There is hope for aviation
 

So it's my day to be tow pilot at the glider club. The club had been hosting a regional contest for 13 meter gliders and the national championship for Schweizer 1-26s. The 1-26 is a 1960s, single seat glider that can't get out of its own way, dirt cheap (8 grand with trailer, the trailer may be worth than the glider) and barely a 20 to 1 glide ratio. 1-26 races are the Formula V of the glider world.

I get down there late morning and the regular cast of characters is there plus a 1-26 that's not local. Turns out there was a team entry (two pilots take turns flying the same ship) and they were going to hop and skip their glider home. Get a tow, fly off in the general direction of home and when they land trailer the glider to another field where they can get a tow and keep going.

First thing to keep in mind - we're south of Dallas. Home for these folks is New Jersey. You're lucky to average 40 knots in a 1-26. They said they had two weeks and they were just going to have fun. I talked to the pilot while the tow rope was being hooked up - "I figure you want to go east and into lift, right?" He said that would be a good plan, I took him up 2000 feet and under a nice CU, he released and went on his way.

Heard him a couple times checking in with his chase crew east of Dallas. After about 3 hours he was running out of lift and had lost his chase crew. We were able to relay from a glider over head to our clubhouse and called the chase crew and told them where he was going to land.

He'd made it 90 miles in a bit over 3 hours. The real kicker, the pilot was 18 years old.

Wow!!! That's great!

That is a great story TW.
I've given a thought or two to go up in a glider recently.

USMCFLYR

Excellent story. Always good to hear of a young'n learning how to utilize them stick'n'rudder skills and properly manage energy.

Which airport y'all operating out of? I intend to drop in on the local soaring scene in DFW once I start making some money again.

I second this...as a DFW resident I'd like to check it out.

Texas Soaring just south of Midlothian.

Like
 

I "like" this.

Skyhigh

I spent the first 3 years of my flying career flying sail planes. Age 14 to 16.

Made from pterodactyl bones and the skin of a brontosaurus? ;) Just kiddin'. I feel like glider flying should be mandatory somehow...

Only did it once. A buddy was an aerobatic instructor in those things. If you ever get a chance, you won't regret it.

Agree!
 

Both tail wheel and glider.

I could never translate from "step on the ball" to "step opposite the yarn". :D

We used mammal leather and bone for the construction. And ground towed behind a fast moving Mammoth. Jezz I'm not that old...:)

Gliders should be a mandatory first step and you shouldn't be allowed a training (nose) wheel until after you've mastered a tail wheel. IMHO. I also firmly believe that until you can navigate with a map and a compass and nothing more you should never be allowed to turn on a GPS.

But nobody died and made me the flight training king so it's all good. ;)

+111111

Also did it once right before sunset(the only time I could go up). Man the peacefulness and sunset in AZ was one of those moments.

Just "step on the tape"(or "step on the knot" that ties it to the pitot)

String points to the foot is how I learned it.

Ah, but which end of the string?

At least that's the confusion the "string points to" advice seems to cause in students......:)