Broke the 1-hr mark on one tow!

rottydaddy

rottydaddy

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Pretty good day today, although it didn't look like it. Gusty x-wind at 47N and only a few high shredded clouds. But it was hot and sunny, so there was lift... on my second tow we broke loose at 3000 and busted 4000 twice (once from about 1500) while chasing narrow thermals that seemed to be bending this way and that due to the wind. A lot of hard work, and after an hour I was actually not enjoying the circling... :vomit:

So I called it a day and we brought the 33 in for about 1.5 logged.

Really made some progress today, even though my tow flying was not as good as it should have been, despite the gusts. I actually found some lift on my own and caught it by turning in when I felt that tickle... very satisfying. :yes:
 
Hehe, so are you hooked yet?

I got sucked in on just one such flight. It was late in the day, and there was great srong lift up high. We spent almost 2 hours up near cloud base, until the back seat of the 2-33 took it's took on John my CFI-G. It feels wrong to pull airbrakes in good lift, but it was time. Flights like this keep you coming back :)
 
That sounds like a lot of fun!

I know you said you've just started... but I've heard that you don't do a whole lot of soaring during your initial instruction. Any idea how common something like this is if you're trying to do it?
 
the instructor should balance soaring flight with pattern work/manuevers etc. the whole point of flying a glider is to soar and thermalling is a manuever on the PTS for the checkride. glad you got to go UP!
 
I have no idea how common it is to start working hard on thermals at this point, but I guess among powered-plane cert holders especially it will really vary from student to student.

I think I'm still getting a very good mix, but H. is pushing me pretty hard because I showed I still remember the basics but am also willing to un-learn a lot. :D

Other than feeling out and working a couple of thermals more or less on my own, I am also pretty happy that I slipped right back where I should be when I got high and outside on the tow... without even thinking about it. That was cool.

Still lots of work to do, for sure...I am still very much a beginner.

Thoughts For the Day:

"Don't go down there (on tow)... you'll be sorry... "
"Don't circle in sink..."
"Don't let the nose dive for the ground like that..."
"You're too far out (on downwind leg)... this isn't a powered airplane, remember..."

A really good workout today, and although I can't take any credit for the second landing, it was useful to see a landing in such tricky wind... the gradient was brutal, with a last-moment "gotcha" that put us down pretty hard. On my own, I'd have probably bent the glider on that one.
 
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Great guys. Yea, it's a balance. You can work on tow and landing forever and then soaring opportunities come that you can't deny. Soaring flight instruction is so opportunitistic. Makes the syllibus crazy. But sounds like you had a good flight.

MM
 
landings in tricky winds are definitely demanding in a glider, because you have no means of adding energy back to the craft. ballooned? well you better work it out, not like you can drag it out with power like in your 172. It definitely keeps all your hands and feets working, eh?
 
Eh? Gliders are the easiest landing flying machines available! One main wheel keeps it all pretty simple. Gad, these airplanes with all sorts of wheels hanging out in the breeze are a ***** to get on the ground.
MM
 
well i was talking about the part before you touched down...
 
You're also pretty limited in how much aileron you can use in ground effect! Interesting...:D
 
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