Any sailplane pilots?

My cousin just bought a Schweizer 1 36 sailplane.

We took it to the airport today where he is going to hanger it today, and
put her together so the FAA could give the stamp of approval with the
airworthiness certificate.

Looks like the sailplane could be alot of fun.

I have never been around them before.

Just wondering how many guys fly gliders...

Have you checked out rec.aviation.soaring ?

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Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures complete with pictures and text at:
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"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 06:00:30 GMT, "Chuck" wrote
in Message-Id: . net:

My cousin just bought a Schweizer 1 36 sailplane.

I've some experience with the Schweizer 1-26. It had an L/D of 30
IIRC. Do you know the L/D of the 1-36?
http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/Schweizer-1-36/

We took it to the airport today where he is going to hanger it today, and
put her together so the FAA could give the stamp of approval with the
airworthiness certificate.

Looks like the sailplane could be alot of fun.

It is a contest between the pilot and mother nature. The idea is to
spend more time in rising air than sinking air, and thus gain and
sustain altitude. The pilot must mentally visualize the movements of
the air masses in his vicinity, due to convective and orographic
vertical displacement, solely through interpreting instrument
indications and seat-of-the-pants cues.

The spectrum of soaring meteorological conditions ranges from flat
(little or no vertical movement of the air mass) to booming. During
the latter, the pilot is nearly unable to prevent his ship from
rising; it's like having a motor. On an average day, a pilot will
spend a great deal of time attempting to "core" thermals. That
involves mentally visualizing the sailplane's position relative to the
thermal's vertical anticyclone column center, and guiding his
sailplane to circle as near to the center of it as he is able.
Because this can require banks in excess of 60 degrees, occupants ware
a parachute. Such long, constant high-G circling can adversely affect
passengers of multi-place sailplanes, but the pilot will find it
exhilarating. The sport of soaring adds another dimension to similar
naturally powered sports such as sailing, surfing, and skiing...

I have never been around them before.

Just wondering how many guys fly gliders...


[newsgroup rec.aviation.soaring added]

"Chuck" chuck wrote:

My cousin just bought a Schweizer 1 36 sailplane.
[snip]
Looks like the sailplane could be alot of fun.

It is!

Just wondering how many guys fly gliders...

Don't know how many guys, but here's one gal. They are very interesting, a lot
of fun, teach you about energy management, and ... when the engine fails ... oh
wait ... there isn't one!! How great is that??!!

Assuming your cousin has a glider rating? or wants to get one? (what
city/state?)

--Shirley

Larry Dighera LDighera wrote:

I've some experience with the Schweizer 1-26.
It had an L/D of 30 IIRC.

L/D on the 1-26 is 23:1, same as the Schweizer 2-33 (2-place).

Do you know the L/D of the 1-36?

31:1

It is a contest between the pilot and mother
nature. The idea is to spend more time in rising
air than sinking air, and thus gain and sustain
altitude. The pilot must mentally visualize the
movements of the air masses in his vicinity,
due to convective and orographic vertical
displacement, solely through interpreting
instrument indications and seat-of-the-pants cues.

Great description!

BTW, on good days during thermal season, it is possible to climb w/o banking in
that extreme or needing a parachute. I climbed to 11K feet this summer in a
1-26 from a 2000-ft tow and was never banked more than 30 degrees ... and the
lift was still strong enough I could have continued, but didn't have oxygen.
Sometimes exposing more of the sailplane surface to the lift (shallow bank)
works as well or better, if you can do that and stay in the thermal ... depends
on the thermal(s) and you don't know until you get in it. Sometimes you fly
right out of it a few times before you figure out where you need to make your
circles.

Very, very fun.

--Shirley

I've flown power planes for a long time. Sailplanes only 20 years. Soaring has
one huge advantage - there is no justification for it. No rationalizations
like "I'll use it for trips" or other such nonsense. It is pure fun. It is
done as a result of weather, not in spite of it.

You can spend a lot, you can spend a little. In power planes it is mostly
spend a lot. Maintenance is far less on the glider. Mine is kept
in a trailer. I can assemble it by myself in 15 to 20 minutes.

Gliders take more support people. Gliders are more time intensive. You do not
go out to the field for a quick half hour flight, it is usually a half day.

Soaring days are limited to weather conditions and as a result, the activity
does not mesh well with power flying activities. Power activities are
scheduled. You soar when the weather dictates or else you don't soar.

Average flight length for me is about 3 hours. Fatigue becomes a factor
for me after 3 hours and I don't like to go over 6 hours. All "flat land"
flying.

Soaring has been the most enjoyable flying that I have done, from little
fast single seaters through multi-turbines.


In article . net, "Chuck"
wrote:
My cousin just bought a Schweizer 1 36 sailplane.

We took it to the airport today where he is going to hanger it today, and
put her together so the FAA could give the stamp of approval with the
airworthiness certificate.

Looks like the sailplane could be alot of fun.

I have never been around them before.

Just wondering how many guys fly gliders...

"Shirley" wrote in message
...

Snip

Don't know how many guys, but here's one gal. They are very interesting, a
lot
of fun, teach you about energy management, and ... when the engine fails
.... oh
wait ... there isn't one!! How great is that??!!

Assuming your cousin has a glider rating? or wants to get one? (what
city/state?)

--Shirley




His ratings a

Airplane Single Engine Land
Airplane Multiengine Land
Instrument Airplane
Glider Aero Tow (Private Pilot)

I am an A&P, but no PP at this yet

Hopefully I will be working on that soon.

I am going to do some research on the gliders and what all is involved at
getting the glider certificate.

Haha... another thing that I noticed, the hanger floor was CLEAN!! haha

chuck... look up www.ssa.org

BT

"Chuck" wrote in message
ink.net...
My cousin just bought a Schweizer 1 36 sailplane.

We took it to the airport today where he is going to hanger it today, and
put her together so the FAA could give the stamp of approval with the
airworthiness certificate.

Looks like the sailplane could be alot of fun.

I have never been around them before.

Just wondering how many guys fly gliders...

"BTIZ" wrote in message
newsNkFb.36411$m83.15372@fed1read01...
chuck... look up www.ssa.org

BT


Thanks for the link...

Working on my rating now. I find it very relaxing now that I am older. When
I started flying, speed was what I wanted. While I still go for speed a good
glider ride helps with the stress of life.

Ron

Chuck wrote:

My cousin just bought a Schweizer 1 36 sailplane.

We took it to the airport today where he is going to hanger it today, and
put her together so the FAA could give the stamp of approval with the
airworthiness certificate.

Looks like the sailplane could be alot of fun.

I have never been around them before.

Just wondering how many guys fly gliders...