Depends where you are gliding and what your intention after launch. The winch launch far cheaper but probablly only take you to about 1200ft depending on strip/cable length, the aerotow more expensive but will take you to 1K 1.5K 2k 3k or whatever you willing to pay for...the higher you go the more you pay!!!

I spent many years at Portmoak, in general and if the wind direction good for the two hills "Bishop" and "Benarty" close by a winch launch to about 1200ft would be sufficient to give you enough height to make the hill and its assosiated lift and then stay airborne all day if you wish.

On days when wind direction/strength not good for hill lift well then an aerotow to 2000ft a better option to go and find some thermal activity.

Both differant skills needed to use the two methods of launch but both well worth getting used to.

Enjoy your gliding, a great sport with great charachters around to meet.....just prepare for long hard days and wrap up well....:ok::cool::ok:

Cats, not all gliding clubs or instructors are as dogmatic as you suggest. Many will allow the student pilot to choose the method of launching, though they may offer advice as to which is most suitable on the day for the stage that the student pilot is at.

Chris Reed beat me to it with what my advice would be for a PPL starting a conversion to gliding in the flatlands and winter, with no thermal or ridge soaring available.

Chris N.

Yes, put it very badly. What I was trying to say is to remember the instructor has the final word, where there is a choice. Was having visions of the person starting bouncing up and demanding an aerotow rather than asking for one - again probably just badly put here...

Yes, of course!

I just wanted to know what the differences were should I have the choice later on! That's me putting it badly too....

Looking forward to it.

BTW where are you going to fly gliders?

Hi all again. Well January is here and I've just started my new job! So once I have got the first couple of weeks out of the way (and hopefully the weather improves!) I will be heading down to my local gliding club to take my first flights.

Santa was very kind and bought me a copy of Derek Piggots book 'Beginning Gliding' which I have started to read.

I also had a fair few kind folks giving me money for Christmas which has all gone into my 'Gliding Account' so I am now champing at the bit. I've got the enthusiasm, the availability and now the funds!

I'll update you on my experience once I've been up...

One you have thawed out that is. A day at the gliding club is a chilling experience right now! Wrap up really, really well!

Ah gliding
 

Drifting through the forums as you do, I stumbled across this delightful thread :ok:

With almost 9000 hours of fixed wing and helicopters I can honestly say that the limited ammount of gliding that I have done (Silver C) was some of the most memorable flying of all. It is an experience that everyone should try if only once, and one that should be mandatory for all pilots of other airborne devices ;)

There is nothing quite like the first winch and tow launch and the experience of almost silent flight followed by the fabulous rumble of the skid and wheel on grass when landing.

As an exercise in judgement and development of flying skills it cannot be beaten. As a fixed wing instructor it gave me a great insight into developing my students PFL technique. And for engine off autorotations in helicopters, the ability to judge the correct flare and touch down attitude I feel can be related to landing a glider, especially a K13 which I always found required positive handling to get the touchdown correct and smooth.

I would also like to comment on the amazing encouragement and advice given to chillindan by everyone who has contributed their posts. It reminds me of why I wanted to fly and why flying clubs can be so much fun. It is about the friendship and willingness of people who you have not yet met to go out of their way to mentor someone new and bring them into the flying fold :D Reading this thread makes me wish I could start over again! It is so refreshing to come across this sort of thread rather that the seemingly endless slaging and backstabing which many other posts degenerate into.

Good luck chillindan. Enjoy it. I look forward to reading about how you are getting on.

amcp

cats five - I'll be at Lasham (one day, when the snow's gone).

Edited to say....unless the question was for chillindan, who originated the thread.....sorry CD!!!

No, it was for you, and I'm sure you will adore it. The flying at Lasham is really well run and they seem to have a great program to help pilots transition from loacl soaring into XC flying. I'm looking forward to my own visit to Lasham this year - had a great time last year and the best flying of the year, apart from a couple of fabulous wave flights.

Well was originally planning to go down to the gliding club this coming weekend but due to the weather they are closed until at least Sunday for flying.

Guess thats me experiencing my first delay caused by the weather...

Fingers crossed things will improve soon!

Either:

A wife or girlfriend to take with you and enjoy the sport together; or

A wife or girlfriend who accepts that your hobby will take one day out of the weekend - most weekends - and expects you to be gone early and back (very) late!

Seriously, that was one reason I took up powered flying - at least you were away only half a day (or so!).

Then I became an instructor and it was back to 'gliding hours'.

Luckily my wife accepted the situation and spent the day alone gardening and mowing the lawn - so double wammy for me!

SITW :)

Cats five said:
Had my first experience of gliding today. An hour and a half standing on a cold, windy runway with a bunch of other people dressed up in a hundred layers of antartic clothing watching the cloudbase get lower and lower until flakes of snow started to come down and it was cancelled!

The instructor was good and friendly, the clubhouse was warm afterwards. I have rebooked, potentially for a similar experience next week.

Despite not getting airborne it was curiously enjoyable!

That's gliding

But I'm surprised at your use of the words that you've booked for next week.

Gliding is not something you book for, normally. You show up, put your name on the list and stay all day...... Frustrating, but you'll have a better grounding in piloting skills. You'll learn to criticise other pilot's technique and use that to improve your own.

But this is the best time of the year to start, ready for the better weather

That's not true. Several of the more enlightened clubs provide bookable training (mine certainly does, and possibly was one of the first to introduce it several years ago). You're encouraged to stick around to help out before & after but you're not under any obligation. We tend to find that those who're planning to become soaring pilots and who enjoy the club ethos are more than happy to stay, chat and help out.

I'm in two minds about that

Over the last year I've been to 2 sites to start my return to gliding. Both use the flying list method.

I have been to clubs where you can book a time, but where that happens, unless there is a professional staff, you can find there is no-one there to help.

When I took up power flying I got frustrated that people just turned up for their booking then p*ss*d off. No-one stayed around.

Gliding is a time-consuming, frustrating sport that requires commitment. Even more so than with power flying. It is not something that can easily be booked.

Hi all,

We'll if the weather is ok I'll be gliding tomorrow at Seighford so fingers crossed, and I'll post on how I get on!

Robin, it's a real shame that you've experienced clubs that have promoted something that they're not equipped to deliver. At my club we have a mix of professional staff and volunteer members. This provides the capability and capacity to deliver what's promised. If you're booked in for an instructional session at 10:00, unless there's problems with the weather or you don't show up, then you'll have a briefing and be flying soon after.

You're right that gliding CAN be a time consuming activity, particularly when compared to the book-turn up-fly-leave approach that power flying schools tend to operate. As I've mentioned in posts on another thread, in the UK gliding is done with a CLUB...which entails a club approach - e.g. collaboration, working together, etc (which is part of the fun that appeals to many). Powered flying is usually done from flying SCHOOLS...which means a more regimented timetable (which works better for some people).

Current forecast is for a light Northerly breeze, quite sunny in places but a bit cold - so wrap up well AND take sunglasses!

Hope you have a great time.

Maybe I should clarify....

My first flight was a gift from my family via a third party "Experiences" company, for which I have to book in advance using a voucher.

From what I saw/overheard during my visit today, the "flying list" system is used for club members, and I believe I'll have to use during the first three months after my first flight (as I'll have temporary membership during this time), and if I chose to become a member after that...

Very friendly bunch, certainly seemed to be plenty of opportunity to get stuck in and help out!