Any sailplane pilots?

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]