In the
early 1990s, though I already held the private
power pilot single engine land rating as stated in Gone Flying
and Gone Flying
Two, I took a couple soaring lessons.
The thought of an aircraft staying aloft without an engine; wow, how
exciting, fascinating, and amazing! Due to time, money, and other demands
at the time I did not focus on it long enough to really understand the
principles of glider flight. Reflecting back on those years, I began
to search for new ways to stay excited about flying while further developing
my stick and rudder skills. I was concerned that boring holes in the sky
flying the Cessna 152 II and other light aircraft was not enough to enhance
my skills, and keep me challenged. I felt the extra instruction and glider
pilot transition add-on rating would give me the additional confidence
I wanted to keep current in aviation.
I was right!
Soaring was much more than I expected. As the adage goes, "It truly
is license to learn." I learned the difference between gliding and soaring,
and many other aspects of flight that I did not learn when learning
to fly power. Simply put, gliders cannot gain altitude while soaring aircraft
can. So then you ask, "why is it called a glider rating, not a soaring
rating?" According to the Soaring Society of
America, "the terms gliding and soaring are used interchangeably."
Click here to learn
more about soaring! After completing an intensive training program,
I was certified, having completed all requirements and endorsements required
for the glider pilot transition add-on and commercial glider ratings.
Flying higher performance gliders and embarking on cross country soaring
adventures are a in-progress.
Soaring is
an eye opening and enjoyable experience. It is an academic challenge both
on the ground and in the air. I recommend it to anyone interested
in flying. Before I started, I thought within a few hours of instruction,
I'd be on my way to a new rating. To my surprise and to no avail, I learned
there is quite a bit more than meets the eye, with much new information
to be learned. The Schweizer
SGS 2-33, though a trainer and simple in design and instrumentation,
requires a great deal of skill and precision to fly. Remember, flying
behind the tow is formation flying, and a forced landing is imminent
as there are no go arounds or second chances.
It is literally a cognitive sport (situational awareness is paramount), requiring knowledge, skills,
abilities, and certainly good decision making and judgment before,
during, and until the end of each flight. Developing coordinated flight,
using stick and rudder, flying behind the tow, and searching for thermal,
wave, shear, or ridge lift, at minimum controllable airspeed just
above stall are some of the many demands (SEE
THE PICTURES BELOW). At first, learning how to stay behind
the tow seems overwhelming, and don't get me wrong, it still is as flying
is a life-long learning activity. When it gets turbulent or when in
prop wash, keeping behind the tow and on the horizon takes concentration.
Then once released from tow gravity wants to take over acting on and against
the aircraft in flight. Now it is up to you and the soaring conditions
to stay aloft or land. Thereby, you better be prepared for that first forced
landing. After several emergency landings, released from tow about
200' above ground level (AGL), just after take off, I earned the confidence I needed for
solo. Learning the procedures, timing, and techniques to land in the
opposite direction of the runway I just departed, proved that many things
are possible. Power pilots talk about emergency and off field landings
often should the situation arise, but seldom is it something practiced.
These new skills and the additional ground school are insightful. The
new knowledge base are an expansion of what was learned when I obtained
the private pilot. Elements of thermal indexing, weight and balance,
glider polars, best glide, speed to fly, lift over drag and L/D max,
boxing the wake, weather, and other broadened my understanding. Just never
enough to learn! I am once again humbled! Prior
to Take-off in the Schweizer SGS 2-33.
Cockpit
View of the SGS 2-33...Simple, Right! After Tiedown and Heading Back To
I received
my ratings at 
Hemet-Ryan Airport's former Sailplane Enterprises. Click here
for a .wav video created by Sailplane Enterprises. This video
depicts what it feels like to fly a glider, without an engine, in
almost silent conditions, no radio, and no headset...freedom!
Cypress Soaring,
Krey Field Flyers,
Soaring
Society of America, Soaring Safety Foundation,
FAA Safety Team - Wings Program,
Southern California Soaring Academy (formally Great Western
Soaring), Southern
California Soaring, Antelope Valley Soaring
Club,
Cumulus Soaring,
Bob Wander's Soaring
Books and Supplies, Sailplane
Directory, Club
Fournier America, 
NOAA's National
Aviation Weather Service, NOAA's
SB County Winds Aloft Forcast, NOAA's
Soaring Forcast, WeatherMeister.Com, Super Awos, WebExams.Com for FAA Knowledge Exams,
MyWrittenExam.Com, My PilotTests.Com, AOPA Flight Training, FAA Become a Pilot, FAA Pilot Search Schools,
FAA Online Ground School,
Landings.Com, Learn To Fly Kit, and CSUSB Weather for San Bernardino
Winds, Wings and Wheels
Soaring Supplies, SkyVector.Com,
SuperAwos, AirNav.Com, Live ATC Net, Darren Smith, CFII/MEI, MyPilotStore.com, Airplane Ground Schools,
Gone
Soaring Cross Country, Gone Flying,
Gone
Flying Two,
Gone
Aerobatic, Gone
Ballooning,
Redlands
Weather Underground, and or other great soaring information.
Some pictures taken by friends, Earl and Arnold. Thanks!
Cockpit View Prior to Take-off.
Take-off Behind the Piper
Pawnee.
Just
After Lift-off and Climbing.
Giving
a Ride, Climb Out, Looking for Traffic.
Climbing
Out!
Aerial
View of Hemet Airport at About 5000.'
Emergency
Landing After Departure
on the Opposite Runway.
On
Final, Slipping with No Dive Brakes.
Just Before Touch Down.
Touch
Down.
Sailplane Enterprises' Trusty SGS 2-33
Waiting for the Next Flight.
Sailplane Enterpises for a Critique.
Click Here for Sailplane Enterpises.
Giving a Commercial Glider
Ride
To Friend Jim Phillips.
Though a Seasoned Pilot,
Jim Saddles Up
For His First Glider Ride.
CB SIFT CB EW! Jim and I On The Go!
Climbing and Turning, What
a View!
From The Front Seat...I Like
This Sight Picture!
Can It Get Better Than This?
About 3000' Just Northwest of Hemet's IP,
Looking For Traffic.
Another Great View.
The PZL Krosno KR-030A Puchateck is Fun to Fly.
Photo Taken From Cypress Soaring.
Click Here for Cypress Soaring.
More Krosno.
The Flight Line, Waiting for Tow, Hemet.
Looking Down the Flight Line, Hemet.
Cockpit View of the Krosno.
Check Ride For Solo in the PZL
Krosno KR-030A Puchateck With Gary Timbs.
On The Go! We Are Rolling
Now!
After Landing, Quite A Day!
The PW-6U. Photo Taken From
Cypress Soaring.
Click Here for Cypress Soaring.
More PW-6U.
The PW-6U Cockpit.
Opening Hanger for PW-6U
Flight.
More PW-6U Cockpit View.
PW-6U Online Prior to Strapping in for
Familiarization Flight and Take Off!
Cockpit View. Next in Line,
Waiting for Tow!
PW-6U Cockpit View Prior
to Boarding.
Cockpit View of the PW-6U.
PW-6U Disassembled and Stowing
in its Trailer.
The A-2 LET L-33 Solo, Very Fun to Fly.
Cockpit View of the L-33,
Before Strapping In.
L-33, Photo Taken From Cypress
Soaring.
Click Here
for Cypress Soaring.
Great Western Soaring Flight
Line.
(Now Southern California Soaring Academy)
The DG-505 Elan Orion at
Great Western.
More DG-505 Elan Orion,
Cockpit View.
DG-505 Elan Orion, Cockpit
View Prior To
Familiarization Flight and Take-Off.
More DG-505 Elan Orion, Crystal Airport.
Piper Pawnee Getting Ready
for Tow.
The DG-505 at 10,000.'
Running the Ridge and Climbing.
Altimeter Reading Above 10,000' and Climbing.
A Peek Out the Window and Pop-Out Scoop.
Working the Ridge, Crystal Airport.
Orbiting Above the Ridge and Gaining Altitude.
Krey Field, SGS 1-26 Getting Ready
For Take-Off.
Cockpit View in the SGS 1-26.
Another View of the SGS 1-26 Cockpit.
Climbing to 10,000' at Krey Field.
10,000' and Looking Down at Earth.
Krey Field at 10,000'.
Soaring Minden
- Tahoe, Nevada.
Getting Ready For
Take-Off, Minden - Tahoe.
Waiting for Tow in the Grob 103
at Minden - Tahoe.
Hooking-Up the Tow Rope, Minden - Tahoe.
Orbiting Above the Airport, Minden - Tahoe.
Climbing Above the Airport.
At 7500' and Making Way.
Still Climbing at Minden, Minden - Tahoe.
Cheese.
Nearing 10,000' and Climbing at 600' FPM.
What a View!
Working It at Minden.
Oxygen Ready, Minden - Tahoe.
On Oxygen at Minden - Tahoe.
Flying Back to Minden - Tahoe.
After Landing and Parked, Minden - Tahoe.
Another Day at Hemet.
Discussing the Day on The
Flight Line.
Giving Rich Super a Ride,
Krosno on Tow.
Rich Taking a Photo From
the Front Seat.
Rich, a Happy Customer Takes
a Solo Photo.
I am Back There Somewhere.
Inbound to Hemet in the
C-152 II Powerhouse
to Give Arnold Beler a Glider Ride.
Krosno Preflight Inspection.
Friend, Arnold Beler Getting
Ready for
a Glider Ride. Thanks for the Pics Arnie.
On the Go, Krosno! Arnie
is Fired-Up!
Climbing Out!
Cleared 200' and Climbing!
Looking for Traffic, Releasing
From Tow!
We are Rolling Arnie!
Clear Right!
Working It!
Climbing at 2 Knots.
Thermaling and Climbing.
Another Happy Customer!
Setting Up for Landing,
TOWARD!
On Downwind, Turning Base, Hemet!
Base to Final, Hemet!
Just Prior to Touchdown on the Numbers,
Hemet!
ALWAYS LEARNING...
MORE COMING SOON!
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