My Flying

Four launches from 26L with two flights each from two different instructors. The first was with the very hands-on instructor, not a style I enjoy. During the first launch there was a loud bang at 400ft as the launch suddenly lost momentum and the back release dropped the cable.

The climb was shallow so the effect wasn’t too dramatic. Problem is that the instructor took over 80% of control and 100% of decision making. Rather annoying as I had a plan that I thought would have would have worked and I would have been able to execute the circuit and landing. Anyways it was a short circuit to land on 26R.

Later we found out that for some unexplained reason the winch’s engine had missed a beat and spluttered during the launch. The effect of this was that the glider surged ahead of the cable and the back release then dropped the cable.

The next flight was a short circuit where he at least permitted me to land the plane. The third flight, with the next instructor, was very very lekker. After a few week thermals we found some 5m/s thermals and reached cloud base, at 4000ft, rather quickly. We had some fun as the first cloud kinda started to swallow us rather quickly. This was the first time that I had thermalled to cloud base so quickly and I was surprised just how fast the cloud appeared around the aircraft. Full brakes and speed to 100 km/h and we were out.

I spent the next ½ hour practicing some stalls, thermalling and steep turns. For the first time in a long time my motion sickness started to set in, and rather quickly. This really upset me as I thought I was getting the better of it. Anyway, after informing the instructor we lost 2000ft very quickly and I landed the plane. Ten minutes of terra firma and I felt a lot better.

The last flight was a short circuit that went well. The flying for the day four flights of 57 minutes at ZAR242,60.

Not much to report today. Not many people arrived at the club, but fortunately the duty crew did; well the important ones. By the time all was ready the wind had picked up to 25 km/h and was gusting 35.

Two nice launches from 26L to 1000 feet, 5 minutes of soaring in a strong but very broken thermal, and a high circuit (to miss the sink on the edge of the plateau at the threshold of 26) to land.

I think the landings went off very well considering the gusty conditions. I kept the speed up (between 110 and 120 km/h), full brakes with half brakes about 10m up for a nice long gentle float in.

The second landing was nice and interesting. With pre-landings checks during the downwind I noticed that the bakkie that was retrieving the cable was heading back to the launch point. As the finals were very short and we floated in we touch down about 20m in front of the vehicle. It had stopped and pulled into the bush on the side, but I still had to touch down well right of the centreline and the instructor veered us right while rolling to a stop, Not very safe in my books. The left wing couldn't have missed the bakkie by more than 5 meters.

Never-the-less, as the wind was picking up the instructor called it a day with two flights totalling 11 minutes at ZAR89,90.

A pleasant day's gliding with instructor F(2). Things started off late and as there are three (soon to be four) students, including myself, air time is beginning to become scarce. The wind was blowing a slight South-Easterly and this made the ridge work, if only just.

The first flight was an enjoyable 37 minute 750 foot soar along the ridge with two other gliders. I'm starting to figure out how to identify the lift (and sometimes sink) just by the feeling in your butt and the sounds the air makes (outside the plane!!!) as you pass through it. This helps quite a bit with one's confidence. I performed the landing 100% by myself with no prompting, held off nicely and touchdown. I'm so relieved as I've had some crappy landings the passed two months.

The second flight was interesting. The instructor had organised with the winch driver to cut the power and so at 200 foot I was left stranded. Took me a few quick seconds to figure out what happened.

So this is what I did: Nose down (this came pretty instinctively, but as the climb wasn't steep I didn't need to push too violently), pulled the cable (about a second later, one tug, I was a little slow), glanced at the altimeter (200 foot), looked ahead, as I was in line with the runway and it looked landable I push the stick hard forward and waited for the speed to build up. Here I was too slow as the instructor prompted me for full brakes. I landed ahead with full brakes and little drama.

One simulated cable break - CHECK. Day's flying equalled ZAR101,60 (I don't think they charge for simulated cable breaks ).

A nice day's flying and running around the airfield was good relief from a super crappy week at work. It was one of those weeks where you seriously wished you could torch the flippin'; place to the ground and toast marshmallows over the ashes of those @rseholes that call themselves management. >

I had three good launches from 16L with instructor F(4), one of the more hands on instructors . The first flight was a nice 31 minute soar along the ridge. For the first half of the flight I wished I had a long stick so I could wack the knuckles of the instructor in the backseat. Sorry, but I feel I'm more than capable of flying along a ridge without having to wrestle for control of the aeroplane.

My three landings went much better, though I touched down well right of the centre line, due mainly to the 45º cross wind pushing me a bit; I had things pretty well under control.

My biggest problem is still not being able to fly often enough and having to fly with a different instructor each week. I find this vastly extends one's learning curve. So I'm starting to get very frustrated. If I had a whole day where I could just practice circuits I would be ready for solo by that evening, no problem.

I also helped out on the winch with four launches. Man, can it get boring down that end of the runway. For the day it was three flights lasting 40 minutes totalling 177,00ZAR.

On our runways you often find these little birds making their nests; right in the middle on the flat stuff. I took a photo this little chick (about 2cm tall) in the grass next to the runway.