Flying or gliding experience?

[defblade]

It's been a while since I've been up in anything other than a passenger jet, so I'm thinking of asking my better half for a flight experience for my birthday next month.

I've been up in small planes before (not at the controls) and had a taster helicopter lesson (loved it! They didn't let me near the collective though ), wondering what might be most fun this time around... flying a plane a bit, a glider, or maybe even the Tiger Moth/classic type.

Anyone have any thoughts on choosing?

[Fastpedeller]

I also fancy going in a glider for a significant Birthday, so I've posted this note to be alerted to other peeps experience as well.

[bearman68]

I was up at the Black mountain gliding club in Talgarth the other day. The geography of the place means the altitude record there is somewhere around the 35,000 feet IIRC. Stunning position, and because of a short runway, the gliders have to be towed up. Has to be in with a shout for £100 quid or so.

Cheers

[Riley Blue]

Three years ago, on a visit to Duxford my O/H asked I'd like to go up. Within half an hour I was kitted out in all the Biggles gear, walking out towards a Tiger Moth. The flight lasted half an hour and I loved every second, especially when I had control and made some gentle turns. I'd do it again in a shot and ask for more 'hands on' time. If only I was thirty years younger, I'd have taken up flying, no question of it. It was brilliant, the best 'experience' I've ever had, far better than anything (and anywhere) I've ever driven.

[Brother D]

Where are you based? Both flying and gliding are great fun but completely different (I would say try gliding if you like theme park rides, although not a lot at a theme park compares to a winch launch)!

Personally I enjoy flying more than gliding as extended flights in thermals I tended to get sea-sick...
London flying club (Dunstable downs) has some great members and trial flights in a glider are about 100 quid, but it's the same cost as somewhere like north london flying school.

Also you tend to get more hands on with powered flight - for me it was basically all hands on from take off to landing (with erm some help on the throttle when I ballooned the landing)... (The instructor makes the experience tbh - so see if you can get a review or recommendation).

[defblade]

I'm in south/west Wales.

If gliding => sea sickness, then it's deffo flying for me... I know I've got no (well, few) problems there.

[EagleMoto4-2]

Have tried gliding. It was ok but having no form of propulsion makes your input on the controls that more important. On the other hand having no engine noise makes the experience more scerene.

[JuniorD]

From a passenger perspective, as a one off thing to do, gliding is quite nice, but It is a bit boring after a while unless you are doing fancy manoeuvres.

Edited by JuniorD on Wednesday 6th April 00:23

[SJK]

Got a experience in a glider arranged with Lasham. was £80 if i recall.

[jl34]

I find tootling along in a cessna very boring as a flying experience in comparison to gliders. Very mild control inputs and poor visability (relative to a glider) make it rather dull unless you actually want to travel to a specific place and see something. I saved up hard to do my PPl then gave it up after 3 lessons as it just bored me senseless. Got in a glider and the landings and takeoffs are an amazing experience. The challenge of having to learn the elements and really "fly" give another edge. The ability to regularly perform spins, stall and sharp banks is a big bonus too. Even have done loops with other people!

i suffer bad travel sickness, but if you take it easy with the high G manoeveres in hot weather i dont have a problem.

[Eric Mc]

How about trying a microlight? They are quite sophisticated these days - more akin to classic light aircraft such as Austers or Piper Cubs. I was looking at some in operation at Popham a week or so ago and they looked like fun.

[Fastpedeller]

Brother D said:

I would say try gliding if you like theme park rides,

That's a no-no for me then . Thanks for the advice

[Simpo Two]

Fastpedeller said:

Brother D said:

I would say try gliding if you like theme park rides,

That's a no-no for me then . Thanks for the advice

Gliding is nothing like a theme park ride! The G is low, certainly at entry level, and it's totally quiet. Don't be put off just because Brother D doesn't like it, have a go!

[0000]

I hate theme park rides, but enjoy gliding.

Having an engine is better though.

[RichB]

Lot's of mixed advice on here some of it good. The real answer is do what most appeals to you. I have been a glider pilot and instructor for getting on 30 years and as I have mates with single and twin engine aircraft I've obviously flown those too so can make a comparison for you. Flying a Cessna is, as some have said, pretty straight forward and can become boring if there is no purpose to the flight. Friends who have passed their PPL go off and fly to le Touquet for lunch to say they've done it and then just wonder what to do next! If on the other hand you've never been in a light aircraft you'll just soak up the experience of flight. Gliding is totally different, the challenge being to stay airborne for hours on end, many flights last up to 5 hours and can cover 500 km. High Wycombe/York Cathedral/Welshpool/Booker! Doing that with no engine is quite an achievement - not that you will experience that on a trial flight but it's the ultimate objective that or racing or both! On the other hand if you want to learn to fly to go from A to B you'll need a propeller plane. I also believe gliding teaches you about the fundamentals of actually flying - and by that I mean it's like learning to ride a bike before riding a motor bike. So, do you want to take it further? Are you interested in flying as a sport or a form of transport? Are you interested in vintage aircraft and want to get into bi-planes in which case you could progress from gliding to PPL - I've flown a Tiger Moth and because of my gliding experience took to it very easily - they require more rudder input and proper rudder aileron coordination whereas modern aircraft like Cessnas only really need the rudder on the ground rest of the time the powerful engine pulls you along! I got into gliding after I realised yachting wasn't for me (I get terribly sick in sailing yachts yet have flown gliders and not once felt ill so that puts that one to rest). Finally as a word of advice, if you decided on a glider flight try to fly from a hillside site (Long Mynd at Church Stretton?) because with the wind in the right direction the instructor will not have to worry too much about staying up (ridge running) and as a result you will probably get a longer/more interesting flight and I say that as someone who flies from a flat site that depends on thermals. Hill sites usually have winch launching too which is fun (and not really like a big dipper). Hope that helps anything else about gliding just ask.

[Fastpedeller]

Thanks for explaining that RichB - I'm now reassured the glider flight might be for me. It's not to progress to anything, but just an experience for a Birthday. I went in a hot air balloon for my 40th and enjoyed it. I've found when doing these experiences it's best not to have expectations, just enjoy it.
Going a little off topic.......
I once went (on a business visit) around the Lotus test track in an Elise, driving it myself (at what I thought was fast) and then being driven by Drift King Alastair McQueen - that was hair raising! A few months later when a friend took me around Snetterton in his Cat 7 he was quite bemused that I wasn't freaked out, as all previous passenger had
I'm now of the opinion (rightly or wrongly) that a 'supercar' experience would do nothing for me, I'd like to have a go at 'Star in a Reasonably priced car' as I could envisage I could drive it on the limit (which wouldn't be the case with a supercar) and actually get something out of it - I guess SIARPC hasn't been done by any experience events?

[RichB]

More on airsickness; in a glider the pupil sits in the front with the instructor behind. It is always a good idea to concentrate on what's outside the aircraft not the instruments, of course glance at them from time to time but don't focus your attention on them. For this reason we would always explain to the pupil that it's important to keep a good lookout for other gliders and aircraft and tell them that they can assist with this by asking them to shout out if they see another plane. It's a good ruse to get them looking outside the cockpit! In fact I've never had anyone be sick in a glider with me but maybe that's the way I fly? Circling in a lazy thermal with a gaggle of other gliders is a wonderful experience. As is flying with red kites at 4,000' but that's another story!

[SwissJonese]

I'm renewing my PPL(Heli) next week and have flow planes too. After Helicopters I found gliders brilliant, the silent flying and the grace of the things was a real buzz. I did it a few years ago in Keevil airfield being launched from a winch, proper roller-coaster ride.

[RichB]

SwissJonese said:

I did it a few years ago in Keevil airfield being launched from a winch, proper roller-coaster ride.

OK, obviously I was wrong, people experiencing a winch launch for the 1st time do then compare it to a roller coaster. I just see it as a very quick way to get to 2,000'

ETA: In this video the lady in is quite apprehensive, well OK listening to her breathing very apprehensive, but you will see that the launch is really not hairy at all. Unfortunately on this video the have cloud overhead and release at 700' but to be honest once you're through the initial 5-10 seconds of acceleration and into the climb it's smooth all the way to the top. As you reach maximum altitude off the winch the glider will slowly level out and then release the cable. That's it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tk_nBawr0E

Edited by RichB on Wednesday 6th April 16:19

[Simpo Two]

RichB said:

It is always a good idea to concentrate on what's outside the aircraft not the instruments, of course glance at them from time to time but don't focus your attention on them.

There's not much by way of intrumentation to focus on. The main instrument is outside - the horizon! And one's bottom of course.

RichB said:

SwissJonese said:

I did it a few years ago in Keevil airfield being launched from a winch, proper roller-coaster ride.

OK, obviously I was wrong, people experiencing a winch launch for the 1st time do then compare it to a roller coaster. I just see it as a very quick way to get to 2,000'

In my experience of winch launches the glider releases while still pointing upwards, so when the tow is released there's a bit of a bang then stick forward and -ve G to get flying speed before you stall. It will catch the unwary but it's only once a flight.