Glider Contest Winner Report

This is the story of Kit's flight and how he got on.

It was a Thursday morning and the weather forecast was looking good. As I arrived at the Soaring Centre I was ready to welcome Kit to the Club and, more importantly, I was excited to see how a flight sim soaring pilot would get on in the real thing! The aircraft in which I had arranged to do our flight was a Duo-Disc ( a high performance two seater) which has a glide ratio of around 48:1, achieved at speeds of over 100Knots - we were surely in for a good day.

Kit duly arrived and we had a chat about sim flying, I then introduced him to the soaring community and all the facilities at the Soaring Centre. Even a good look around the hangers to see Chipmunks, Vilga, Juniors, Pucheczs T21 and the Discus that Kit had modeled to win the competition didn't seem to phase him! Whilst we passed some time viewing the hanger the weather improved sufficiently, and so it was time to go flying...

After a briefing on safety, the airfield, and how an aircraft flies, which I didn't see as a problem for a sim pilot, it was off to introduce Kit to the aircraft that he would be flying. This is '"HB1, our Duo - Discus" I said. Kit was, at once, amazed at all the knobs and, more especially, at the finish and construction of a real aircraft. Another thing he was surprised about was the size of the wingspan, large! Once we had the glider out of the hanger and up to the launch point it was time to board the machine and go flying. Kit sat in the front and I instructed from the back.

Very soon it was our turn... the Chipmunk lined up in front of us and the towrope was attached, and before Kit knew it we were off, becoming airborne first, before the Chipmunk! Within six minutes we were over the A14, to the south of the airfield, at 3,000ft and now it was time to release. In that instant of release the glider slowed and became quieter, and, as I looked for good lift Kit had time to take in the view, out of the clear perspex canopy and, what a view it was! "RIGHT it's your turn" I said, and after a quick demo he was off.... At first he 'over' controlled the craft but he very quickly got used to handling it and was soon flying around, after a fashion that is, in whichever direction I pointed him.

"Now it's time to show you what gliding is all about" I shouted "Lets find a thermal!". With this in mind I pointed him in the direction of a cloud and with some help he started to climb at 400ft a minute, then 800ft, it was becoming at good day. Fifteen minutes later we were at 4,000 ft over Kettering and Corby, about 15k from the airfield, and then as the clouds were starting to look over developed I suggested we start making our way back towards the airfield. On the return journey I asked Kit what he thought of his first flight. "It's GREAT! I have only done this in the flight sim before". He said. At this point, he began to tell me the differences between a real and simulated glider flight. The main one being the feel of the aircraft, which as I am sure you 'simmers' will know is not there. He was also amazed at the distances and the speed that a glider is capable of - indeed in many cases far faster than a Spam.

It was over an hour later when we returned to the Husbands Bosworth Gliding Club, (NR bruntingthorpe UK) in order to make our approach prior to landing. On the approach I resumed control again, showing Kit the effect of the airbrakes and how we use them to control where we land. Once back on the ground, after all the 'thank yous' had been said, we made our way back to hanger to put HB1 back to bed, and then onto the bar to discuss the day's activities and how much Kit had enjoyed it?! I will let Kit e-mail his friends with that answer, but lets just say he would do it again...

Try and do this flight in 2004 and see where we went... VFR scenery helps... We intend to run this competition again so keep your eyes open for the next FREE flight

Rob Barsby - Kit's Gliding Instructor.
The Soaring Centre, Husbands Bosworth Airfield, Nr Lutterworth, Leicestershire