Another Gliding Course!

[EGNX]

Been down to Wethersfield on another jolly. Ace time! You can't not love a place where there is a hammock in the sqn bar! Many fun filled days of gliding... followed by drinking! Ahhhh, I love doing this!  :D

Stansted Airspace is right above us at 2000ft. Me and Rik got to 2k twice, but we couldn't be bothered with asking to enter. With all the airliners skimming round us we knew they would say no!

My first pics as an instructor!  :o 8-)

Arty farty shot out of the DV panel


Awkward landing area!


Coming in over the caravan


Everywhere soaked after a short sharp shower!


The strip


Arty shot out the back!


Through the rain with Rik. Strangely enough I was aircraft captain! He isn't an instructor yet because of medical problems, but he's an experienced civy glider pilot. I simply did the launch and landing and let him have play with some thermals!  ;D (This is how I got the pics!)


We kinda broke the yaw string in the storm too!  ;D


Poorly glider. Happened on the ground in a towing accident! Landie beats glider!  ::)

Fantastic time!

Wish I could fly some of you guys!  :)

Cheers,

Luke!  :)

[Mictheslik]

Lovely shots Luke......

If you came a bit closer to where I am I'd happily come out and get some shots of your lovely vikings

Unfortunately Essex is a bit far

.mic

[beaky]

That's a bit of a problem being under a 2000-ft shelf... can you sneak out from under it and get higher?

On my first glider flight, we were at about 2800 a few miles outside the Class B and an airliner passed over us at about 3500, on approach to KEWR... so maybe it doesn't matter.

[EGNX]

That's a bit of a problem being under a 2000-ft shelf... can you sneak out from under it and get higher?

On my first glider flight, we were at about 2800 a few miles outside the Class B and an airliner passed over us at about 3500, on approach to KEWR... so maybe it doesn't matter.

Hmmmmm... Stansted was to the west and after about 2nm from the end of Runway 28 the airspace dropped down to the surface. However to the west after about 4nm the airspace stepped up to 3,500ft. Only problem being is that was quite a way down wind, and on that day the average wind speed was 15-20kts (on the surface) so probably double that up at 2,000ft, and we would of had a bit of trouble getting back to the downwind boundary and joining the circuit.

However that flight was 25 mins long from a winch launch of only 1,400 feet. So I was quite proud of our efforts!

Next time I go I'm really tempted to ask persmision to enter the airspace if I get to 2k!... It's happened in the past, and they usually say yes.  :)

[pepper_airborne]

Great shots, nice angles. sounds like a wonderfull time! How much does the average flight cost you?

[EGNX]

Great shots, nice angles. sounds like a wonderfull time! How much does the average flight cost you?

FREEEEEEE!  :)

All my costs are covered now that i'm a VGS instructor. From food to fuel!  ;D

And, when I wasn't an instructor, it only cost me food and fuel!... Flying is free.  :D

[Tom...]

Lovely Shots, ive flown from there a few times, its very odd being so deserted and with all of the empty aircraft shelters.

[C]

I like the way you've called Wethersfield's 9000ft NATO runway a "strip"! A remarkably well preserved airfield.

That's a bit of a problem being under a 2000-ft shelf... can you sneak out from under it and get higher?

Airspace around London is a lot of Class A shark infested custard! Imagine several major airports control zones all mushed into one (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted)...

[machineman9]

Looks like good fun. I think I have done my GIC1 and started on some of my GIC2- The pilots in all my flights (tutor and viggi) have been quite happy with my progress so I got to do a bit extra.

I can't wait to do more, looks like such good fun  :P

(It's 16 to apply for a glider course with cadets isn't it? Are there any qualification or rank requirements too?)

[pepper_airborne]

I find gliding really fascinating, How exactly do you know where to find the thermals? I found a program for flightsimulator but it doesnt make a lot of sense to me, and the default installed thermals with the NL2000 doesnt provide a lot of documentation either except to look for open fields.

[Mictheslik]

I find gliding really fascinating, How exactly do you know where to find the thermals? I found a program for flightsimulator but it doesnt make a lot of sense to me, and the default installed thermals with the NL2000 doesnt provide a lot of documentation either except to look for open fields.

I know there are lots of visual clues, such as cumulus clouds, and birds such as buzzards

.mic

[pepper_airborne]

I find gliding really fascinating, How exactly do you know where to find the thermals? I found a program for flightsimulator but it doesnt make a lot of sense to me, and the default installed thermals with the NL2000 doesnt provide a lot of documentation either except to look for open fields.

I know there are lots of visual clues, such as cumulus clouds, and birds such as buzzards

.mic

heh yeah, i wonder if you could make FS2004 display a animated model at those positions.

[machineman9]

I find gliding really fascinating, How exactly do you know where to find the thermals? I found a program for flightsimulator but it doesnt make a lot of sense to me, and the default installed thermals with the NL2000 doesnt provide a lot of documentation either except to look for open fields.

The tutorial for it on FSX is quite insightive, but a lot of practise also comes with it.

Areas such as fields and towns are going to produce a fair bit of heat- the plants from all the growing they are doing and the cars in the towns and the heat from tarmac let alone the fires lit and things just producing heat. Then you have the more windy thermals near mountains where the wind comes along and with it's force tries to go up the mountain pushing you up too.

Though I agree, it is fascinating how the power of the land can make something like that fly.

[pepper_airborne]

I find gliding really fascinating, How exactly do you know where to find the thermals? I found a program for flightsimulator but it doesnt make a lot of sense to me, and the default installed thermals with the NL2000 doesnt provide a lot of documentation either except to look for open fields.

The tutorial for it on FSX is quite insightive, but a lot of practise also comes with it.

Areas such as fields and towns are going to produce a fair bit of heat- the plants from all the growing they are doing and the cars in the towns and the heat from tarmac let alone the fires lit and things just producing heat. Then you have the more windy thermals near mountains where the wind comes along and with it's force tries to go up the mountain pushing you up too.

Though I agree, it is fascinating how the power of the land can make something like that fly.

Ah yeah, i wasnt to sure about the land thing.

Yes, the wind is a powerfull force, i've experienced that whilst landing in a parachute, if the LZ is surrounded by tree's then the wind can start rolling over the ground, which could make for a bumpy last moment  ;D.

Does it ever happened that a glider just doesnt want to land because the wind caught it?

[machineman9]

Does it ever happened that a glider just doesnt want to land because the wind caught it?

Blue lever = problem solved  ;)

I suppose it is with all aircraft that one though... even the large ones can get flipped over by the wind, so a lighter aircraft could have some problem with loosing altitude after a large gust. But then you have the blue lever.