Soaring to the Future

By Annie Loken

I grabbed hold of the stick in front of me, and checked that my spoilers were closed. I gave the line man the signal: one thumbs-up. I wiggled my rudder quickly to show I was ready for takeoff. The roar of the towplane increased as the rope became taught and pulled against the nose of the glider, and we began to move. I stabilized the ailerons in the air, and quickly checked the windsock. Thirty-degree crosswind, about 11 knots. Here we go. The wheel lifted from the asphalt as my airspeed increased. 15 mph, 25, 35, 60. Finally, the towplane lifted up, and thus began another electrifying day of soaring.

Soaring, or what is more commonly addressed as gliding, is an enriching sport for thrill-seekers and those who just want to try something exciting and new. You soar in an unpowered aircraft, known as a glider, which uses air currents and thermals to stay aloft for as long as possible. This method is similar to that of many large bird species such as vultures and eagles who soar through the air when they become fatigued.

Flying in a glider is an extremely smooth activity. As you gain elevation, you get a birds-eye view of the landscape that is staggering. Watching the tow plane pulling you up into the sky produces a feeling like no other. The most memorable part of the flight is the first few moments as your tires lift from the runway, because it feels as if you are floating in a plane-shaped bubble. That’s what I love most about gliding; it’s incomparable to anything on earth.

I first discovered gliding after a friend’s husband, who happened to be a tow pilot (and glider pilot) introduced my brother to the sport. At first, gliding did not seem interesting to me. A few years later on my fourteenth birthday, I received a gift card from my mother that would cover my first glider lesson. I was extremely nervous and apprehensive, but after just the first flight, I knew it was the sport for me.

After speaking with a number of my classmates in high school, I realized how little people actually understand about gliding and the benefits of getting into the sport. “It seems exhilarating and death-defying being up in the air with no motor like a bird,” says Marissa Grier, a freshman. “I would try it,” says Kayden Killingsworth, also a freshman, “but it seems scary because with no power, what do you do if you’re too far away from the airport?” These conversations made me realize that many people who were interested felt just as I had in the beginning; too nervous to actually go and try gliding for themselves.

My first experience with gliding was a simple tow to 3000’ with an experienced pilot at the Tehachapi Mountain Valley Airport (L94). She took me up in a Grob glider (a large glider made from fiberglass). I got to test the controls and experience the aerotow, which wasn’t as frightening as it may seem. Getting to know the controls and aircraft was surprisingly smooth and easy!

Once my interest was peaked, I began weekly lessons. With an instructor to help you out, you never feel unsafe or frightened. “Getting young people interested in gliding is one of my main goals as an instructor,” says Mike Oldershaw, an instructor and glider pilot at the Tehachapi Mountain Airport (L94). “Not only is it a great activity to expand your horizons, but it’s also an exciting and beautiful experience you will remember for the rest of your life.”

The ground school portion of the learning experience isn’t excessively difficult, either. With patience and time, learning the basics of piloting is surprisingly elementary. To help with the learning process, I would recommend talking to any glider pilots you may meet. Learning about their mistakes and successes helped me determine how to approach learning the new material and the pace I should set.

“The best reason to talk to other pilots is to benefit from their experience. Most things in life, including aviation, we learn by having something happen that doesn’t turn out the way we thought it would. We analyze what went wrong and come up with a plan to make it work better next time. That applies to just about everything in life whether it is flying airplanes, sports, personal relationships, etc,” says John Gingras, also an instructor and pilot at L94.

As you can see, gliding is an amazing sport in need of many amazing people. Even if you think it may not be for you, go and try it out! You never know, it may be just what you’ve been looking for.