I’m 60, and have been involved with model aircraft a lot of my life. Nothing like real aircraft but you appreciate aerodynamics and wind/thermals all the same….. About 20 years ago I got one of those “Trial a glider flight” things on the Kapiti Coast. Conditions were really calm, and the glider pilot let me fly it for about 15 minutes. 3 memories from the experience: - When we cut away from the tow plane, it went instantly quiet, and we were at ( I think) about 3,000 feet with no sense of forward momentum. I had a moment of terror when I looked down and felt like we were suspended in mid air, and about to fall straight down. - As we flew towards a hill way in the distance, with the sea behind it, the pilot asking me “So, are we going to make it over the hill or not” and me feeling a little bit of panic as I didn’t have an answer (he was completely in control of course). My lesson on horizon and objects in between telling you if you are going to go over them or not. - It was one of those most amazing experiences of my life, and I knew I had to walk away or would become obsessed, and spend way too much money on yet another hobby…….ha ha ha :o)
It looked a bit hairy but you did well I always loved my gliding I belonged to the Barossa Valley Gliding Club and learned in a kookaburra duel seater then I mostly flew a single seater kingfisher. This was back in the sixties in South Australia . I’m still flying at 75 but I own a Jabiru SK . But my best memories were gliding.I love watching yours and Stefan Langer videos and the beautiful mountains you fly through. You can’t beat flying in a glider.
Hey tim, wanted to tell you, that I really enjoy your explanatory videos on why you chose certain routes and why not. Really helps me prep for the season. Keep it up!
@@PureGlide I agree to the original poster: "HOW I ALMOST DIED" when you just had a cold, "GLIDER NEAR FATAL CRASH" when you had a slightly hard landing, "IMMINENT CRASH DEATH DOOM THREAT" when your flarm activated, you know the media drill... :-)
Thanks for the video, interesting as usual! Watching your videos last winter was one of the reasons of restarting my glider pilot course after 25 years. It catched me completely! I managed to get the licence last year including silver C... this year i try a local competition... Thanks for that!
Never having flown where you are, I don't know what I would have done. Flying towards the valley _in the sun_ when you can see that it is *within safe glide* is an excellent next step. CU next time too! (Season about to start here - can't wait...)
A couple from Germany took a glider to Venezuela to fly above the Amazon. They flew on top of Angels Falls and had a blast. They flu the next day and disappeared. never to be found again, over 20 years ago.
That looked really horrible and it was good to hear your thinking regarding safe land-out options. It's good also that you had working ridges to nurse some lift from. I was surprised that some of the clouds were still being driven by thermals as it looked very overcast and there was little sunlight on the ground. It's good that you got back with plenty of height to spare.
As much as i love the idea of gliding (not yet pilot here) but this vario beeping would drive me nuts. Amazing video, well done, I like that you have the ‚emergency‘ motor and are not too proud to use it. Thumbs up, big time!
Trust me when you go flying in Summertime and get a thermal, hearing that vario get happy makes us happy and then makes us fly better :D (If Vario happi then pilot happi)
Vario sound is much louder in video than in real life. I think the audio software filters out the sound of the wind which tends to cover up the vario sound in RL. I adjust my vario volume so that I can just barely hear the beep.
Yeah I'm running software that quietens the wind noise on the videos, so the vario and my voice sound louder relatively. We have a volume knob on it, so I tend to make it as quiet as possible while still being able to hear it ok.
Thanks for the video. Bit like watching missionary flying in New Guinea; picking their way through breaks in ridges and valleys with clouds be their constant companions.
Here is a link to some flying, in New Guinea, you might appreciate. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-35DIY6Zzu4Q.htmlsi=ZatSConFUwaqIAFw
yeah, I'm slowly learning that exploring an option well within safety margins before biting it and aborting is not a bad idea. A good landing option always needs to be there though.
Hi Tim. Great content, thank you. I’m just getting in to soaring - two flights under my belt so far. Once I’ve binged all your content - are there any books or other media which you would recommend for a novice like me?
Hi great stuff! Yeah have a look at Soaring Made Easy by Bernard Eckey, that's a great general book. And also highly recommended is The Soaring Engine especially book one to start with thesoaringengine.co.uk
Hello Tim, As a glider pilot myself, i always enjoyed your "instructor reacts" videos very much. In these Videos it appeard to me, that safety is your number one goal. Your channel has a great range and influences other pilots. Especially in that 'positon' performimg a low pass and show it to the community is a no-go in my opinion. Combined with your comments in the cockpit afterwards and a messenger app opened in your phone during the flight, it contradicts the piloting-values that I thought you want to represent doesn't it? I'd like to get in touch with you about a different safety issue I had in my mind for a long time now and that might be interesting for you as a pilot and as input for a video on your channel. Is there a way I can contact you directly? I hope for a productive exchange. Greetings from Germany :-)
Hi yes you can contact me on pureglide@pear.co.nz And yes I was messaging on the long glide to the airfield and then left it open. Unfortunately I couldn't change it once the video was made, obviously while near the airfield I wasn't actually using it, but you're right it's a bad example!
I'm curious if powered-craft pilots learn much about the nuances of gliding (or if it is even beneficial). Videos I see of powered craft becomin unintentional gliders seem to show them select their manufacturers recommended glide pitch and navigate more-or-less directly to a safe landing spot but I am wondering if there is any benefit in understanding where there might be assistance (or hinderance) from winds or geography - or if the benefits ar so minimal for a powered craft that it is safest to just do the straightforward approach.
Looked a bit dicey! Probably not a situation one want's to get in deliberately! Was the cloud-base correctly forecast for the area or was it very localised orographic cloud?
You asked what we thought….well if it hadn’t been a competition I think you’d have landed or turbo’d….it did look pretty risky and would have been if you’d encountered unexpected heavy sink.
Funnily enough, I had given up the thought of completing the task, it only became clear I might be able to do it once I got onto the ridges. And yeah agreed If there was heavy sink, or the wind was stronger it would have been much riskier.
Firstly, Ahh! G'Day Mate! Then you said NRG (Energy) My head automactically starts Playing "Annihilating Rythm by Ultrasonic" then I remembered I was watching a Gliding video & wondered how you ended up Scud Running in what appears to be a Sketchy situation (Besides the fact you have an engine) What were your decision making processes during this time? Seems obvious to say that looked like an uncomfortable situation. I think you could do a review on your flight from an external perspective with a voice over to talk about it. I'm guessing you have much more footage than was shared (noticing all the cuts) Just glad you are safe. Cheers. Oh Yeah, wait a sec, was the 27th landing the best one? Ha ha ha! Double Cheers, Cheers!
I'd rather not be meat in the sandwich. I did have a joy-ride in a glider in Haute Provence SE France during the "golden hour' before sunset. It was equally scenic and the pilot threw in a couple of loops to finish. Nowadays, l stick to my bike.
unless you have an IFR out in case of IMC, that was way too close! do not know whether my presumption your aircraft is not IFR capable is correct, but that seems like the sort of thing that nearly killed you.
Hi I do have an artificial horizon for emergencies, but I wouldn't want to be in cloud in amongst the hills! I had full VFR access to airfields or safe fields at all times, and was within all legal cloud flying limits in New Zealand :)
@@PureGlide I was not sure of the emergency capabilities, but, flying where you were in relation to the clouds, the chance of suddenly ending up IMC (which for someone not IFR rated is likely his death) is far too distant from zero.... if you were fully ready for an IFR escape maneuver, that's a little different... but still, you were on the edge of a real bad situation in this stormy soup...
Well they don’t always work, and I wouldn’t have had much time to get it out and started. So it’s not always a magic get out of trouble option. I always assume it might not work and have a safe landing available.
Hi there. Hey there. Was there a curious if you check these messages if you can assist me with some info on gliders and specifically where I might find information about designs theoritrcal or existing gliders that specialize in keeping a large amount of weight, ~500-1500 pds, over long distances or as long as possible when being released from high altitude. If you need pay for your insight and have some to offer I can accommodate that. Just reply with how to contact you
I probably would have landed at the airfield that you initially identified. The air at ridgetop was very close to dewpoint and with the wind, orographic cloud could have formed in front of you when you were over the unlandable terrain. Orographic cloud was already forming on some of the other ridges within view. Due to your experience and your engine, you might be experiencing hubris. Don't be Balleka. Getting into scary situations when flying could lead me to quit the sport that I enjoy so much. That's a risk I try to avoid. At a contest you should expect a fairly painless retrieve after a land out. So... why not?
As a retired glider pilot with a few scrapes under my belt I would say that was well judged and if I was in a two seater with you I would have certainly enjoyed the ride.
I had a lot of respect for you because of the self critical videos and the accident (or near miss) analysis you posted in the past. now I'm really disappointed to see that low pass at the end. probably one of the sketchiest and unnecessary things I've seen on video. showing that without any commentary or disclaimer is arguably more irresponsible than doing it was. 300ft AGL at 50 knots and in a skidding turn is a good way to get yourself killed. you should know better. please look after yourself and don't end up a statistic. I'd miss the videos.
