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I do miss Gliding

NutmegCT

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David - thanks for posting that.

Early in the video, he seems to come really close to the ground several times. How does he get back up in the air? Thermals are one thing, but wow - he sure seems "lucky in lift"!

Tom M.
 
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DavidApp

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He is over a ridge so there is always the escape to the valley but I would have been looking for landing sites at several points in the video.

David
 

Gliderman8

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Thank you David.... I too miss my soaring!
That must be one heck of a long runway... it seemed like he was over it for an eternity. Most of my landings have been on grass strips but not all!.
 

Gliderman8

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My favorite gliders to fly were the Grob and the Pilatus.
 

NutmegCT

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If you read through the video's comments, seems like what we see is a compilation of several flights.

(And that runway looks verrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyy long to me too. I was taught to try to land "on the numbers" at the beginning of the runway- not to stop on the ones at the end!)
 

Gliderman8

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Landing on the “numbers” works for powered planes but in a glider it’s impossible to taxi to your exit point so landing further down the runway works better in a glider.
 
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DavidApp

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I had thought that it seemed to be a very long flight then read the comments and gathered it was a compilation of flights.

The gliders these days have too much electronic/screen type instruments for me. We had an electric vario and a mechanical vario, altimeter, air speed indicator, a turn slip indicator
and compass. The radio was 2 Chanel. We also had oxygen on the panel.

We were trained to land at a designated spot and on bad soaring days they would hold spot landing competitions. It helped sharpen your skills for field landings in small British fields.

David
 
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DavidApp

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Final glides were calculated using a map and a rotary slide rule. Seem to remember that electronic help was not permitted in competition at the time.

David
 

PAUL161

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Haven't shown this since my son passed 5 years ago. One of his flying posters, still hard to look at. Kids loved him at the shows, adults were amazed what he could do with his glider, he was a champion!


View attachment 59905View attachment 59906
 

Gliderman8

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Thanks for sharing that Paul.
 

PAUL161

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Thanks Elliot, I added his picture also.
 
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DavidApp

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Aerobatic glider pilots always amazed me. The sense of spatial awareness needed and mental planning to arrive at exactly the right height and position to finish the show.

Was not my thing when I flew. Closest I got was full spin practice which was enough for me as my glider had a steep vicious spin once you had provoked it.

David
 

PAUL161

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later post
 

Gliderman8

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Flying over the ridge looked pretty close to tera firma :scared:
It appeared at times that the altitude was <100 ft. Once in the flow of the ridge the gain in altitude was pretty quick. Never did a bungee launch seems like fun and has got to be less that a tow.
 
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