Soaring vacation this January or February?

Like you I share the perspective of a low hours glider pilot. I found it valuable to do upset and aerobatic training last winter and I plan to do more in the future.

http://www.azsoaring.com/training/

If you're the typical power pilot with add-on glider rating, you are probably not yet comfortable with steep turns, spin recovery, recovery from inverted flight, but familiarity with these maneuvers will give you a better chance of keeping a cool head when the unexpected happens in the air. For example, when you have an opportunity to fly in mountain wave you will want to be comfortable flying through rotor. Steep turns are useful in 50% of thermals.

The best occasion for learning aerobatics seems to be in mountain wave (because the wave allows you to recover lost altitude, rinse and repeat), but you really don't need lift because a neophyte can take a high tow and have a "full day" of aerobatic flying in 20-30 minutes. The intensity compensates for the short duration.

Inverted wave flying is fun.
Jim

Good tip on the acro! I've been flying acro in a Super Decathlon for years, and I really appreciate the way that a lot of attitudes and maneuvers that were unsettling (to put it politely!) are now enjoyable to fly with increasing precision. It's made me a much more capable pilot.

As a new glider pilot, I'd really like to do some soaring. I worked like a beaver to get my glider add-on rating last winter, and just didn't have much time to play with thermals. It looks like Florida (either Miami or Zephyrhills) and Hawaii are the two options for the winter, but that I'd probably see much better thermals if I wait until Spring when the real bumpy air is afoot.

If acro is your thing...I vote for Dillingham.
Gain altitude in the ridge, fly over the ocean and make yourself sick, fly back to the ridge to gain altitude...rinse and repeat...rinse and repeat...rinse and repeat.

Since I have been flying in wave at Minden for twenty years, caution with acro. High altitudes get you into the coffin corner especially with the higher speeds needed to maintain inverted flight, and rotor turbulance can catch you at any altitude. As always in the United States of America...the pilot in command is responsible.

Having said all that, my basic minimum requirement is "a loop a day."

On Sunday, December 1, 2013 9:55:26 PM UTC-5, wrote:
High altitudes get you into the coffin corner especially with the higher speeds needed to maintain inverted flight

Please ELIF (Explain Like I'm Five).

The "coffin corner" is that part of the flight envelope where the
combination of altitude and speed puts you just above stall (IAS) and the
aircraft's aeroelastic limit or flutter speed (TAS).

I don't recall seeing a flight envelope graph in a glider flight manual or a
normally aspirated pistion-engined airplane - I've only seen then in jets.

Flying high in wave can certainly get you there!


"son_of_flubber" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, December 1, 2013 9:55:26 PM UTC-5, wrote:
High altitudes get you into the coffin corner especially with the higher
speeds needed to maintain inverted flight

Please ELIF (Explain Like I'm Five).

On Sunday, December 1, 2013 9:55:26 PM UTC-5, wrote:

Since I have been flying in wave at Minden for twenty years, caution with acro. High altitudes get you into the coffin corner especially with the higher speeds needed to maintain inverted flight,

Good point. This is less of a problem at 8000-10000 MSL.

and rotor turbulence can catch you at any altitude.

Very good point. Speed may be okay for smooth air, but too fast for turbulent air, and the transition can happen at any time (especially if you're spinning downwards.) In my limited experience, I've never encountered rotor once I was above the level where the wave forms.