Anyone here ever flown in one of these?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

[bluedigger]

1. Yup.

If you mean gliders in general. My ex got her glider license at 14 and pilot's licence at 16. Her old instructor took me up once in a two seater. All you hear are control cables working pulleys and the wind over the wings. Landing is kind of a big deal, as you only get one shot at it.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. wow. cool. thanks

[Ptah]

2. I know that Thomas Crown did.

I'd like to.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. soon, Ptah

[trof]

3. Nope. Don't fly airplanes without motors.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. scary thought, idn't it?

[calikid]

23. Glider flying is great training for power pilots, I know.

As is tailwheel flying I would suppose, it's that stick and rudder thing.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Not that particular glider, but I have flown a glider.

It's awesome.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

8. did you fly it yourself? cool

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. I was with an instructor.

Wanted to get my glider certification, did the ground school, never had time to finish the training. I have a pilot and CFI license but only for powered aircraft. Loved the glider flight; the instructor even demonstrated a go-around, which I didn't think was possible, but it is and it was amazingly fun.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

11. is that head over tail?

[bluedigger]

19. Did he loop it?

I watched some glider pilots in Germany do that years ago. Looks pretty risky.

[Major Nikon]

10. Never got certified, but I've been up in gliders many times

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. nice

[HarveyDarkey]

13. Never have, but I would love to

I love flying but have never been up in a glider or a hot air balloon. I will do both before I die.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

14. oh yeah, me too. this might be my year for both --

*fingers crossed*

[HarveyDarkey]

15. I have my fingers crossed for you

although how effective that is I'm not sure.

[RebelOne]

17. Yes, me too.

I have flown small planes, did a bit of skydiving and went parasailing. I always wanted to go up in a hot air balloon and in a glider. Maybe some day I will.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

21. I have parasailed twice in my life. fun times.

[DFW]

16. Nope. A good friend of mine was killed in one of them

He was very experienced, ex Belgian air force, went down to the south of France every year to fly around in one of those things. One fine day, after about 30 years of glider flying, when he was high above the cliffs near Aix-en-Provence, a huge unexpected gust came up and smashed him and his glider against the side of the cliff at full speed. He never had a chance.

I'm sure it's great fun and safe 99% of the time. My friend was one of the 1% that didn't have such great luck.

[calikid]

18. Yea, 125 times

I don't think I've ever been in that one, but I have been in five different models.
One of the premier training and repair centers in the U.S. is five minutes from my house!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

22. how cool is that ?!

[calikid]

25. VERY, VERY COOL!

If I'm not in the glider or tow plane, I can usually see and always hear them being towed to altitude.
It's also a lot of fun to watch them do aerobatics.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

26. yeah, I bet that is fun to watch!!

[Blue_Tires]

20. Needs some pratt&whitneys.....

[Tuesday Afternoon]

24. as opposed to Briggs & Stratton ...

[Major Nikon]

27. ...

[Tuesday Afternoon]

28. well, lookit that little critter fly

[edbermac]

29. Neil Armstrong flew in those near the end of his life.

He said it was as close as being a bird as he could get.

[Liberal_in_LA]

30. nope