Gliding.

[mrmaggit]

VernalEquinox said:

RichB said:

True, you could be in one of those 'sleeping bags hanging off a kite' type things with a lawnmower engine strapped on the back.

I was thinking more of this




As long as there's a wing, it's flying.
Which'll upset the balloonists but who cares, we can steer away from them.

Ah, a VJ23. Not seen a picture of one of them for years. My Dad built a version of that for the Selsey Birdman competition.

[Nimbus]

Big News said:

I implore you to watch these two videos too, they're put together by our UK Junior Gliding team (technically under 26, but we have plenty of young-at-heart 'olds' involved, too!) - the Juniors scene is known for having plenty of fun, plenty of drinking, but also lots of high-quality flying - we're also pretty competitive on the world stage, too.

Our 2012 Season Review:
http://youtu.be/EpFaCs_3JoA


Our 2013 Season Review
http://youtu.be/SQ1jnQtCMiM

Since its raining, and the spring seems a long way off... here's some inspiration.

An old school juniors video,that pretty much started the whole 'extreme' gliding video thing off, from when I was that young

Smoking..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioLjWShI-ac


the original of this is nearly an hour long, and includes an excellent beat up below and between the hangers at Weston, must see if I can find my dvd and upload it, the poor quality is because it was recorded on 'big' video cameras, no go-pro back then !

Happy days

[Nimbus]

this cheered me up too, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aumO0ZHwAro

more edits from the original smoking vid.


inspired to go do some work now !!

[Simpo Two]

Excellent. Now you see that is what I call flying, not parachuting with a fan strapped to your ass

[Nimbus]

Simpo Two said:

Excellent. Now you see that is what I call flying, not parachuting with a fan strapped to your ass

It's all good, as long as you're off the ground and having fun

[bazza white]

In had some lessons in wattisham before we moved back to cardiff, been tempted to get back into it but due to work hours I can't be spending all day down the clubs hence looking more into paragliding and hang gliding.


Truly magic though if you haven't done it and want to fly do it.

[Abagnale]

bazza white said:

cardiff,

Get yourself over to the Blorenge, Merthyr, Nant Y Moel. Go on, you know it makes sense!

[bazza white]

Abagnale said:

Get yourself over to the Blorenge, Merthyr, Nant Y Moel. Go on, you know it makes sense!

Do you fly pg. Tempted just to go abroad next year to get it done.

[Abagnale]

bazza white said:

Do you fly pg. Tempted just to go abroad next year to get it done.

Retired now, but spent many a happy hour in the black mountains. You'll need about five days to get qualified & a lifetime to get good at it. Abroad is a good option for weather reasons, France or Spain are ideal but there's no shortage of schools who run trips just about anywhere. Start with the BHPA website but do get along to the hill & take advice from pilots - not all schools are equal. Good luck & above all stay safe.

[CrutyRammers]

Having done one PG day a couple of months back, I'm now planning to get qualified next year. Wasn't originally going to, it was just going to be a thing to do once for fun, but having tasted it, I just have to go back.

[Nimbus]

If you are wondering what else you can do in a glider....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAIbquWahTY

at my club last weekend

and yes Guy is a hero, but I always like to remind him of the dodgy finish he did in our club sport vega at the juniors back in about '89... Lets just say he used the 'dip' in the middle of Dunstable to maximum effect

[Abagnale]

He & his brother held paragliding records a few years ago. Just sayin'...

[marksx]

Good gravy. Flying and fireworks. I'm like a kid at Christmas!

[Nimbus]

Abagnale said:

He & his brother held paragliding records a few years ago. Just sayin'...

Indeed he did, so it just goes to show... If you learn to fly a glider first, you can fly anything


Actually, a lot of the 'good guys' in competition gliding have either done hang/para gliding first, or if they are younger do a bit of both
The principles are the same, its just the performance and distance you can cover that changes.

Just shows, its all soaring

[Abagnale]

Nimbus said:

Indeed he did, so it just goes to show... If you learn to fly a glider first, you can fly anything


Actually, a lot of the 'good guys' in competition gliding have either done hang/para gliding first, or if they are younger do a bit of both
The principles are the same, its just the performance and distance you can cover that changes.

Just shows, its all soaring

I recall getting into the same thermal as a sail plane at Annecy & leaving the other guy for dead in the climb. Passing about 5000 feet ish, I saw him zoom off & I swear his smile was saying to me: Got 40:1, don't need it, byeeeee!

[RichB]

Nimbus said:

... If you learn to fly a glider first, you can fly anything
Actually, a lot of the 'good guys' in competition gliding have either done hang/para gliding first...

OOI - In hang/para gliding do you learn stall and spin recovery? Or don't they spin or stall? I know the power boys don't do spin recovery as part of their PPL which is a bit worrying.

[Abagnale]

Not in your ab initio training you don't. You can so what's called SIV training for that, although you have to be trying very hard to spin one. More pertinent is collapse recovery, far more of an occupational hazard.

Dunno what they teach hang glider pilots, how to drink real ale & moan about the price of Aluminium I think.

[RichB]

Abagnale said:

... More pertinent is collapse recovery, far more of an occupational hazard..

Yeah, glider pilots jump out when that happened

[Abagnale]

Ha! Fortunately, they have designed in recovery. In fact over the years, there have been attempts to design rigid paragliders, but the cons far outweigh the pros & it's arguably more desirable for them to behave the way they do. OTOH, lots of damaged pilots would disagree with that.

[marksx]

Thread bump! Nearly a year ago already, and well, I'm no further!

My wife noticed that I'd been watching lots of videos, reading a lot etc and bought me a winch launch experience flight for my birthday.

I have had to re-arrange once due to weather, but with a bit of luck, it will be on the 15th, a week tomorrow.

I've taken the assumption I will enjoy it (why wouldn't I?!) and have looked into it a bit more. Definitely affordable now, and YGC at Sutton Bank looks good.

Then a bit of luck, join as a member in the very near future.