If you’ve never flown in a glider before, you may have a few questions in mind. Here are some of the more common ones.
What do I wear for a glider flight?
As a general rule, dress for practicality rather than style. It’s warmer in the cockpit than outside so if you dress for standing around on an open field, you’ll be OK. We recommend flat-soled shoes (not jandals) and clothing that will allow you to easy climb in and out of the (small) cockpit. The control stick sits between your legs! We also recommend that you bring a small hat (baseball cap or bucket hat, not a sombrero!) and sunglasses.
Will it be noisy?
Being in a glider is a lot quieter than being in a powered aircraft. Think of the sort of noise level you get when driving at 100km/h and you won’t be far off.
What happens if the wind stops?
The glider flies through the air at a certain range of airspeeds. If there’s no wind, that air speed is the same as the speed over the ground. Any wind just adds to or subtracts from that ground speed; the speed of the glider through the air is largely unaffected.
Will I get airsick?
Are you prone to getting airsick, carsick or seasick? If so, you may want to take the appropriate medication before coming for a flight. The instructor who flies with you won’t do anything to deliberately make you uncomfortable. If you don’t feel well, let them know sooner rather than later!
How long will my flight be?
It depends. The amount and direction of wind will have an effect on how high a launch we can get (1700′ on an average day, 3000′ on a good day). From then on, it’s up to the instructor to make the best use of the available conditions. On a still winter’s day, with no heat around to generate lift, glider flights typically last about 10 minutes. On a summer day, with a sky containing lots of good cumulus cloud, the length of the flight depends on who else is waiting for a turn. We will always try to make the flights as long as possible but some weather conditions just won’t play along.
