The Addiction of Silent Flight
Looking for another challenge in aviation? Looking for a way to burn zero fuel while flying for hours? Looking for an alternative to the hundred dollar hamburger flights? Looking for a return to aviation basics and a deeper understanding of weather? Want to solo at age 14? You can have all this and more if you give soaring a try!
Sorry for the infomercial opening, but it’s almost necessary in any discussion of the least advertised, talked-about, or understood form of fixed-wing flight, even among experienced pilots. The soaring community is small, generally soaring operations take place at smaller, more rural airports, and the media coverage of the sport of soaring is spotty, generally poorly researched, and relegated to the back pages or the last few seconds of a local news presentation.
So, why would anyone want to fly an aircraft that: 1. Has no engine. 2. Has a wingspan much wider than most hangar doors. 3. Depends on lift mechanisms like thermals, ridge lift, or mountain wave to remain aloft. 4. And requires a high level of expertise in the understanding of micro-weather to go beyond glide distance?
Currently, according to the Soaring Society of America, there are some 180 commercial glider operations at over 140 sites across the country. The majority employ tow planes or “tugs” to get the sailplanes in the air, where the talents of the pilot and the superb glide performance of the sailplane to, not just stay aloft, but to climb (max altitude reached by an oxygen-equipped unpowered glider over 51,000 feet) and go places (max distance record set by an unpowered glider over 1,000 sm) make this sport of sailing the sky so addicting.
Sailplanes have more than just “kept up” with developments in aviation - some of the first composite aircraft were - gliders. Some of the first aircraft with winglets were - gliders. The high-aspect ratio wing was developed and perfected for - gliders. The first successful fixed-wing manned flights were performed by - gliders (Thank you George Cayley, Otto Lilenthal and the Wright brothers).
Most two-place gliders have a 56 foot wingspan, making them as awkward on the ground for hangar storage as they are graceful in the air - but the rewards are great. That long, thin wing design can give a lift to drag ratio of up to 50 to 1. Comparatively, a Cessna 150 might be, at best 9 to 1. Finally, there IS an engine - all you have to do is find it in the air around you. Yes, there are times that engine is weak or not running. There are times only the most skilled and experienced pilots can make it run and keep the sailplane going - and that is what makes this type of aviation addicting.
In this era of glass-cockpit avionics, six dollar plus per gallon aviation fuel, and temporary flight restrictions popping up all over, soaring can take us all back to the basics of stick and rudder, local weather effects, formation flying (oh, yes - on tow on every flight), energy management, pitch and speed control, and heads-up contact flying.
Nation -wide, there are soaring sites, clubs, commercial ride and instruction locations, wave camps, youth camps, regional / national / world’s soaring competitions, and a lot of opportunity to partake in the thrill of silent aviation.
Check out the Soaring Society of America site (www.ssa.org) for information and the location of the soaring operation near you and give it a try!
The accompanying photo is from the 2011 Youth Soaring Camp held in July
of 2011 at Warren-Sugarbush Airport in Warren, Vermont. (www.sugarbush.org)
By Rick Hanson
Chief Instructor Sugarbush Soaring