thermals best for x-country. Ridge lift reliable in the right place with right wind direction, even in winter. But hard to go places. Wave....not for beginners! Remember to check the oxygen kit.

O yes, one more thing. DON'T just rush out and buy a glider.

Not every glider fits every body. Some are too small for big guys. You may be spending more than 5 hours in that very confined space....so try sitting in a lot of different friend's gliders just to see how it feels.

German gliders are usually the best. LS4, tried and tested. Don't go for the latest thing, but the most reliable. I was happy in a Pegasus for hours and years.

Best if you stick to club gliders for a while before splashing the dosh. Remember to dress warmly, no heater in these craft. We do fly all year round over here....but Canada is probably too cold....in Germany they usually shut down over the winter and perform maintenance.

Lots of love and do let us know how you progress.

Have fun! (the only good reason for flying IMHO)

BPF - How big are you, where will you fly (hill, mountain, thermal) and why? Will you be by yourself? No engine, self launching or self sustaining? These will affect your choice of glider. Don't rush until you have seen more! Also, if you are able to swap gliders after about two years, start with a modern(ish) Standard Class glider (15M, no flaps) and then get something more exotic when you can fly. There's nothing sadder than a newbie in an exotic, all bells and whistles device, who cannot fly it and getting frustrated because their new toy isn't as much fun as it should be.

PM

Well Mary - the tow was behind G-OFER (possibly you were driving) :E

To be fair the cloud in question was some distance away and I was dropped in (probably) the best thermal available closer to the airfield - I was just being over-ambitous :rolleyes:

OC619

Thanks Bob - that would be very welcome :)

When I started gliding at Dunstable, many of the pundits worked out that, under the right conditions, it was cheaper to take an aerotow to 400'. If you released at that height you could go straight into the hill lift to wait for the next thermal to come along.

The club eventually stopped this by putting a minimum charge on the aerotow price.

Took a launch from Winthorpe in a K8 (AKA the non penetration meister) and scratched around for a bit. Giant cloud appeared over Newark which I knew had to be working. Headed upwind towards it, groundspeed probably 2 knots. Got lower. Then a bit lower. Got low enough that I knew I wasn't getting back. Looked at landing in the grounds of Newark Castle. Hit the sink. Got slightly nervous as I picked out the colour of people's eyes on the ground. Came out of the sink into the core some, ahem, 200' or so over the Castle and rose away like a pro to cloudbase some 5K above me.

We live and learn.

We have set our price for 2,000' behind our new Eurofox at £18. A bargain compared to the price behind the Pawnee.

There is a ASW 20 (A model I think) in a Komet trailer for sale at my home airport. It has been sitting outside in the trailer unflown for 9 years. Thoughts/opinions ?

I think you are not yet ready for the complication of the ASW20, which has, I believe, treacherous flaps. Beware beware! One of my friends who had a job flying Boeings thought he could cope with an ASW20; we thought he was showing off when he did a spin from about 700 feet when he mishandled the flaps in the circuit. Get a second opinion. My own opinion is DON'T NEED FLAPS! Keep it simple. No gadgets. Don't go for a bargain or a peculiar type. It has been neglected for a reason.

OK, I'll bite. The Wolds Two Seater Comp at Pocklington this year saw me and Dick land out near the Tontine Arms near Middlesbrough. I set off on foot up a country lane to track down the farmer, and the first person to pass me was a cyclist. Except he was bedecked in tweeds and a deerstalker hat, and his steed was a full blown penny farthing. Rather than exclaim "oh my, a guy on a penny farthing" I did the very British thing and nodded casually as he passed and gave him a casual "Afternoon". Aren't we a strange lot !