r/Gliding

I had a glider taster lesson last week. It was for my dad as a birthday present but I did it too. Since then being up in the clouds is all I can think of (32 years old) Im on the ledge about starting lessons - convince me why I should/ shouldn't learn to fly

Hi guys I am doing a route until atp started ppl glider and the cpl and then cfi and after that go throw airplane straight to private and cpl to cfi and cfii etc..

Until 1500 and then airlines.

What you guys say about this route in my opinion is sould me the way to airplane cpl 250 hours way more cheaper cuz 100 hours can be done in a glider by 1/10 of the price and even with a cfi glider you have it for free and experience in instructions fast.

Overall thoughts of the route?

Just wanted to share my excitement. 35 yo Austrian guy here. And finally I started my glider training after thinking about it for so many years. 3 flights in, and I think I’m hooked.

But I can also see there’s a lot of work ahead - particularly getting the control inputs right to make the aircraft do what I want seemed a bit tricky at first, but I think I will get the hang of it.

I’ve been in love with the SZD-30 Pirat ever since I first saw it which was right when I started gliding. Our club is moving soon due to our lease ending and all private gliders must be moved off site so the farm will give us money to aid in our move to a new site.

I was speaking to some inspectors at my club asking them about the Pirat, the work they may need, their costs, problems (like the Schleicher glue problems), and anything else.

A day later I found out (like 1 week ago) that there is a Pirat on the site abandoned. I sent a letter to the owner and he said I can have it for free but we should do a tiny formal trade so like £1 for the legal transfer. I agreed instantly. However we had to figure out how to move it in 2 weeks or else it will be scrapped completely.

I woke up the next day with a text from the chairman basically saying “don’t buy it, you are very stupid if you do because it will cost you so much”. So I basically said no I will still take it, even though the trailer was snapped in half and everything was rotting (apart from the Pirat)… I then had a revelation . I thought I shouldn’t own it because I would have to then arrange to scrap it or move it myself. So I asked to take the parts as I wanted to lighten the load for the owner when it comes to scrapping the trailer as it can’t move and also to learn re-fabricating. The owner is yet to get back to me after my taking the parts offer.

I was bummed about this and a K-6E came up for sale, I went for it but somebody already got it. I was wondering where do I realistically find one for sale to get or find, or even fly. I know the Gliding Heritage Centre have one and I contacted them but it wasn’t insured this year. The junior officer of my club (who knows everybody on the planet I swear) has gotten in touch with a few owners asking them to let me fly theirs so I can get a taster of flying it. I hope I get that.

Should I email clubs if there are any for sale? Or should I just wait on Facebook until one shows up? I don’t know what to do but I’m desperate to have a small project whilst our club waits to move. Any help is appreciated as this is looking like one of the only cheap gliders I can fly due to my light weight. I’m in a K6 syndicate but I have to have a lead cushion that boosts me up so my head hits the canopy, so I can’t fly it.

Thanks for your help (and for reading this)

I’m going hang gliding soon and would love to use my new DJI Osmo Action 4 camera with the wrist strap. Has anyone used the camera, particularly the wrist strap, high up like this? Not sure how stable it’d be with the wind that high up. Thanks! Edit to add: is there a different mount you suggest for this that would be more stable?

I fly gliders in Australia and got an Insta360 X4 on a suction cup.

Even now in winter, when it's less than 20° on the ground, the camera keeps turning off after running for a while and says something like "anomaly detected"when I turn it back on again (and then continues to record for a while when I press the record button).

The battery is full and I have an external power bank connected via USB.

It already has the cooling bracket on it but it doesn't make much of a difference.

I do not connect to it with the phone while it's recording, so it's not busy with WiFi or Bluetooth.

Searching the web and asking AI, the next step might be to take out the internal battery and rely on the external power bank. I plan to try it next time I go to a gliding camp in a few weeks.

Does anyone have more tips about how to deal with it?

A few weeks ago we had our summer camp at Erbach, near Ulm. It was about 100kms to the Alps, and after our glider was taken by my other syndicate member the day earlier, I also had to try to get to there!

The cloud base was relatively low compared to the day earlier, but the view was still awesome!

The thermals were not very consistent however, and due to the awesome views my thermalling skills also went down a bit 😅

I really hope I can go back once again in the future.

To all glider pilots with sponsorships, how did you get here?

I’m an 18 year old glider pilot from Australia, who is dedicated to competing in the up and coming world championships at lake Keepit in 2029. To get there I have to jump a few hurdles, where sponsorships can help me hugely to accomplish my goals.

How did you come about finding your sponsors and what sort of arrangements do you have? And if there’s any brands or people who wish to sponsor a young up and coming pilot, please feel free to reach out!

Hi,

I've been studying at the TU Delft and I am working now in Scheveningen now. I am looking for a gliding club to join. I am complete noob, but I always wanted to get a pilot license. Eventually, I will get there but I think gliding is the best start and I find it really fascinating.

I know Dutch at B2 level, however I know that most of the clubs require very high fluency in Dutch. For example, I reached out to the Delftsche Studenten Aeroclub and they have a strict requirement of Dutch at at least C1 level and a frozen signup with a waiting list on top of that.

Is there a club in Randstad that is know for being able to give the flight training in English? Otherwise, which ones else would you recommend? I can get my Dutch to be very good again, if that's necessary (I haven't used it much for a few years as everyone speaks English here). Also, I shouldn't have problems with things as passing the exam in Dutch.

Hello everyone! I am a glider pilot currently on holiday in Germany. Unfortunately, I don't speak any German, so I am hoping to find an English-friendly spot.

I am looking for a place to fly in close proximity to Lörrach. I hold an SPL, but since I am just visiting, I am looking to hop in with an instructor just for fun—even just a quick circuit would be fantastic!

Does anyone have any recommendations for clubs or airfields in the area that might be open to a visiting pilot? Thanks in advance

I have an insta360 X3 and would like to get some shots out the window of my Discus.

Is the action stick worth it over the non action? Is the 114 cm or 3 meter stick recommended? I would prefer not to spend too much for just the gimmick of seeing outside the cockpit.

Cheers.

I found an SZD-30 (which is a type I love) in a trailer with no door in it for a good few years. This means we have to remove all the fabric, sand and repair anything, then recover it.

I have spoken to inspectors and other people but since day I should and others say I shouldn’t. I really want it but if it will cost way more than it’s worth then I don’t see a point.

Do I buy it as I have obviously been offered to buy it for free due to its condition. How much am a looking at spending on it and should I even do it in the first place?