David Innes - CFI

I will try to summarise the differences from the flying you are used to, with gliding and soaring, so you have an idea of how we will manage your “conversion”.

Most qualified aeroplane pilots will be able to handle a glider more or less immediately. There are of course differences that need to be learnt: co-ordination of rudder and aileron to address aileron drag, a circuit and approach with no go-around option but excellent airbrakes, and a launch type to master. Ideally an aeroplane pilot will be teamed up with an instructor who is familiar with bridging the differences between powered experience and gliding.

The long wings bring much adverse yaw, so you will discover that your feet are far busier, normally in phase with the ailerons.

Obviously, every glider landing is a “Forced Landing”. Our energy reserves are speed and height. You can exchange speed for height and vice versa quite efficiently in a glider.

The glide ratio for most of our gliders is over 40:1, but we fly approaches much more steeply, using air brakes to increase drag. This is to keep a performance margin in hand: if undershooting, the airbrakes can be closed, partially or fully. (Air brakes also have some speed limiting capability).

Our circuits tend to be closer than those you are accustomed to, to ensure you can always reach the field. Obviously, the entire circuit is flown in a descent, faster than normal soaring speeds to improve control response in case of turbulence at low altitude.

We fly a diagonal leg between downwind and base legs to keep the landing area in sight, so we can assess the flightpath, and judge the turn onto base leg as appropriate. The circuit is flown with respect to the landing area, compensating for the wind, and specifically not related to points on the ground. A 3-degree approach slope is far too shallow.

Our airfield is much shorter and narrower than most you are used to, so there may be misleading perspectives. The ability to land at our field will equip you to land virtually anywhere. The grass 20m either side of the runways is landable.

We launch by aerotow, which requires formation flying for say 8-10 minutes per flight, which may be a new experience. We may share thermals with other gliders, far closer than you are used to, so we keep a good lookout. We have a “Radar” (FLARM) on all club aircraft, but Mk1 Eyeball is the primary sensor.

Once trained, you can fly in cloud in uncontrolled airspace, provided you have the rating (or IR plus glider training), the aircraft is equipped and approved, and you are wearing a parachute. The cloud rating is easier than the IR, valid for gliders in Class G.

Flights above FL100 are common - oxygen systems are fitted to all club gliders.

Having centreline wheels means you must control the bank on the ground, during take-off and until stationary on landing. There are wing-tip skids or wheels for protection.

There are both mechanical and integrated electronic displays in all our gliders and we will show how they can be used.

We will run through the SPL syllabus to ensure all points are covered, most cases will be a formality, just learning the differences and demonstrating competence.

We have a wrap-around-visuals fixed base simulator, using a retired 2-seat cockpit, with realistic local scenery available at no fee.

Ground school in preparation for the Sailplane Pilots Licence is also free. We emphasise soaring and will show you how to convert what you may have considered the nuisance of turbulence into opportunities to gain height using the energy in the sky. When thermal soaring, gliders turn tightly to stay in the core, so to keep the turn radius small, we normally fly far closer to the stall than you may be accustomed to, other than during annual flight reviews. As such we make stalling and spinning - both avoidance and recovery - part of your training before solo.

Your prior training may allow you to go solo early, but your time spent learning to soar will reward you for years to come. We fly in Thermals, on Ridges but mostly in Mountain Wave, all year round. Our club is literally world famous for Wave Soaring potential, and the UK Glider height record, 38,400 ft, was set by a glider from Aboyne.

Flights of up to 500 km at average speeds around 100kph are frequently flown from our airfield, but some prefer local soaring or flying with friends, while others enjoy aerobatics, competitions, or instructing. Our training gliders are aerobatic, our Perkoz (with shorter wingtips fitted), is fully aerobatic.

Visibility from gliders is far better than most aircraft. Our trainers have tandem seating, P2 under instruction and solo flying is from the front seat. Weight limit per seat is 110kg including parachute, say 102kg as your personal limit.

Gliders need teamwork to launch. As a club, we use an online Wannafly calendar to indicate aircraft demand and the flying sequence to be planned for each day.

Don’t pull on a Glider’s “Collective” during landing - it’s the Airbrake lever. (It happened to the author). Low and Slow in a glider is not a good combination. Keep your circuit speed until flaring

Our gliders are not very different. We do emphasise soaring, and do not offer winch launching. Our flying allows far more freedom and initiative, with easier access to higher performance gliders and fewer limits on how often and where you fly.

Your handling skills will improve, as will your appreciation of the subtleties of the weather. You will learn to enjoy the amazing visibility, climbing silently, above the clouds in the smooth air of mountain wave. It’s not unusual to have ground speeds of zero.

Freedom from schedules, and the same old routes, and far fewer procedures. And you can throw the glider around without risking spilling the GnTs.

With Gliders it is skill rather than sheer thrust which determines the outcome. But tactics can come in to play as well. And you chose then plan the mission.

• BGA Guide for Instructors: Converting aeroplane pilots to gliding
• Student Pilots Manual
• BGA Instructor's Manual