If you’re wondering what makes a glider different from an airplane it’s this: a glider doesn’t have an engine. Think of a paper airplane, of sorts. They fly by using currents of rising air to gain altitude.
Have you ever flown in a glider? If so, were you the pilot or passenger? If not, would you ever consider riding in one? It may seem scary to fly in a plane without an engine (we think so!), but trained glider pilots know what they’re doing (… we hope!).
Flew over St Augustine once, with a buddy (both as passengers). It’s so quiet and peaceful…it was wonderful.
Yes, I probably have taken between 6-10 glider flights. My wife’s cousin has a glider port outside San Diego. We stayed with them for 3 months and I bought lessons for my wife. We love flying.
In Utah they are seriously dangerous and are a significant source of deaths with flying crafts.
Flew as a passenger twice. First in the Appalachian mountains in Pennsylvania, second on Cape Cod . Loved it!! Both times with very capable pilots I found absolutely no reason to be nervous.
No, it’s got to have a motor.
I’m with you!
Years ago, my father had a work mate who bought a ticket to go on a glider. She was excited, so my parents went with her to watch. Her glider was second in line to take off. The plane took off pulling that first glider and it crashed right after release. She exited her glider and never looked back. We were all sold on that type of no-risk fun! No one we knew ever did another such glider fright!
I had a good friend whose father owned a Glider Airport.
After taking ride-alongs, I was hooked, and got a Glider License.
We had both cable and air launches. Being in windy West Texas, we fortunately, got a lot of cable launches!
Also, that area had a lot of tall Cumulus clouds, which were great for gaining altitude
The natural wind and flat plains, were perfect for Gliding!
The only thing we had to stay clear of, was the Jets leaving and arriving from Reese Airforce Base.
The Glider cockpits allowed a full 360 degree view, which was great!
Soaring noiseless, having a 360 degree view and hearing the wind over the long wings, was amazing!!!
Flying in a noisy, smelly, engine driven plane, cannot compare!!!
I flew in a Glider last year in Washington. I loved it and look forward to doing it again!!!
Not by choice…. Does a powered airplane with an engine failure count?
Thank goodness for good glide ratios!
I think you get extra points for that, Scooter! Glad you made it. Take care. 🙂 –Diane
I live on an Airpark that has a glider operation on it. A few years ago I started to get my rating but ran out of time because I was still working. A hr lesson could take all day because you help the person before you and after your lesson staging and maneuver the aircraft around the field, retrieving from runway etc so. Since it don’t have an engine you need to move it using several people to get it to and from the runway, hanger etc. So I stayed with my power plane.
Being a life-long sailor, gliding seems like the aeronautical version of sailing, so yes — definitely.
The sky is still reverberatng from my constant hollering and joyful yelps from this wonderful experience.
NO, HOWEVER, in the late 1960’s I crewed for Pilot Ted Falk and we came in second in the Glider Championships in Sugar Bush, VT and again in Elmira, NY loosing out to the then World Champion. Very difficult to chase on country roads with the glider trailer in tow while the glider is flying in a straight line over hill and dale. Ted had to land in a few farmers fields during those competitions, take glider apart, put in trailer and return to air field. Have to carry insurance to repay farmers for any damage to crops and such. Many stories to tell but not here. Stay safe, Stay well.
No, but as a kid I always wanted to fly like SUPERMAN! Never tried that either, I guess I missed all the fun! But I did get the nick name “Snoopy the flying ace”.
Snoopy
When I was a 13 year old delinquent my father (former air force fighter pilot and later owner of a small commercial fish spotter Piper) had me go to glider flight school hoping the experience would cure me. I loved it! I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
As a bday present from my wife. Flew over the southern range of the high sierras. An awesome experience.
Haven’t yet but have always wanted to. Hopefully soon.
Unable to open the poll.
Photo is a sailplane. Whole another aircraft.
Please tell us what the difference is.
In order to fly a sailplane as pilot-in-command a pilot needs an FAA Glider rating.
well this can go one of two ways: I’ve flown as a solo pilot in a small aircraft with engine at idle, and I’ve done hang gliding (YEARS ago..in college…) might take one of those hobbies back up…