About to start gliding lessons
 

Hi,

I am new to this sport, although I have been interested in aviation all my life. I am joining my local Gliding club after Christmas to begin my new hobby and can't wait!!

Can anybody here suggest anything I might need to buy (equipment, books etc) wise in advance? Only with Christmas coming up people keep asking me what I want/need for presents!

Many thanks!

Warm and waterproof clothing.

Get the books later on

And an alarm clock to make sure that you get there in time to fly before it gets dark again.

Actually, it was a long time ago, but I learnt in the Winter and most of my fellow students were just as mad as me. We had a great time together. It was interesting how the spirit of the launch point changed as soon as the warmer weather arrived.

Thermal underwear. And good boots.

Good choice of hobby. It really is an excellent sport.
Hope you enjoy it.
Good luck.

A few books perhaps. I see the BGA handbook is there and a book by Derek Piggott, one of the oldest names in the game.
Amazon.co.uk: gliding

Log book.

Second the warm clothing - also recommend wrap-around shades / clear glasses to protect your eyes from the wind.

A shooting stick can be very handy for hanging around the launch point when you can't sit on the grass! :ok:

FBW

"Beginning Gliding" by Derek Piggot is a must. Get one from Santa and by the New Year your enthusiasm will be boiling over.

I spent many happy years standing around the launch point all day in cold freezing conditions to manage a 10 minute flight every weekend!! Eventually bought into a syndicate Pilatus B4 then spent 30 minutes at launch point for 5 hours flying per day!!.............a great way to get into flying and far better than worrying about an engine in the front....enjoy :cool::cool::cool:

Any of the Piggott books are good but my recommendation would be Gliding, A Handbook on Soaring Flight as it goes beyond the pre-solo stuff.

A subscription to Sailplane & Gliding gives you an idea of gliding post solo (and has lots of pretty pictures.).

Second the good boots. Waterproof preferably. And a pair of very light sneakers for the moment you actually get into the aircraft. Personally I prefer a pair of zip-the-legs-off outdoor trousers, t-shirt or polo shirt and a windbreaker fleece. No points are awarded for clothing style in the gliding scene!

Bring a backpack with the stuff you need throughout the day (lunch, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat or cap, warm clothing, book, you name it). There is usually no opportunity to get back to the clubhouse to fetch stuff throughout the day unless you fancy a long walk.

A logbook and a pen is necessary but make sure you get the correct one. (The logbook that is - normally any pen will do.) The club can advise. (On the logbook.)

And for the rest, bring patience. What you'll find is that there's one instructor and one plane for each three to five students or so. You'll be spending a lot of time on the ground and during that time are supposed to help hook up the aircraft to be launched, and retrieve the aircraft from the landing field. Do get a proper briefing before you join in those activities though!

I have a camelbak! Great to use in flight as it can be put behond your seat and the tube sits on top of your chute. Also holds a lot of liquid so good at the launchpoint too!

Have a great time in this wonderful sport!

Thanks for all the constructive replies, I really appreciate it as there does seem to be a lot to take in and learn!

BackPacker, you mention I should ensure I get the correct log book, I didn't realise there were different types!

All, thanks for the advise on books, I'll look into the ones you have recommended and make sure Santa brings one or two!

Well, the legal requirement is that you log your hours. Aerodrome, take-off time, landing time, aircraft type, class, callsign, flight conditions, the capacity you acted in and possibly a few more bits and pieces. How you do that is technically your responsibility. But people seem to be very picky about your logbook style and will point out that you've got the "wrong" one.

The flight school I went to sold me one of those "professional" flying logbooks with enough pages and columns to last me a lifetime and then some. Caused quite a few looks at the motor flying club and the gliding flying club who use a more "compact" form. On the other hand - I've got all my hours in one place with room to spare.

You just need a BGA log book for UK gliding. The club will most likely have them available when you get there. Otherwise you can get one from the BGA shop @ £4
British Gliding Association - Online Shop

Heated insoles for boots are a great investment.

Have fun!

Alastair

The paperback British Gliding Association logbook is fine. Tip though is to keep it between hard covers (e.g. the cover off an old hardback A3 diary) because otherwise your first logbook will end up looking very tatty - reason being that you need to carry it around pre-solo as the instructors generally like to write-up your daily progress. This is an aid (or warning!) to your next instructor.

Welcome to gliding :ok:

Ahh I see ok thanks for the tip. I've spoken with the club and they have told me they will provide me with a joining pack which includes a log book so it looks like I don't need to worry about that.

Can't wait to start now!

Don't forget these
 

Hi Chillindan,

One thing no one else has mentioned; all leather industrial gloves. This is for two reasons.

1) If you are going to work a cable launch site, you will have to heave steel cables about the place. These are heavy and have to be pulled hard. Cable wire invariably has strands with sharp loose ends which can scratch your hands quite badly when you get hold of the cable and start to pull.

2) Likewise, when towing a glider back or forth between the hangar and the launch point, if you are wingman during the tow then your hands will be exposed to the wind all the way to the launch point. This trek has to take place at walking pace and can easily take twenty-five minutes.

People have mentioned warm and waterproof clothing. I would agree, but add that this needs to be old clothing. With most gliders, you have to lie on your back to connect the cable, so you don't want to be lying in the mud in your best new Goretex waterproof or fleece.

I would also suggest that you check with the club whether your boots need to have a definite sole and heel, rather than the straight through combined sole/heel unit currently used in climbing/walking boots. This is because you will probably also have to drive a tractor when towing gliders and you don't want your foot slipping off the clutch or brake pedals at the wrong moment.

Have a good time!

Broomstick.

A boiler suit keeps you clean and is nice and warm - especially when oily. Wear an ex-RAF flying suit and the p*** will most likely be taken!

Cotton Traders do a boot with the bottom half welly boot and the top half sort of fur lined flying boot. They fit better than wellies and are much warmer.

Thanks again, I've added strong leather gloves to my wish list..

Something like these?

DeWalt Tools Leather Palm Rigger Gloves Large Riggers on eBay (end time 30-Nov-09 10:01:49 GMT)

:D

Personally I would not add expensive leather gloves to my list just yet. The gliding club I was used some sort of mylar/dyneema/whatever rope which could easily be handled safely with your bare hands.

Wait and see what type of cable is in use, and what others are wearing. Perhaps bare hands are OK, perhaps just a pair of cheap work gloves from the DIY store.

If the weather gets cold, a pair of windbraker fleece gloves with some rubber pieces for grip may work just as well. They will certainly suffice for the trek from the hangar to the launch point.

Full fingered cycling gloves with rubber grip bits on the fingers and palm are best. A good combination of warmth, windproof, grip and feel.

There's no reason why you, as a beginner, should be handling lots of steel cable.

And you'll need a silly, frilly hat.

Mens - Hats & accessories - Beanie/Bucket Hat - It's a wing thing - Gliding clothing & flying toys

This is a serious post.

Aged 33 you probably don't feel the cold, but if in January you are freezing I recommend ski trousers (the cheapest you can get, probably from eBay). 12 years ago I bought a pair that comes up over the lower back, with integral braces, and when others dithered I went flying. A windproof outer layer is essential - anything from a cagoule to a proper flying suit.

Good luck with your training - I started in September and went solo in April (with no soaring in between) and by the end of the following summer had my bronze and was on my way to Silver (this is important - Silver badge makes you a real glider pilot, entitled to break club gliders without supervision). Learning in winter is really good (except for the scrubbed days. By the time I went solo I'd launched and landed in howling gales, horrendous crosswinds, rain showers, with misting canopy etc - summer flying was dead easy apart from those pesky thermals. And crisp, bright winter days are magical for flying.

In terms of books, much depends on your thinking style. I'm pretty analytical and found Piggott less use until well after solo. Ken Stewart's Glider Pilot's Handbook worked well for me. If you're more a "get the feel for it" person, then Piggott is definitely for you, and you'll find Stewart rather dry and technical.

Two pieces of advice for the beginning glider pilot:

1. Join in. Fetch cables, drive the tractor, push gliders around etc. This is more fun than standing still in the cold, and integrates you into the club workings. People will be pleased you joined, and you will be treated very well. Also you learn stuff - you'll fly a better winch launch once you know what the winch driver hates, or what drives the tug pilot mad. Someone who treats the club like a shop and moans because they're getting poor service inevitably alienates the other members, who are after all working for free to get you flying. Many times during training club members went out of their way to e.g. fetch another set of cable so I could fly again, when really everyone else except me wanted to finish for the day. Not cynical behaviour on my part, just how I took to it, but looking back I can see occasions when less motivated trainees would not get that extra bit of help.

2. Ask questions. Everyone has wonderful exploits they want to relate, or some pearl of wisdom to impart. So long as you don't believe any of them until they've been confirmed by a reputable source, you can learn a lot.

Fourteen years on I'm still fascinated, own my own glider, but still haven't managed that 500km flight.

Sounds like you have had some really interesting experiences. I can't wait to join, in fact I'd start tomorrow but have to consider the wife and kids..

I will definitely take your advice but its the kind of thing I would do anyway. When I was younger I would do anything just to hang around an airfield and I even did my work experience at RAF Cosford just so I could get to play with the Harriers and Jaguars they have there (even if they wouldnt let me start the engine).

So driving tractors, pulling cables, manouvering gliders into position.... it all sounds like heaven to me!

Thanks for all the input from everyone on here, seems like a really friendly community!

Sun tan lotion! You'll be out all day, and you will know all about it when you get home.

Aside from what has already been mentioned, here are a few(!) things I carry in my car (ours is a volunteer & weekends only club). I soon learned not to rely on others to bring these:sad:.

• Comprehensive toolkit (spanners, allen keys, screwdrivers etc.)
• Grease, 3in1 oil, WD40
• Glider retrieving rope (goes on towing eye or towbar of car & has two chain links at glider end to fit tow hook. Rope length at least 1 1/2 times length of one wing, 3/8" polypropylene rope)
• White PVC insulation tape (for sealing gaps when putting gliders together)
• Footpump &/or compressor
• Adaptor to fit glider tyre valves
• Jump leads
• Mobile phone & list of other members phone nos.
• Wellies (If you get the kit out early when the grass it still damp, you don't want your feet wet for the rest of the day)
• Overalls & disposable gloves (even if you have just fixed the winch or retreive vehicle, your black fingerprints won't be appreciated on white gliders)
• Watch
• Digital camera
• Paper towels or blue kimwipes. Tissues don't stand up to a full day's runny nose...:rolleyes:

If you want to be popular, bring a big pack of broken biscuits and a pint of milk for the coffees at the launchpoint:ok:.

Some glider pilots can be a bit cantankerous, so above all, bring patience and a sense of humour!

i prefer a fleece hat in winter - I like to keep my head warm! No baseball caps as the large peak obscures visibility, not hats with bobbles and the like as they can knock on the canopy.

And even in mid-winter, if you are out all day on one of those wonderful northerly days when it's crystal clear and visibility is fantastic, it's easy to get sunburnt.

Before you're totally put off by all the posts about keeping warm, dry and helping out on muddy airfields, can I suggest some gliding related items that might make good Christmas pressies?....

A 1/2 Mil map (as you're in Staffordshire, you may need two - one for the North and one for the South). You don't actually NEED a map whilst you're learning but it'll help to give you a feeling for where you're going to be flying, what to look out for on the ground, other airfields, airspace, etc. It adds an extra dimension as it helps you to better understand the flying environment and may inspire you to think ahead when you're solo and want to progress onto flying away from your home site. A 1/4 Mil is good too if you want to see the area in more detail. Ask your instructors what they'd recommend.

A basic book on Meteorology (the simpler the better) to help you to understand the weather a bit more.

A subscription to Sailplane & Gliding magazine - it contains lots of articles about everything from basic learning through to soaring the Andes.

Have lots of fun!

Take warm, dry clothes, a flask of tea and some sarnies. Maps, Camelback, tools etc - you'll know when you neen them - a lot of the advice here is for more advanced gliding.

Too true - you can pull the cable by the parachute. And always handle it in such a way that if it accidentally departs down the field at 50 knots, you or your fingers won't be taken with it!

Any suggestions for this?

Also

Anyone know which maps cover Staffordshire? The airfield I'll be flying from is Seighford.

Thanks!

Just like any gliding book by Derek Piggott is good, any Met book by Tom Bradbury is good too. Meteorology and Flight: A Pilot's Guide to Weather: Amazon.co.uk: Tom Bradbury: Books

Or, revert to Piggott...Understanding Flying Weather: Amazon.co.uk: Derek Piggott: Books

Don't get too hung up on Met though - the more I learn about it, the less I understand! You just need some simple pointers (such as an overnight difference between minimum night time temp and max daytime temp of more than 10 degrees means it's likely to be a good day).

Enjoy.

thanks! and the air charts?

Depends where you are as to which would be best. My guess is that the Southern Half Mil map would be ideal. For 1 1/4 Mil map then probably Sheet 5, Central England & Wales Chart would be useful. There's several official stockists (Stockists | VFR & Chart Information | Airspace Policy) or you may find that a local flying club at an airfield will have them for sale. Your own club may even have them. The maps are about £16.00 each (get the laminated ones so you can write on them with dry marker or chinagraph pens).

I think that as an Ab Initio (beginner) he doesn't need anything beyond lots of warm dry clothes, headgear, gloves and warm waterproof footwear. He should check if there are refreshments available when he will be flying, depending on the answer he might need the flask and sarnies. A large bottle of water or a Camelback could be useful on a long hot summer's day at the launchpoint. But tools? Noooo!!!!! :eek:

Welcome to the club, friend Chillindan!
 

I hope you have an understanding partner! Trouble with gliding is it can be addictive! And you end up with lots of mates. Which is the biggest difference between gliding and power flying, we have to help each other to get airborne!.

Prof. Chris Reed gave an excellent summary. Mechta had a good list of things to keep in the boot, I would add to that list a FIRE EXTINGUISHER!
Only because if there is any power on site, like a motor glider or a tug, it could come in very useful, in addition to any that are kept at the club. A couple of lives were saved at Dunstable once, because a passing automobile carried just such an item.


Did anyone recommend that you keep an eye on the BBC forecasts? Countryfile on Sunday eve. is well worth looking at for the week ahead. But at your early stage, be guided by your instructors, who if the weather is too dodgy, will no doubt have words of wisdom to impart in the classroom.

But the main thing about gliding is it is tremendous fun. And you can keep on keeping it up until you are well advanced in years. There is a vista of achievement ahead; first landing, first solo, bronze badge, silver C, etc etc. Rock polishing, dolphining, wave climbing, competition, instructing, and of course helping others.

Happy landings!

Thanks for the advice Mary. I've already discussed this with my partner and she is cool about it. At the end of the day she is used to me not being there as I've had a job where I am away all week for 4 years. Now I am going to be home all week, so one day a week gliding will seem a piece of cake compared to that!

I cant wait to start now, shame I've got to wait till after Christmas, but I suppose its only 5 weeks.....

Why wait until Christmas?

Just got to the gliding club next Saturday or Sunday. Unless the weather is horrible, there probably will be activity there. In fact, most clubs will have some sort of mechanism (either call a number or visit a website) that will tell you whether they're going to be launching that day.

Show up, tell them you're enrolled in a course starting Christmas and that you want to sample the atmosphere. You'll probably be able to hang around all day, talk to the people there, watch the launching and landing in action (so you know what kind of gloves you need, if nothing else) and if you're lucky you'll be squeezed into the schedule for a trial flight anyway.

If you talk to the right person you can probably pick up your joining pack right there and then too. Gives you something to read over the next few weeks.

Chillindian
I was at Seighford today. If you didnt know already we operate Sat,Sun, Wed all year plus Fri approx late March to end Oct as well as several full weeks throughout the summer months.
As for maps, I supply the members with the Southern 1/2 million when each edition comes out. I forget when the next one is due but I put an email out to all members when the time comes and comes at less then normal prices.
The previously mentioned book advice is fine - some people prefer Piggott, some the Stewart books. Oh and a sub to Sailplane and Gliding well worth it.
This weekends weather looks great (for this time of year!) so come on down and get started!
Enjoy

catsfive you failed to notice the full stop in the sentence of mine which you quoted and thus totally misunderstood me! I think we are in agreement that he doesn't need to take anything more than warm dry cloths and his lunch.

I'd suggest take everything if it's going to be in the car boot !!

Used to put it in a large holdall that I would take in and out of the car as required (still do it now with my power flying gear (inc tools). I don't fly with it but it's useful to have with you that's for sure. No one has mentioned pens either - never seemed to have one, and small torch is useful.

cheers

Arc

PW Cooper - I'd love to get started this weekend, however the deal I have agreed with my partner dictates that we get Christmas out of the way first :(

Myself and my kids might come down Saturday morning to watch though, and just for me to see what goes on when you are flying etc.

What sort of time do you start (weather permitting of course!)?

Maybe your partner would like to try gliding as well? :)

I have suggested it and she didnt back away from the idea... Would be good because then we could go down to the club gliding!