Diamond Xtreme instrument panel showing 400 feet a minute of climb over the water south of Victoria
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Diamond Xtreme instrument panel showing 400 feet a minute of climb over the water south of Victoria |
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Soaring with Eagles. Photos courtesy Jay Palmer. |
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Xtreme soaring over British Columbia |
Soaring with the eagles
After decades of varied flying tasks and adventures I entered aviation nirvana - soaring. But why, you say, would anyone fly a glider when a power plane offers greater capabilities and flexibility?
The challenge!
My Diamond Katana Xtreme motorglider has been a magic carpet as it guided and educated me into the often gentle, often aggressive world of soaring. Moreover, many was the summer day when I would leave home a stressed out warrior and return home floating on the clouds after hours of soaring.
My wife, Linda, marveled at the different personalities and liked the latter much better. She almost pushes me out the door to go soaring anytime the weather conditions beckon.
So, what's the attraction? Thoughts that immediately come to mind include: peace, quiet, absence of vibration, and being buoyed about in the gentle hands of a dynamic Mother Nature.
More abstract thoughts consider the minimal fuel burned and the fact that soaring adds virtually no footprint on our ecology. My passengers are most often enthralled with the complete silence associated with meandering around the skies at 60 mph - often while climbing at 500-1000+ fpm.
Aircraft soaring feats are only limited by our imaginations. Many glider pilots have achieved thousand kilometre goals and some have exceeded 2500 km. The latest world speed record over a 300 km triangle course was flown at 120 knots!
Powerless flight durations are more limited by human physiology rather than gliders' capabilities - those big flights can take over 15 hours - the thought makes me squirm a bit.
Altitude? - consider a stunned airline pilot being advised to watch out for a glider descending through his cruising altitude of 39,000 feet - it happens!
While gliding purists often look down their snouts at my motorglider, it does provide a lot more opportunities and some additional safety margins when flown efficiently and conservatively.
For all, the special soaring thrill is pitting one's perception and knowledge against changing lift phenomena to eke out the maximum altitude and flight duration.
In time, many if not most glider pilots get involved in the challenges of seeking awards for distances/speed flown and altitude accomplishments. Later, many try their hand at competing against their fellow glider pilots.
Essentially, the sky is no limit for pilots seeking a challenge in flying as more advanced flying skills provide the means to regularly break world records and extend soaring abilities.
There are other motivating factors for pursuing gliding skills in addition to the aesthetic considerations. As Air Canada Captain Pearson learned while deadsticking his Boeing 767 into the old air base at Gimli, Manitoba, engineless flight skills can become very important.
For those of us who generally fly single engine aircraft it is only a matter of time until one is forced to make a silent landing - if you don't count the screaming in the cabin...
The rising cost of fuel and taxes as well as operating costs and congestion at major airports are also good motivation to seek the thrills of powerless flight. Prospective gliding/soaring pilots should also consider the excellent friendships and acquaintances that ensue when gliding folks get together.
The very cooperative nature of glider launches and occasional off-airport retrievals forge a wonderful camaraderie amongst soaring advocates and for many this is as important as the flying operations.
Canada is an oasis of soaring with beneficial regulations and soaring conditions that have to be enjoyed to be believed. Obtaining a glider pilot licence is much simpler and quite inexpensive compared to the power pilot licences.
Moreover, training is typically accomplished at outlying airports that are relatively free from heavy air traffic that commonly serves as a deterrent to learning at main airports.
The sport of gliding is governed by the Soaring Association of Canada (SAC), and gliding clubs conduct training near most major centres in most provinces. Information on SAC and clubs is available on the national website www.sac.ca.
Typically a student enrolled in a training program will take a ground school course, usually during the winter months, with the practical training starting in the spring. Upwards of 50 short flights with an approved glider instructor will teach the basics. Once all maneuvers are being flown competently, students will be signed off for their first solo flight, complete with the post-solo traditions of a shirt-tail cutting or the presentation of a wildflower bouquet and potential near drowning under a surprise bucket of cold water. First solo may be flown as young as 14, however a licence cannot be granted until the applicant is 16. Licensing takes place after twenty solo flights, a flight test is passed, and the Transport Canada glider pilot exam has been written.
Clubs in Canada are organized and operated by their volunteer members. From the president to the airfield chairman to the flight instructors - all give willingly to maintain the club's infrastructure on a very reasonably priced basis. A typical club (though all vary) may charge members around $500 for a full season of flying plus a flat season rate on glider rentals. The instruction is free. Each tow to 2000 feet above ground, provided by the club towplane, will cost a member about $20-25.
From this height a pilot can commonly connect with lift and continue soaring during the day. People usually find that the sport is more demanding of one's time than one's pocketbook.
If you haven't tried soaring, you've been missing out on some of the most pleasurable and rewarding flying available to mankind. For more information on how you can expand your life to include gliding, contact your local club from those listed below.
ATLANTIC
BLUENOSE SOARING CLUB
Stanley A/P, NS
Boris de Jonge Tel.: 902-424-1399
Club: 902-632-2088
www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/BSC/
AERO CLUB DES OUTARDES
Bromont A/P, QC
Jacques Faribault Tel.: 450-770-0297
http://iquebec-ifrance.com/aeroclubdesoutardes
AVV CHAMPLAIN
St. Dominique, QC
Sylvain Bourque Tel.: 450-771-0500
CVV Mont Valin
Aéroport de St-Honoré
Martin Beaulieu (418) 693-7963
CVV QUEBEC
St. Raymond A/P, PQ
Richard Noél ickx@videotron.ca
MONTREAL SOARING COUNCIL
Hawkesbury, ON
Terry Beasley trbmsc@hawk.igs.net
Airfield: 613-632-5438
ONTARIO
AIR SAILING CLUB
NW of Belwood, ON
Stephen Szikora Tel.: 519-836-7049
BONNECHERE SOARING
5.5 km N of Chalk River, ON
Iver Theilmann Tel.: 613-687-6836
CENTRAL ONTARIO SOARING ASSN
N of Omemee, ON
Bob Leger Home tel.: 905-668-5111
Or Business: 416-973-8534
ERIN SOARING SOCIETY
NW of Orangeville, ON
Peter Rawes Tel.: 905-838-5000
GATINEAU GLIDING CLUB
Pendleton, ON
Raymond Bastien Tel.: 819-561-7407
GREAT LAKES GLIDING
NW of Tottenham, ON
Richard Tel.: 416-385-9293 (H)
Longhurst Tel.: 416-385-9298
GUELPH GLIDING & SOARING ASSN
W of Elmira, ON
Paul Nelson Tel.: 519-821-0153 (H)
LONDON SOARING SOCIETY
between Kintore & Embro, ON
Sue & Chris Eaves Tel.: 519-268-8973
www.lonet.ca/res/mkeast/soar.htm
RIDEAU VALLEY SOARING
5 km S of Kars, ON
Club: 613-489-2691
SOSA GLIDING CLUB
NW of Rockton, ON
Pat O'Donnell Tel.: 519-753-9136
TORONTO SOARING CLUB
airfield: 24 km W of Shelburne. ON
Alex Foster Tel.:705-487-0612
www.aci.on.ca/~boblepp/tsc.htm
YORK SOARING ASSOCIATION
7 km east of Arthur, ON
Tel.: 519-848-3621 airfield
or 416-250-6871 info
PRAIRIES
PRINCE ALBERT GLIDING & SOARING
Birch Hills A/P, SK
Keith Andrews Tel.: 306-249-1859 H
REGINA GLIDING & SOARING CLUB
Strawberry Lakes, SK
Jim Thompson Tel.: 306-789-1535 H
or 306-791-2534 W
SASKATOON SOARING CLUB
Cudworth, SK
Clarence Iverson Tel.: 306-249-3064 H
WINNIPEG GLIDING CLUB
Starbuck, MB
Susan & Mike Maskell Tel.: 204-831-8746
ALBERTA
ALBERTA SOARING COUNCIL
Tony Burton Tel.: 403-625-4563
Clubs/Cowley info: www.soaring.ab.ca
CENTRAL ALBERTA SOARING CLUB
Innisfail A/P, AB
Brian Davies Tel.: 403-318-4577 H
COLD LAKE SOARING CLUB
CFB Cold Lake, AB
Randy Blackwell Tel.: 780-594-2171
Club: 780-812-SOAR
CU NIM GLIDING CLUB
Black Diamond, AB
Al Hoar Tel.: 403-288-7205 H
Tel.: 403-569-4311 B
www.soaring.ab.ca/free-flt/cunim
EDMONTON SOARING CLUB
N of Chipman, AB
John Broomhall Tel.: 780-438-3268
www.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/soar/
GRANDE PRAIRIE SOARING SOCIETY
Beaverlodge A/P, AB
Terry Hatfield Tel.: 780-356-3870
www.soaring.ab.ca/free-flt/gpss/home
PACIFIC
ALBERNI VALLEY SOARING ASSN
Port Alberni A/P, BC
Doug Moore Tel.: 250-723-9385
BULKLEY VALLEY SOARING
Smithers A/P, BC
Leif Jorgensen,
CANADIAN ROCKIES SOARING CLUB
Invermere A/P, BC
Al Spurgeon Tel.: 250-342-3332
Mike Glatiotis Tel.: 403-282-6121
PEMBERTON SOARING
Pemberton A/P, BC
Rudy Rozsypalek Tel.: 604-894-5727
www.mountain-inter.net/soaring/
Silver Star Soaring Assn
Vernon A/P, BC
Mike Erwin Tel.: 250-549-1397
VANCOUVER SOARING ASSN
Hope A/P, BC
David Clair Tel.: 604-739-4265 H
Club: 604-869-7211
(With thanks for information from Tony Burton, Editor of SAC’s FREE FLIGHT magazine).
Ken is a COPA director who lives in Victoria, BC. He provides services internationally in advanced training, expert witness, flight test and aircraft sales. He has logged 15,000 hours on 375 types of fixed wing and rotary aircraft. Soaring his Diamond Xtreme is what he does for pleasure.
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