The Aviators Thread

DoctorEvil

Great pic.
I hear that gliding teaches you great stick and rudder skills but I've never been game to try it. Because once you're committed to landing, you're committed! 😁
Is that watch the Speedmaster Trilogy which came out in 2017?

Jantar

It’s true there are no go arounds in gliders…and we don’t always land where we started either. Or at an airport for that matter.

As for stick and rudder skills, we do spend a lot of time flying in close proximity to other gliders at slow speeds for the bank angles we are flying. So coordinated flight is very important.

Also I think flying tow teaches you fly to well.

You should try it if you have the chance. It really is something to cheat gravity for a few hours.

And yeah, the watch is the trilogy speedmaster.

DoctorEvil

Thanks for the pic.
What's the glider type?
And what's the furthest distance you've covered and longest time aloft for? Just curious.

Canuck

My late father was in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for five years, seven months, and three days, from late 1939 until mid 1945. He was an instrument maker, working on aircraft instruments on bombers, mostly. Wellingtons and Lancasters, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He worked on bank and turn instruments, and artificial horizons. Back in the days when nothing was electronic. He also worked on pilots watches and clocks. When he was involved, instrument mechanics, as part of their job, had to do “flips” which were short flights to test instruments. They were paid 25 cents a “flip”, until the powers that be found out how many bogus flips were being taken. Just imagine! An instrument mechanic might have earned up to $2.00 per day on these flips. What would that be in 2021 dollars. As a non commissioned officer (flight sergeant), he was earning $160.00 per month. He refused a promotions because commissioned officers had to pay for their own uniform dry cleaning.

Things changed when someone stowed away on a plane on one of these flips, and he was killed when the plane crashed.

Jantar

I think my farthest flight in one direction was a 66 mile out and return. Most of us fly triangles, and we try to set tasks for the day, depending on conditions. I’ve done closer to 150 miles just flying around. Longest duration has been about 4 hours. I just can’t seem to focus much longer.

A lot of the pilots I fly with regularly fly farther.

The glider is the foreground is an ASW27. A very nice modern glider with a glide ratio of 48:1.

The one behind it with the canopy up is mine. It is a slightly older SZD-55. In ‘91 when it was built it was state of the art. It was the first glider to use an elliptical wing to minimize induced drag and increase glide performance. Most modern gliders use a trapezoidal wing for the same reason but it is cheaper to make. The SZD-55 is still respectable with a glide ratio of 44:1. And it only weighs 474lbs so it thermals wonderfully.

DoctorEvil

Thanks for the insights. As an Aussie, we have an affinity for the Lancaster as well because many RAAF personnel served on them during WW2 flying from bases in the UK. I have a similar story from a RAAF engineer who knew a colleague who worked on F-111 strike aircraft. That guy scored a couple of rides testing the terrain following radar. Apparently, the pilot would flip a switch and the plane would just nose down towards the ground until it reached the designated altitude AGL and would then start "skiing". Now that's a "flip"!

DoctorEvil

Is that 474lbs empty? That's incredibly light given that the average man weighs 70kg (154lbs).

Alpha

Just been through this thread from beginning to end and enjoyed it all.
Only story I have is when on a flight to Frankfurt came upon a good female friend working the cabin and had an invite to the flight deck which I really enjoyed, two great guys and really welcoming, whilst heading for the gate another aircraft pulled out just ahead of us and the language was fantastic which I won't go in to but basically did the f*******r think he was in a Tesco car Park followed by many expletives 😁

scv55

Hey all!
Commercial pilot here. I began flying back in 2017, and was an active CFI/CFI-I for over 2 years. Covid threw a proverbial wrench into the prop to say the least. Now I'm flying for a private client which has been a great change of pace compared to teaching in singles. I had a lot of great times as a working flight instructor, I even got an article published in an online magazine. Its a story about a partial engine failure after ferrying an aircraft from New Jersey to South Florida just less than an hour from home! https://airfactsjournal.com/2021/08/approach-i-need-the-nearest-airport/

Anyways, my future goals are to end up at a 121 operator but not sure who yet. Time will tell!



Always love wearing my 1976 speedy pro when I fly!