Soaring

A few miles from our house the Willamate Valley Soaring Club has their airfield. I’ve always wanted to fly in a glider and Carmen got me a ride this year for my birthday. Fantastic gift! The skies were clear today so we drove out so that I could take a ride. It was a really cool experience. I had always assumed that if I took a ride I’d immediately be trying to buy a glider. That wasn’t the case, but it was still pretty cool. Here’s a breakdown of the day.

A tow plane gets into position to tow a glider into the air.

A glider soars above the airfield.

The glider I rode in sits waiting.

I rode in a Super Blanik glider

Vada was full of advice.

We had to wait about an hour and a half before my turn came. Fortunately it was great weather and Vada was having a pretty good time watching everything take off and land.

A tow plane flies overhead with a glider still on the rope.

My pilot, Laird, signs our flight paperwork.

Right before take-off with the pilot.

The cockpit is pretty simple on a glider.

Take off.

In the air, but still under tow.

The tow plane has bailed we are now gliding.

The view from 3,750 feet. The highway is Highway 26 and the airfield is next to the cornfield to the left of the highway. The row of white dots are parked gilders.

On the descent. Altitude 3,600 ft.

Back on the ground, Carmen and Vada were waiting in the tow golf cart to bring the glider back to it’s parking spot.

I was the last flight of the days so we helped get the plane covered and tied down until the next flight.