Good Soaring PR

[vontresc]

Saw this in my AOPA newsletter this morning..

http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2009/090122gliders.html

That should give the Soaring community some good exposure.

 

[Ted]

Very nice. Hopefully that will get spread to non-pilots as well. Of course, you glider goobers already had me convinced to get into it at some point, when the opportunity came about.

That said, I'm always thinking "Where can I land this thing?" when I'm flying along. For me, that was just part of standard training for engine outs in singles.

 

[rottydaddy]

Interesting about the glider landings on water; never really considered that but it's certainly possible depending on where you are.

 

[tonycondon]

Interesting about the glider landings on water; never really considered that but it's certainly possible depending on where you are.

Hank Nixon talked at one of the recent SSA conventions about landing his glider in a river at a national contest. There was a really great article in Soaring in the last year or two about a guy who landed out on a sandbar in a river or lake, and had to retrieve the glider one piece at a time by pontoon boat.

 

[vontresc]

I've seen several photos of ditched gliders. One manufacturer (LS) actually tested water landings.

In the July, 2008 edition of "Gliding International", edited by John
Roake, there's this word on water landings:
Walter Schneider and Wolf Lemke of LS fame carried out water landing
test and ditched an LS1 prior to the World Championships in Finland.
They were worried about the lack of land out options and the
proliferation of lakes. They assumed that landing wheel up would be
the preferred option, but discovered that the glider 'bounced' off the
surface and dropped a wing as the fuselage entered the water because
of its shape. They tried it again with the wheel down, deliberately
put the tail down first and discovered that the wheel acted as a
gentle brake and controlled the whole process much better."

 

[wby0nder]

I've seen several photos of ditched gliders. One manufacturer (LS) actually tested water landings.

AND,though it doesn't say so, the tire acts like a pontoon if it's inflated properly

 

[akite]

I always keep an eye on several of the lakes up in the mountains where I fly, they are the only survivable land out on the back ridge.

 

[Lance F]

From the AOPA article Pete cited: "Glider instructors drill their students about landing decisions..."
This really is a critical statement. I feel about glider instructors who don't have real cross country and land out experience the same way I do about instrument instructors who don't have real IMC time. Not much.

There will be increased interest in getting some glider instruction due to the USAir incident. I hope so. But choose your instructor wisely. Especially if your interest is "what do I do if the engine quits?" Some CFIGs have safely landed where there was no airport many many times; others never have.

 

[akite]

That means you wouldnt want to train with me, I have some cross country but I have never had to actually land out, I have done lots of landings on other than the runway but as a training exercise and practice for the inevitable event when I get low away from the airport

 

[tonycondon]

well adam you need to downsize. that fancy glider with high L/D is shorting you. How about we trade??

 

[wby0nder]

well adam you need to downsize. that fancy glider with high L/D is shorting you. How about we trade??

Think of all the fun you'd miss... The glorious landouts, the friendly farmers, the sunset vistas in open country waiting for your crew, all the attention from the press, the chicks!

Better keep that bag of sticks you call a sailplane. Pretty soon you'll have so many landouts I'll never catch up. I'll have to get a crappier glider just to compete!

 

[tonycondon]

Think of all the fun you'd miss... The glorious landouts, the friendly farmers, the sunset vistas in open country waiting for your crew, all the attention from the press, the chicks!

Better keep that bag of sticks you call a sailplane. Pretty soon you'll have so many landouts I'll never catch up. I'll have to get a crappier glider just to compete!

i'd just land further away from home.

you'd have to actually start flying your glider to catch up to me in landouts

 

[vontresc]

'nuff said

 

[wby0nder]

i'd just land further away from home.

you'd have to actually start flying your glider to catch up to me in landouts

If I just assemble/disassemble it in the field next to my house does that count?

 

[akite]

well, you will need to try all methods of lift according to Goofy, and if you become airborne then you can count it