After 3 weeks of waiting for the winds to align, I had 3 flights off the 1750' hill in Ed Levin County Park yesterday. The air was light S/SW all day, between 4-10 mph -- perfect for a novice like me to fly at altitude for 20-25 minutes.
I also completed both tasks required by the Berkeley Club to fly in the mountains: performing stalls and 360s. A stalled glider stops flying because its nose is pointed too high and/or the glider is flying too slow. It recovers by nosing down and plummeting towards the Earth -- a sensation that most pilots love (but a few fear and loathe). In either case, we are required to practice stalls to recognize the signs of a forthcoming stall and practice recovering. The other task is completing 360 degree turns, which help pilots stay in thermals or other areas of lift. Pilots need to find and stay within thermals to stay soaring in the mountains and prevent short sled runs directly to the landing zone (LZ). 360s need to be practiced at high altitude as well, because an inefficient turn can result in a dramatic loss of altitude.
Even though there's a huge payoff at the end, altitude flying requires a substantial commitment. All pilots need to have an H2 (novice) rating which requires completing practical skills and passing two written exams, complete three successive spot landings in the LZ, have 10 flights off the 600' hill, and most importantly, a veteran pilot willing to sponsor your flight. In addition, we need a prone harness (one that allows you to fly horizontally), a 2m hand-held radio, and reserve parachute (to deploy above 500' in an emergency). With the help of students, instructors, and fellow pilots in the Berkeley Club, Wings of Rogallo, and Sonoma Wings, I've been able to finally complete all of these tasks!
Hopefully, my next post will be about flying in Big Sur or a mountain in the Sierras :)
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