Damn you Tony.....

vontresc

vontresc

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vonSegelGoober
Well after I kept seeing Tony's glider posts and Kent's glider video, I got the idea of getting my glider rating. So long story short, I joined the Wisconsin Soaring society out of Heartford, and decided to get on with it.

Well today was a fantastic day! I got a tow up to 3000' in the 2-33, and we decided to finally pack it in 90 minutes later because John the flight instructor was freezing his butt off in the back seat.

One of the first thermals we hit almost got us to 4500' right up to the cloud bases, and after that we just kept hitting good lift. The worst I can remember was getting down to 2500' looking for a thermal, and then back up to the 4k range.

The coolest thing happened just about when we decided to return to the airport. John my instructor pointed out a couple of hawks circling in some clear air. It didn't look like great lift, but I was high enough and wanted to take a closer look. Turns out those birds are a bit better than me at finding lift, and we must have circled with then almost 10 more minutes.

It kinda felt bad to descend back to the field, but I figure 1:40 on your 3rd flight in a sailplane isn't too bad. I just wish I had taken the camera along.

This had to be the most fun I have had in a plane in a long time

Pete
 
Yep, those heat exchangers don't work so well without an engine onboard. :D

I'm glad ya had a great time. Someday, I'll cross over.
 
you're doomed Pete. Have fun!

I did about an hour and a half in my glider yesterday. got a nice thermal or two over the airport up to 5000 MSL, then decided to head out to the west. couldnt really connect with much after that and found some weaker lift that kept me in the 3-4000 feet range. ended up landing at Boone about 13 miles away on a closed runway. They are repaving their main runway. Once this corn gets harvested I'll be able to go a lot farther!

PS the hawks will always beat you no matter how good you are.
 
Will the hawks "hang out" with the glider or do they seem offended and fly away?
 
they'll hang with ya until they decide there's better to be had, then it's bye bye birdie!
 
Pete's is a great description of how one gets hooked on soaring. The 15 minute up and down rides just don't do it. It's when you see for yourself that maintaining flight by borrowing energy from nature is doable that the allure of the sport really comes out. To share a thermal with soaring birds just adds icing to the cake.
 
Lance F said:
Pete's is a great description of how one gets hooked on soaring. The 15 minute up and down rides just don't do it. It's when you see for yourself that maintaining flight by borrowing energy from nature is doable that the allure of the sport really comes out. To share a thermal with soaring birds just adds icing to the cake.
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That's how it started for me. My commercial instructor took my up on a flight in a Grob. I was hooked when we started to climb with no engine. `:hairraise:
 
scott - most gliders are way cheaper than your warrior.

lance-exactly! I gave two guest rides at the club today. there was kind of a high overcast but some weak looking cu's down low. lo and behold there was lift under them so both got to do some thermalling, had 30 minute flight with each. they had a blast! the weak thermal that i flew in on my first ride was what suckered me into this sport too. of course after flying the rides i had to have some to myself so i assembled the cherokee and did a 1 hour downwind "dash" of a stellar 12 miles or something embarassing like that. landed in an itty bitty pasture with trees and powerlines everywhere. will have to post some pictures. two days in the weekend, two rigs and de-rigs. what else could you ask for?
 
tonycondon said:
scott - most gliders are way cheaper than your warrior.
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That is the down side. I could easily grab some money out of savings and buy one tomorrow. I really want a new car this year instead fo a glider though. My Jeep turned 13 this year. I really want a new Jette TDI when they come out for 2008.
 
WARNING! EXTREME RATIONALIZATION AHEAD!

smigaldi said:
I really want a new Jette TDI when they come out for 2008.
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Naw... don't buy the first model year. That means you're going to have to wait until the '09 model. That means you can buy a glider!

:frog:
 
smigaldi said:
That is the down side. I could easily grab some money out of savings and buy one tomorrow. I really want a new car this year instead fo a glider though. My Jeep turned 13 this year. I really want a new Jette TDI when they come out for 2008.
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So what's wrong with a 13 year old Jeep? It's just getting broken in. :D Oh, that's right. My Wrangler is just 8 years old (with 128,000 miles on it so far).
 
smoore said:
WARNING! EXTREME RATIONALIZATION AHEAD!



Naw... don't buy the first model year. That means you're going to have to wait until the '09 model. That means you can buy a glider!

:frog:
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Jetta TDI's have been available in Europe for a while I believe. Im glad they are coming to the states, i want one bad. When scott is tired of his I will buy it used from him. perfect tow vehicle.
 
Buy a used one, and throw a trailler hitch onto it for hauling the glider. That Diesel would make a great towing vehicle....

Pete
 
vontresc said:
Buy a used one, and throw a trailler hitch onto it for hauling the glider. That Diesel would make a great towing vehicle....

Pete
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yes pete i know. ive been lusting after a Jetta TDi for quite a while.
 
My folks have the golf diesel which is a very nice car. The only real issues they had was with the EGR valve. With the old high sulfur diesel the EGR valve was open way too much to reduce emissions which leads to the valve body coking up. Other than that it has been a good car with awesome gas mileage. sometimes I wish I had gone with the Diesel instead of the GTI, but then again I like going fast :)

Pete

P.S. if you get a Mark I or Mark II Rabbit they will run straight vegetable oil without too much modifications. One of the local pizza joints in Madison has a fleet of "Grease Cars". Thos things smell great when you are behind them at an intersection....
 
tonycondon said:
Jetta TDI's have been available in Europe for a while I believe. Im glad they are coming to the states, i want one bad. When scott is tired of his I will buy it used from him. perfect tow vehicle.
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I would not count on that. I drive my cars for at least 10 years and then get rid of them when they are close to falling apart. If I get a new car this year it will be the first time I have ever violated that rule as the Cherokee is running fine and has 160,000 miles on it. But I want a new car bad and the darn Jeep is just keeping on ticking.
 
smigaldi said:
I would not count on that. I drive my cars for at least 10 years and then get rid of them when they are close to falling apart. If I get a new car this year it will be the first time I have ever violated that rule as the Cherokee is running fine and has 160,000 miles on it. But I want a new car bad and the darn Jeep is just keeping on ticking.
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Sounds familiar. Last year we traded our 1997 Grand Cherokee (with about 180,000 miles on the clock) for a 2006 Commander Limited. The JGC was starting to get cantankerous and it was time to dump it. The Commander already has 21,000 miles on it.
 
Ghery said:
Sounds familiar. Last year we traded our 1997 Grand Cherokee (with about 180,000 miles on the clock) for a 2006 Commander Limited. The JGC was starting to get cantankerous and it was time to dump it. The Commander already has 21,000 miles on it.
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The only real problem with the Jeep, other than the AC is out, is that there is a sticky valve. I put a quart of MMO in each oil change and that solves it for a good 3 months. When I hear the valve again it is usually time for an oil change.
 
vontresc said:
Well after I kept seeing Tony's glider posts and Kent's glider video, I got the idea of getting my glider rating. So long story short, I joined the Wisconsin Soaring society out of Heartford, and decided to get on with it.
Pete
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Pete, this is very inspiring. The closest I have been to gliders was seeing Air Force Academy Cadets putting their glider fleet through its paces along the Front Range.

Do you have a website for the Wisconsin Soaring Society? I've tried searching and could not find an active website.
 
stan, im not sure if the wisconsin bunch has a website or not. i tried to pull up www.ssa.org to check for some contact info but it seems to not want to work at the moment. bookmark it though, thats the website for the soaring society of america and you can find nearby gliding operations.
 
tonycondon said:
stan, im not sure if the wisconsin bunch has a website or not. i tried to pull up www.ssa.org to check for some contact info but it seems to not want to work at the moment. bookmark it though, thats the website for the soaring society of america and you can find nearby gliding operations.
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Thanks, Tony. I'll look at that site. I also might just make the 20nm flight up to Hartford (HFX) airport, park, and watch!
 
don't watch, help! ground crew is easily trained and almost always needed. great way to meet the people at the club too. have fun!
 
I really need to do this whole glider thing...and instrument..and commercial..and cfi..ugh.
 
If you go to HXF talk to Günther Volz, fascinating guy. 92 years old still fies Gliders (with a safety pilot), and has been flying Gliders since the 30's. Has all sorts of stories of flying gliders in the Hitler Youth and flying for the Luftwaffe.

Oh yeah The website for the club is www.wisoar.org

Pete
 
vontresc said:
If you go to HXF talk to Günther Volz, fascinating guy. 92 years old still fies Gliders (with a safety pilot), and has been flying Gliders since the 30's. Has all sorts of stories of flying gliders in the Hitler Youth and flying for the Luftwaffe.

Oh yeah The website for the club is www.wisoar.org

Pete
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Thank you for the link, Pete.
 
I took my first glider lesson in a KA7 yesterday. We released at 2000' agl and were able to climb to 3000' agl. Total flight time was about 50min. I had to keep reminding myself to "pull the string". I had a blast but it was definitely more challenging than I thought it was going to be.
 
cool brent! where did you fly a Ka-7 at? Ive always wanted to fly one. its nice to get a little soaring in.
 
oh excellent! Sarah is a grade A fantastic CFIG! I had several meals with her at the SSA's convention this year. Do you know when they are having Octoborfest down there? Id like to come, but doubt Ill have the time and money. would be fun to fly the ridge.
 
darn, other plans. keep us updated on your glider flying brent!

did you fly the mooney up there?
 
tonycondon said:
did you fly the mooney up there?
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No. It was a beautiful day but the Mooney is currently in the shop having the prop resealed. We should have it back later this week. I did get to ride my motorcycle.:D It was a good day!
 
Tony is the best thing that has happened to soaring! I am glad Tony posted so I could read the historical accounts of Count Von GliderGueber!
 
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