It’s not crazy at all!
…
Ok, I just looked up statistics to support that claim and discovered that gliding is somewhat crazier than driving a car and much crazier than other forms of air travel. But still! It was a lot like sailing and much more challenging than flying a powered aircraft, which are the two reasons I enjoyed it. And I definitely felt more comfortable gliding than flying back from Heathrow during a red alert. Plus, it’s nothing but farm fields around the glider airport, in case something goes wrong.
Comment from Mike on 12 Sep. 2006, 12:46 am :
An additional challenge is something I always look for when thousands of feet above the earth. Engines are for wimps!
Indeed! But it’s too-much-adverse-yaw challenging, not struggling-to-reach-the-runway challenging. It has a 31:1 glide ratio, which means it can glide about 30 miles from a typical altitude.
Rachel thought I was hanggliding. Now that’s crazy!
Comment from Tammy on 12 Sep. 2006, 8:44 am :
Uhhhh. OK. So how do you make sure you bring it in at the correct location? I mean, what if you get to the vicinity of the airport and you’re still at 400 feet or something like that, too high to land but too low to circle around again and land? Do you make friends with your local corn farmer as you land in his field?
Gliders have spoilers, which allow you to slow down (lose altitude) quickly. With the spoilers fully deployed on this glider, we could actually point the nose straight down and not exceed maximum speed.
There is a well-defined procedure for approach and landing, which consists of circling around near the airport to get to the correct pattern altitude, then flying a normal pattern. On final approach, you use the spoilers as needed to get the correct descent rate. It’s all very controlled as long as you follow the procedures.
Comment from Tammy on 13 Sep. 2006, 8:16 am :
OK. I think I will stick to planes with engines in them, though.
Speaking of planes, I am gearing up for the great Champaign visit of fall 06!
Comment from Rachel on 13 Sep. 2006, 9:29 am :
When is the great fall visit of 06 happening??
Comment from Tammy on 13 Sep. 2006, 1:25 pm :
I don’t know yet! I am trying to time it so that the world’s greatest Terps fan can attend. So definitely not on a weekend that there is a Maryland home game. He is also really busy with work– which is a good thing– but he has to do some traveling in October and November so I have to find a weekend when he is free. He needs to come out and inspect the current and future plans of his home improvement disciple, “the young grasshopper” as he refers to Glen.
Comment from Tammy on 11 Sep. 2006, 3:20 pm :
You did not do that! That is CRAZY!!! (OK, now tell me why it’s not crazy, and actually safer than many forms of air travel…)
Comment from Glen on 11 Sep. 2006, 5:38 pm :
It’s not crazy at all!
…
Ok, I just looked up statistics to support that claim and discovered that gliding is somewhat crazier than driving a car and much crazier than other forms of air travel. But still! It was a lot like sailing and much more challenging than flying a powered aircraft, which are the two reasons I enjoyed it. And I definitely felt more comfortable gliding than flying back from Heathrow during a red alert. Plus, it’s nothing but farm fields around the glider airport, in case something goes wrong.
Comment from Mike on 12 Sep. 2006, 12:46 am :
An additional challenge is something I always look for when thousands of feet above the earth. Engines are for wimps!
Comment from Glen on 12 Sep. 2006, 5:41 am :
Indeed! But it’s too-much-adverse-yaw challenging, not struggling-to-reach-the-runway challenging. It has a 31:1 glide ratio, which means it can glide about 30 miles from a typical altitude.
Rachel thought I was hanggliding. Now that’s crazy!
Comment from Tammy on 12 Sep. 2006, 8:44 am :
Uhhhh. OK. So how do you make sure you bring it in at the correct location? I mean, what if you get to the vicinity of the airport and you’re still at 400 feet or something like that, too high to land but too low to circle around again and land? Do you make friends with your local corn farmer as you land in his field?
Comment from Glen on 12 Sep. 2006, 7:45 pm :
Gliders have spoilers, which allow you to slow down (lose altitude) quickly. With the spoilers fully deployed on this glider, we could actually point the nose straight down and not exceed maximum speed.
There is a well-defined procedure for approach and landing, which consists of circling around near the airport to get to the correct pattern altitude, then flying a normal pattern. On final approach, you use the spoilers as needed to get the correct descent rate. It’s all very controlled as long as you follow the procedures.
Comment from Tammy on 13 Sep. 2006, 8:16 am :
OK. I think I will stick to planes with engines in them, though.
Speaking of planes, I am gearing up for the great Champaign visit of fall 06!
Comment from Rachel on 13 Sep. 2006, 9:29 am :
When is the great fall visit of 06 happening??
Comment from Tammy on 13 Sep. 2006, 1:25 pm :
I don’t know yet! I am trying to time it so that the world’s greatest Terps fan can attend. So definitely not on a weekend that there is a Maryland home game.
He is also really busy with work– which is a good thing– but he has to do some traveling in October and November so I have to find a weekend when he is free. He needs to come out and inspect the current and future plans of his home improvement disciple, “the young grasshopper” as he refers to Glen.
Comment from Glen on 13 Sep. 2006, 6:24 pm :
I also need to come take some fall pictures of Maryland, so perhaps I will see you there first.
Comment from Tammy on 14 Sep. 2006, 11:34 am :
Excellent! Boomer misses you.
Comment from Angela on 18 Sep. 2006, 7:04 pm :
ooh, oooh, come visit me too! I don’t have any pets that miss you though. but I’ll make you some spicy food.
Comment from DAD on 13 Oct. 2006, 5:15 pm :
Have you been up in a glider again?
Comment from Glen on 13 Oct. 2006, 6:39 pm :
No, not yet. Been busy with other things.
Comment from DAD on 15 Oct. 2006, 5:51 am :
What happened to Annie’s paw?
Comment from Glen on 15 Oct. 2006, 9:40 am :
Nothing. Indy, on the other hand, ripped off part of his dew claw while playing. He did not enjoy the satellite dish that ensued.
Comment from DAD on 22 Oct. 2006, 7:00 pm :
Last week seems like a bad week for both Indy & Annie.
Comment from Tammy on 23 Oct. 2006, 7:35 am :
That’s got to be the most wonderful aspect of being a veterinarian.
Comment from Rachel on 23 Oct. 2006, 9:24 am :
I think the wonderful part must be making your assistant do it