Friday 9 June 2000

Number 1 - Fly a Glider!

On Saturday the 8th June 2013 I soared like a bird in a Glider!

For my Birthday I got a gift voucher for "an introduction to Gliding flight" with The Lakes Gliding Club based at Walney Airfield, near Barrow-in-Furness! 

The voucher had a one year validity but you are unable to book a flight in advance as it is determined by the weather.  You have to ring at 10am on the day you want to fly to check whether they are flying that day and to then book a time if they are.  I thought it might be difficult to get a flight when the weather was so nice, especially as they only fly Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays!  

So when I woke up and realised it was going to be a nice warm clear day I telephoned dead on 10am (to get in first) and was informed they were flying that day and that someone would ring me back in 10 minutes with a time. At about quarter past 10 someone phoned me back with a 12 O'clock time slot. Walney is about an hours drive from where we live in Kendal so this was perfect. We were told the airfield was securely locked and when we arrived at the gate we were to ring them and they would come and let us in!

We set off at around 10.45am to give plenty time for traffic and getting lost (however with Tom Tom with us we thought this unlikely).  The traffic was very light so we had no problems until we got closer then we became confused!  Tom Tom was trying to get us to turn left, but at this junction there was a road sign pointing straight on to the airfield! Had kids twisted the sign around for a laugh or was it really straight on? We decided to ignore Tom Tom and followed the signs!  We made the right decision and were soon arriving at the locked gates. I rang them and they said someone would soon be there to let us in.  Within a couple of minutes a car arrived and unlocked the gate, let us in then locked it again!  The man explained that we were to follow him to the car park but warned that our car insurance wouldn't be valid in this area so to keep our distance from him!  How to make someone nervous!

Once parked he took us to a bus that doubled up as a cafe, waiting room, office and aircraft communication point! I had to sign in and sign my life away, then I was introduced to my instructor Roger! 

I was told I would fly after another Gentleman who was already waiting for the glider to return from a flight.  By now it was 12 o clock and I realised it was going to be a late take off!  We settled down talking to all the staff who were exceptionally friendly and watching the general workings of what was going on!  There were two lovely dogs who belonged to member's out flying who we fussed over too! 

 At around 12.30 one of the pilots announced he was going to the chippie and did anyone want anything.  My Husband David ordered chips but I didn't dare eat anything in case I saw it again at 2000 feet! 



When he returned about 15 minutes later I had to endure everyone around me scoffing fish and chips! With the delicious smell wafting past me I was suddenly starving but didn't dare risk more than a couple of pinched chips!


At the same time the chips arrived the other man went off on his flight so I was able to watch him taking off and then land! An hour and a half after my scheduled take off time it was my turn!

My nerves began to set in!  How on earth was this machine going stay in the air with 2 people in it and no engine?!!! YIKES!


I put on a fixed grin as I was put into my parachute pack (was this really necessary?!) and was instructed on how to pull the ripcord to open it if the occasion arose!  (this really wasn't helping the nerves!)


Next it was time to clamber into the Glider!  I got the front seat, and once I was securely strapped in Roger (the instructor) got into the back seat and the overhead canopy came down! 



Next ... safety information and how to evacuate if necessary! I was shown how to release all the straps in one go and how to open my canopy should I need to get 
out!  

It was slightly 
worrying that this was all my responsibility, especially as the canopy was in two halves.  His n hers, so if it came to it i might have been stuck in there all alone if I couldn't get it open!  Doesn't bare thinking about!

Once in the the aircraft there are a sequence of checks and operations to be completed. These are remembered by the use of the mnemonic CB-SIFT-CBE ( Controls, Ballast, Straps, Instruments, Flaps, Trim, Canopy, Brakes, Eventualities), this mnemonic can be clearly seen on the control panel for novice flyer's! I was asked for my weight (apparently if you are under a certain weight the glider has to be made up to the minimum by using ballast weights), then the remaining flight checks came next to ensure the glider was ready to take off and he explained very clearly exactly what he was checking and why and then it was time to Rock n Roll! 

It was a hot sunny day and once the canopy was down it became extremely warm inside - I began to sympathise with tomatoes kept in a greenhouse! However, once we got moving it wasn't too bad!


The glider was towed along the run way behind a tug plane, and after a bit of a bouncy start we were soon off the ground. There was a lot of beeping coming from a machine at this point and I did feel very anxious and was beginning to think I wasn't going to embrace the experience.  



 
Attached to the tug and ready to go!
This is the tug towing us to 2000 feet!
The tow-plane took us to the height and location he had been told! Once at 2000 feet and when he was happy with the location Roger released the tow-rope by pulling a lever.  The plane immediately veered off to the side and left us to glide!

Roger explained that we needed to find some "thermals" to get more height, which is air in the atmosphere that is rising and can lift the glider up with it.  He said the most successful way to find thermals was to follow birds (as they have been doing it all their lives!).  We headed towards some birds and we were soon going round and round and round, and up and up and up! Roger was flying the glider around in circles in the thermal and we were getting higher and higher all the time. I can only imagine but I felt I had a gentle glimpse of what it would feel like to be engulfed in a tornado!  I was beginning to feel queasy and was pleased I had resisted the fish and chips! Whilst we were circling there was a constant beeping noise which was slightly irritating!  Roger explained the beeping noise is one of the instruments - if it beeps faster and a higher pitch then the air around the glider is going UP, slower and lower pitch then the air is going DOWN.


With this thermal we actually got to 3000 feet (to get towed to this height is an extra £25 so I got a good deal!) and once we stopped circling we were soaring through the air!  It was so peaceful and relaxing just gliding through the air! 

It was a lovely clear day and the views were spectacular!  








Unfortunately the sun was so bright all my photos have the reflection of my knees in them! After I had finished taking photographs Roger asked me how I was feeling I stupidly replied "very relaxed" and he said "good you can fly it then!".  

My relaxed state soon vanished! 

He talked me through the controls and explained how they worked before getting me to manoeuvre left and right under his dual control.  Once I had done this with him he informed me I had control and I could feel he had let go of the steering lever!  He explained he would say "You have control" and whenever I replied "I have control" he would let me fly the aircraft.  Yikes! 2000 foot in the air and responsible for my own life and someone else's!  The steering lever was very sensitive to the touch and it didn't need much moving to change the gliders course!  There was a couple of panicky moments when I changed course rather sharply but Roger seemed remarkably calm as he took over the controls to correct me! 

Roger took the control back to glide us back to the airfield and he asked if I had enjoyed it.  I said "Yes, I didn't expect it to be so relaxing and smooth, I thought it would be more scary".  He didn't say anything but a couple of moments later we picked up a considerable amount of speed and we were heading nose down towards a field. The field very quickly got too close for my liking, I could see each blade of grass and I thought "OMG I'm going to die", then just as my heart got to its maximum speed we soared along the field and were back in the air.  Roger laughed and said "Still a relaxed and unscary flight then?"  I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or swear at him! If I could have turned around I would have hit him! 

We then turned and headed back sedately to the airfield and came down very smoothly onto the run way.  We stopped almost immediately after landing - no cruising along the runway as you would expect!






Once the ground crew had opened the canopy for me I got to unclasp my safety harness and take my parachute pack off before clambering not so lady-like out the glider!  Everyone on the ground was asking what had happened when we had come so sharply down and they all thought it amusing that he had been trying to scare me.  I think my husband thought I was a gonna!




I had a fantastic experience and stayed in the air approaching 30 minutes.  Definitely good value for money especially since the cost of the trail flight includes 3 months membership of the club during that time I can return to fly again at reduced members rates.  I might just do that!





The club members were all extremely friendly, jovial and informative and I would definitely recommend visiting The Lakes Gliding Club if you fancy this experience!

By the time we were escorted off and locked out the airfield it was 2.30pm and I had had nothing to eat all day so was starving! Its a good job I hadn't eaten or I might have puked when we were circling the thermals!  I don't have a very hardy stomach!

Anyhow within 10 minutes we had found a McDonald's and my hunger was satisfied!

Once home I did notice on the information sheet sent it did say "don't use a satnav to find us as following our postcode will take you to the wrong place!".  

Perhaps I need to start reading things in advance in future!

A very enjoyable and entertaining experience!