The Secret Lives of Gliders

Part Two of a Three Part Series

By Quest Richlife

Manager Hollister Soaring Center LLC

Last month in part one of this series we defined what gliders and sailplanes are, and dispelled some misconceptions as to the mechanisms by which these craft are able to stay aloft or “soar.” We also looked at the four different types of “lift” which the pilot of one of these stealthy birds needs to find and use to engage in the challenging sport of soaring. In this month’s article, we’ll look at the entire aviation sub-culture surrounding gliders and soaring which will reveal the depth of excitement and variety that exists in this often hidden world.

Part Two: There’s Something For Everyone In Gliders & Soaring

Banking over the hills in a BASA-DG-1000. (Steve Brockman)The world of powerless flight is so rich and varied that there’s a place in it for pilots who are already certificated to fly powered aircraft, as well as those would-be pilots starting from scratch. Even non-pilots are welcomed into the glider world as there is much to enjoy and contribute to the sport from the ground, and also because the glider environment is a very socially interactive one. This social aspect of the sport is so important that most gliderports strive to have an open, relaxed, “people friendly” atmosphere if at all possible. This inviting hospitality encourages enthusiasts to hang-out, help out, watch the action, enjoy camaraderie, and sometimes enjoy an informal BBQ and a beer at the end of a long, warm, soaring day.

For young people and teenagers who are thinking about exploring aviation as a future career path, or simply because of their love for flight, there is no better way for them to enter this field than through glider flight training. A person who has the basic physical size and motor skills to operate the controls of a glider can solo at 14 years of age, and obtain their Private Pilot Certificate at 16. Additionally, there is no need for them, or any other glider pilots for that matter, The roomy back seat of the American-made Schweizer 2-32 sailplane makes it the only glider in which couples can soar together side-by-side. (Richard Rossi)to obtain a medical certificate. (For all the details of these medical requirements, refer to CFR Part 61.23 (b) (3); and CFR Part 61.53 (b).)

At Hollister Soaring Center LLC (HSC), we occasionally provide flight training to students as young as twelve years of age, and we’ve become proficient in the strategic placement of booster cushions for some of our smaller pilots-to-be. The parents of these youngsters are usually very supportive and often spend the lesson time observing and learning about the training process.

HSC is also involved in providing Young Eagles discovery flights in gliders to a few lucky boys and girls during this once-a-year EAA event held at the Hollister airport. And in this same spirit of exposing young people to the excitement of flight, many Civil Air Patrol (CAP) chapters across the USA have a cadet program which gives interested boys and girls a chance to work toward a solo flight in a glider. Usually, a first solo glider flight by a 14 year old is sufficiently newsworthy that a local newspaper or TV station will run a story on this unique achievement. (This is almost guaranteed if the student is a young woman!)

If I were in a position of authority within the FAA, I’d lobby for a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would require ALL pilots to obtain a glider rating before allowing them to obtain any powered ratings. This is how strongly I feel that glider flying skills are beneficial to overall pilot proficiency and judgment. In a recent interview, well known test pilot, air race pilot, and Designated Pilot Examiner Dave Morss is quoted as saying: “Absolutely, glider pilots make better all-around pilots…” And Dave, a more than 26,000 hour professional pilot should know because he earned his Private Glider Certificate when he was 16 at the old Fremont glider port in the San Francisco Bay Area. After accumulating several thousand hours flying and instructing in gliders, Dave succeeded in his career as an air racer, and as a test pilot in dozens of different airplanes. In addition to his current aviation endeavors, he’s part of a project to race rocket-powered aircraft which actually become gliders after the rocket engine has exhausted its fuel. Yes, another untold aspect of the “Secret Lives of Gliders” is that the skills learned in flying a glider will be useful no matter which direction your aviation interests take you.

Those of us who possess a pilot certificate know that we’re required to have a flight review every 24 months in order to exercise the privileges of that certificate (this used to be called a biennial flight review or BFR). There are many ways in which a pilot can meet the requirements for the flight review as specified in the Federal Aviation Regulations, but one way is to obtain a new certificate or rating. And one of the most rewarding ratings a pilot can obtain is to add a glider category rating to his or her certificate. A pilot who is already certificated as a private pilot can add a glider category rating without taking an FAA knowledge test. Similarly, a pilot certificated as a commercial pilot can add a private or commercial glider category rating to their certificate, and neither require an FAA knowledge test. (Only an upgrade from a private to a commercial certificate requires an additional FAA knowledge test.)

Duo-discus glider with Cumulonimbus clouds in background. (Steve Brockman)Many of the power pilots (though not all) who look to obtain a glider rating mistakenly think that, because it doesn’t have an engine, flying a glider must be simpler and require less dedication and skill than a powered aircraft. They are soon encouraged to think otherwise. While it is true that the control surfaces on a glider operate essentially the same as on an airplane, the mastery of glider flying requires more precision and planning than most common trainers or four-place GA airplanes demand. The long wings of a glider mean that adverse yaw is much more pronounced than in common airplanes, so the precise use of the rudder is required. This relearning of rudder coordination takes some time for most transitioning airplane pilots to get the hang of. Also, if one is using an aero tow as their means of launch, this requires flying in formation with the tow plane while attached to a tow rope 200 feet behind the tug. Mastering the tow will require between ten and fifteen flights or more in the early part of the training. If a pilot is flying an airplane sloppily all over the sky, they’ll usually never see their mistakes. But when flying a glider while on tow, your skill level will be made apparent to you immediately, and for every fraction of a second thereafter. You will learn precision flying very quickly, and probably be a bit humbled in the process. The training will also require you to fly a box pattern around the tow plane’s prop wash, as well as maneuvering the glider to initiate turns both left and right. Yet another skill that is taught is how to smoothly remove slack which might develop in the tow rope for one reason or another.

Cumulus clouds showing good vertical development. There is good lift under these clouds. (Steve Brockman)On a typical training flight, when you’ve attained a few thousand feet of altitude, you’ll release the tow rope and face a new set of challenges. Gliders on the whole have canopies which offer very good visibility, and your eyes will be outside 90 percent of the time. Pitch attitude is very important, and visual attention to this gives precise airspeed control. Coordination is also very important because when “thermaling” in lift, glider pilots roll into and out of circling turns hundreds of times more often than do “straight and level” airplane pilots. This constant rolling into and out of steeply banked turns, and doing so with good coordination, is sometimes a major challenge to airplane pilots. To help us in this task, gliders have done away with the inclinometer ball that airplane pilots use to coordinate turns. Instead, gliders use a small length of yarn called a “yaw string” which is attached outside and directly in front of the pilot’s view. By glancing at the yaw string, the glider pilot can keep his aircraft streamlined and coordinated while Rear view from modern sailplane showing clouds for good soaring. (Steve Brockman)keeping his gaze outside. Keeping the eyes scanning outside is extremely important for glider pilots as collision avoidance and “clearing the turn” is stressed from day one. When there is a good thermal working, there may be several gliders all stacked up in the thermal together, and watching outside is of the utmost importance to keep a safe distance from the other gliders.

Two other skills that are learned and refined in glider flight training are:

One – the development of a very precise kinesthetic body sense, or “seat of the pants” feel, which any VFR pilot can use to fly coordinated without staring at a visual indicator. Two – the use of one’s sense of hearing to detect very small changes in wind noise as an indicator of airspeed. This nuanced art is unavailable to airplane pilots where engine noise masks the sounds of the air, but is a large part of the mastery of glider flying.

When they’re receiving flight training, student glider pilots are kept within easy gliding distance of their home airport. And as the glider descends lower, the pilot will eventually fly it to an entry point for a traffic pattern, much like an airplane traffic pattern. But a glider comes in slightly higher than it needs to be and bleeds off this extra altitude during the descent using controls called airbrakes or spoilers. This enables the pilot to plan and execute a landing with a very precise touchdown point, much as an airplane would do using flaps and engine power. So it’s obvious that there are no “go arounds” in a glider, but the lack of such an option doesn’t fluster a glider pilot. That’s because the precision developed in flying and landing a glider results in the pilot getting it right the first time, every time!

Any pilot who, for the completion of a flight review, is handed a new certificate by their examiner for a glider category rating, knows and feels a sense of accomplishment and renewal of flying skills that comes from piloting a new type of aircraft in a challenging environment.

Paul kneeling by glider. (Paul Jennings)The ranks of glider pilots and enthusiasts are filled with the most amazing and varied individuals that you’ll ever come into contact with amongst the aviating populace. All of them have been drawn by the challenge and sense of personal fulfillment that is the reward for successfully mastering the art of glider flying and soaring. Some pilots are current or retired airline or corporate jet pilots, while others have no experience at all in powered craft, nor do they have any desire to. There are grandmothers and teenagers, astronauts and test pilots, and some who seek a spiritual experience in the quiet world among clouds and soaring birds. Still others seek to engage their competitiveness and work toward such goals as: badges issued for incrementally more difficult flight accomplishments; extremely difficult contest glider flying; besting personal or local distance or altitude marks; Paul Jennings pulling 9Gs(!) in his Swift glider as he cartwheels half-way through his signature “JackKnife” Unlimited maneuver. (Suzanne Jennings)or setting verifiable international records for speed, distance or altitude. A small but enthusiastic group of glider pilots pursue aerobatic training and then continue flying aerobatics for fun. And for the more competitive pilots out there, they can fly in aerobatic contests just like their powered counterparts. At the pinnacle of this progression, some pilots even go onto become professional glider air show performers. These air show routines can involve very high “G” loading of the glider, just like in a powered aircraft, as well as spectacular tumbling maneuvers, spins, smoke trails, etc. There’s just no end to the fun and excitement available to those who wish to explore the world of powerless flight.

Another fun and fulfilling way for an airplane pilot who desires to be a part of this world, without actually flying a glider, is to work toward becoming a tow pilot. For many airplane pilots, towing gliders is their first true commercial flying job, and it’s a great way to build time and experience. The job of towing gliders requires very good stick and rudder skills, as well as the ability to think constantly and plan ahead for both the tow plane and glider. A busy tow pilot can do between 25 and 35 tows on a busy day, so it’s also a great way to get in lots of landing practice.

In the May issue of InFlightUSA, we’ll look at opportunities for non-pilots to be involved in the adventure of the soaring world by volunteering to “crew” for glider pilots who set out on long cross-country flights or competitions. And we’ll also take an in-depth look at how cross-country soaring in gliders differs significantly from those types of flights in airplanes. We’ll see why this type of flying is one of the most challenging  – if not THE most challenging – forms of aviation any pilot can embark upon. In this next issue we’ll answer the question: “What do you do if you can’t get back to the airport?” in the third part of this series titled: “Cross-Country Soaring, Glider Racing, and the Exotic Realms of Unpowered Flight.”

Fly Safe, stay in the lift, and happy soaring!