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| Slingsby Skylark 4 |
This photo of a beautiful Skylark sailplane reminds me of the wonderful day that I flew solo in a single-seater for the first time.
It would have been in the late ‘70s, at the Dorset Gliding Club, located at the Tarrant Rushton airfield in the U.K. (Now closed).
Traditionally, new pilots are not given pre-warning of their first solo flight, to reduce tension. On this occasion, I was given a short flight with the instructor and, when we landed, he jumped out and simply told me to stay at the controls because it was ‘time’. His sole instruction was, “Don’t stay up for more than an hour”.
The sailplane was hooked onto a long cable attached to a single engined Auster (tug), I gave the ‘thumbs up’ signal to the wingman and almost immediately, we (the sailplane and I) were bumping uncomfortably across the grass field until, with one final bump, we were airborne.
It was difficult keeping in formation behind the tug because it normally flew at 110 knots and my sailplane preferred to fly at 75 knots, making the controls very sensitive.
Once we had reached the required altitude of 3,000 feet, I pulled the cable release, and the whistle of high-speed air suddenly dropped to a quiet swishing sound as I reduced speed ... and I was able to relax ... slightly.
I began to look for a cloud that indicated the presence of a thermal of warm air that should be able to take me into the clouds. That day, there were a number of solid cumulus clouds and, choosing the nearest, I soon felt the pull of rising air and I banked into a circle to stay within the thermal. The increasing adrenalin generated much excitement as I challenged the thermal trying to force me sideways. Soon, we were at the base of the cloud at 4,500 feet.
At this height, I was able to dive away from the safety of the cloud towards another cloud that was in the direction of my intended travel. This caused a loss of height, but I was soon able to feel the pull of another thermal and we began another climb.
I was even more relaxed now, and able to study the beauty of the surrounding clouds. Nothing seemed to matter ... I was in the Land of the Gods.
As I casually looked around, I suddenly noticed a large bird near my wing tip. I believe that it was a kestrel (a bird of prey). We circled together for quite a while. Such an exhilarating feeling ... being one with nature. Occasionally, it would turn its head in my direction, as if to say, “You’re pretty good, for a human.” Then, in an instant, it was gone, looking for its supper, I suppose.
One hour and thirty-five minutes later (It was easy to lose a sense of time when enjoying oneself), I was back in the circuit, brakes out, and rolling to a stop. The instructor was, playfully, wagged his finger at me ... but he was really delighted that another student had successfully achieved solo flight.
I shall never forget that day.
A Wonderful story and good lesson.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Memories, memories-.........we are the superior people, because we did it all! Carla's idea to shove me off to Terlet to learn to fly was one of the best. Yesterday we were unexpectedly visited by a young couple and their little daughter. He is now a heli pilot and she is a gliding woman, and I knew them well. After more than 8 years after I stopped still people visit us (or we visit them) The bond between glider pilots is very strong indeed! One of my pupils, who started at Terlet at 14 and coming back for a week every year is now nr 1 on an Air Force Chinook. But he is thown out in a few months time. Not enough money in our government. So he asked me about the UK situation and a dutch girl I know flies at BA, nr 2 in 737. Also gliding instructor and she said she could help him out. Praying!
ReplyDeleteTruly, choosing to start with sailplanes when learning to fly is a great recommendation. It is a frequent misunderstanding that there can be little to choose from, either a gliding club or a power flight club. The outstanding difference is that members of power flight clubs usually arrive 30 minutes before flight time, fly, then go home. Flying sailplanes is always a communal event, in a sense, sailplanes are man-powered. Therefore, members spend long periods at the club and this creates a social atmosphere and, as Bruno describes, a lifetime camaraderie. I should also mention that kestrels don't fly together with power aircraft.
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of my message was rather snoring or snorting but in fact I think it is right, we are very privileged to have been able to do that amount of gliding! But your remark about flying with birds struck a cord. Over Soesterberg AB, one day together with 7 buzzards in a thermal. They looked at me all the time but went up with the same speed as I did, i.e they obviously liked the company. Like the stork about 15 years ago over Terlet. I saw it coming up deep below me, could not believe my eyes as they were quite rare then. It climbed much faster than I did but it stayed on my level for quite some time to have a better look. About 0.5 M from Lelystad A/D we had a nature reserve especially for birds of prey. As soon as we found a good thermal one or more hen-harriers come over to enjoy it. Not shy at all.
ReplyDeleteWe also had an oyster catcher breeding in the shrubs between main road and air field. Every time a glider flew the down wind leg it came up, following the glider and making a terrible racket. Must have been exhausted and hated us tremendously. And at Zbraslavice in Czech Republic the buzzards made it a game to fly over the wings as closely as possible. One day one came up right in front of my cockpit, talons out and wings spread unmoving and almost vertical. It dived away luckily at the last possible moment, but who was scared the most sh*tless?
It is the highest enjoyment to be a pilot trying your first solo flight.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds my experience in Adventure Park, Disney Land, Los Angeles. There is a program called the Soarin' Over California. We were in a big room with many chairs. It is supposed we were in a big plane flying over the attractions in California. We were flying over the Napa grape valley, the snow mountains, flying alone the seashore of California and the grassland. The experience was so real, I still saw a black bird companying us flying, and I just think that was real. Even the memory of the flight makes me feel very happy. I would rather believe that is my 20 minutes solo flight. I never forget it.
Thank you for sharing this. My father, Ken Phipps, was one of the tug pilots at Tarrant Rushton, so I spent my childhood staring at the skies, watching you all soar above me like elegant eagles. To me, the 70s seem like one long summer day filled with happy chatter about thermals and cold beer in the club house, whilst we kids ran about in the hangars and fields.
ReplyDeleteToday is the 25th anniversary of my father's death. I never got to fly with him, as I had only just turned 18 when he died, but thanks to people sharing memories such as yours, I'm able to feel that little bit closer to him on days like today. Thank you. It was a happy, happy time.
Inga
Hello Inga; what a wonderful surprise to hear from you. I remember you as a very young girl when I lived across the road in Pimperne, then I moved to Winterborne Houghton which is probably why I don't remember you at 18 years old.
DeleteKen was a very good friend and instructor. He was the very first person to talk to me when we moved to Pimperne. I was really sad to hear that he passed away ... I think that I was in Canada at the time.
I wrote to Bruno in Holland just a few days ago and asked about Jessie (She's not replied to my e-mail for ages).
Is your mother still in Pimperne, please give her my regards. I shall be coming to the UK at the end of the year ... it will be interesting to discover who is still there.
You should go and have a flight in a sailplane, because I know that you will feel Ken by your side.
Thanks again for writing.
hidndrgn@hotmail.com