Sailplanes

[stevtomato]

Hi guys,

I'm new here, as you can probably tell from the postcount. Anyway, aviation courses are probably way too expensive for me and that's why I choose the similar activity which is gliding on sailplanes. It's not as glorious as flying a powered aircraft, I don't think. You don't get the really cool taxiing or all those fancy ATC convos requesting clearance.

We do get quiet flights though (or glide), and hopping from one cloud to the other circling around thermals can be quite fun too. We even sometimes get to thermal together with some eagles (must watch out if they start attacking the glider though).

I think gliding is really awesome. I've only done a few sessions, I've been really busy but I'm planning to continue and fly solo soon, I hope (now that it's summer here).

So yeah, anyone of you do gliding too?

ST

[B757]

Yes I do.
I started in 2006 and I have the GPL (Glider Pilots License) since July 2008.
My personal highlight was flying in the Alps.
Thats really another experience then flying in the flat country.
My home airport is the Hahnweide EDST lying southeast of Stuttgart Airport EDDS.
In Germany there are many gliding fields.
How does it look like in Down Under?

[stevtomato]

That's great!
I started only in 2008 but I haven't had my GPL yet because I've been really busy. But I'm planning to get my GPL asap now that I'm on holiday.

Yeah, flying on a flat country like Australia is very different. The airstrip we glide from is called Stonefield, which was used to be called Steinfield. There's not as many gliding fields as Europe does I'm sure. But yeah.

Gliding Down under is quite fun actually. It's quite brown where I live because South Australia is the driest state here. You can only expect to climb by means of thermalling. Everything is brown. I wonder what it's like to fly above grassy or mountain areas.

[Soaring1972]

I also fly gliders. If you are flying in a controled zone you get ATC clearence of course!

[Dispatch Dog]

Sailing the Alps is one of the highlights of life for me. Had a few hours with a world champ aerobatic sailplane pilot from St Johann in Austria.
I'll never forget flying the ridge along Der Kaiser, buzzing climbers on the Rettenstein and climbing past eagles on the slopes of the Kitzbueler Horn.

Real flying.