gil_mor
Pre-takeoff checklist
Fun day!
Went to Prescott Soaring Society, AZ.
Supper nice people.
The first flight was with the CFI-G (introductory, didn't touch the stick).
Sit down, buckling up, and BOY that winch PULLS. We were in the air in NO time, felt like a catapult launch. Then like a rocket at 45 degrees climb.
I was pretty much sold right there and then.
Before the flight we were talking about stalls and spins, so as soon as we released the hook and turned - he demonstrated a stall.
The most interesting part was that unlike the buffeting in the powered plane, it felt like the nose was just going down - very smoothly. I couldn't really put my finger on the point we stopped flying.
Then - he did a wing-over stall. What a sweet sweet maneuver.
Nose goes up, right wing go down, HEY we are pointing DOWN.
I noticed I had to keep my teeth clenched so when he recovered my jaw wont open. G's and stuff.
"Pretty cool" I thought, and then he did a (short) spin.
The amazing part is that everything was so smooth, one minute we are losing some airspeed, the next it feels like we are turning a little, the next - the world is spinning around that cow that feels kinda close.
Then he recovers, doing that teeth-clenched-keep-head-straight thing again, wind is getting way loud, glider makes new noises, and I'm thinking "Vne"?
Nope, we level off and head down for landing, only to find a car driving on the dirt strip.
I thought it had to be pretty cool to be in that car and see a glider riding your 6.
That ride was done after probably 4-5 minutes.
2nd flight had better conditions but not great. We got some small thermals and stayed in the air for about 20 minutes. I realized that when the wind suddenly stops - you are out of the thermal.
Couldn't understand how he knew where to turn to find it again, but we stayed there for quite a while, so I guess he knew what he was doing.
Overall - VERY fun.
Went to Prescott Soaring Society, AZ.
Supper nice people.
The first flight was with the CFI-G (introductory, didn't touch the stick).
Sit down, buckling up, and BOY that winch PULLS. We were in the air in NO time, felt like a catapult launch. Then like a rocket at 45 degrees climb.
I was pretty much sold right there and then.
Before the flight we were talking about stalls and spins, so as soon as we released the hook and turned - he demonstrated a stall.
The most interesting part was that unlike the buffeting in the powered plane, it felt like the nose was just going down - very smoothly. I couldn't really put my finger on the point we stopped flying.
Then - he did a wing-over stall. What a sweet sweet maneuver.
Nose goes up, right wing go down, HEY we are pointing DOWN.
I noticed I had to keep my teeth clenched so when he recovered my jaw wont open. G's and stuff.
"Pretty cool" I thought, and then he did a (short) spin.
The amazing part is that everything was so smooth, one minute we are losing some airspeed, the next it feels like we are turning a little, the next - the world is spinning around that cow that feels kinda close.
Then he recovers, doing that teeth-clenched-keep-head-straight thing again, wind is getting way loud, glider makes new noises, and I'm thinking "Vne"?
Nope, we level off and head down for landing, only to find a car driving on the dirt strip.
I thought it had to be pretty cool to be in that car and see a glider riding your 6.
That ride was done after probably 4-5 minutes.
2nd flight had better conditions but not great. We got some small thermals and stayed in the air for about 20 minutes. I realized that when the wind suddenly stops - you are out of the thermal.
Couldn't understand how he knew where to turn to find it again, but we stayed there for quite a while, so I guess he knew what he was doing.
Overall - VERY fun.