So, I decided to sign up with the local (41 miles) club, Tampa Bay Soaring Society.
Blanik L-23 two seat trainer:
Waiting for tow:
Clockwise from top left:
Airspeed in knots, variometer (rise or fall in knots, max indication is 10), another variometer, rise fall in meters per second, compass, yellow tow line release handle, and altimeter, reading 90 feet above sea level.
My 75 year old Czechoslovakian instructor waiting with me and my hand in the Czechoslovakian Blanik.
Here's our ride:
A 1961 Cessna 175
The man with the cane is the "Wing Runner" - about to grab the tow rope with the hook of the cane he is not actually using to walk. I'm volunteered for that job for several upcoming Wednesdays (11am to 5pm), having taken and passed the on-line traing for that task.
It works. Cloud base (and top of lift) is generally around 5,000 feet here on a good day. I suspect we have plenty of good days.
Towed to 3,000ft, rise to 5,000 three times before my hour was up and it was time to land.
Traffic Pattern (entry at 1,000 feet) and runway marked. The runway looks small but actually is close to amile long at 4694 x 100 ft. / 1431 x 30 m.
Zephyrhills FL - https://www.airnav.com/airport/KZPH
Flying Hint: Don't forget where the airport is.
Seminole Lake Glider port (commercial operation, 80 miles) upcoming event.
No, I'm not ready to participate.
Of course I hope to graduate to something a little more sporty in a year or so:
Privately owned Lak-17, about 20 years old:
I watched him get towed and come back after a couple of hours, and later helped break it down and put it in his trailer.
He posted this "what I did Saturday" from his flight computer afterwards:
"Please follow the link below to a short video of a cross-country flight 4 TBSS members made yesterday. Bruce P and Steve C were flying a DG1001 from Seminole Lakes, Randy M was in his LS8 and I was in my Lak 17. We all met up just East of ZPH and took a 103 mile flight together. The video is of a flight-replay that I put together using SeeYou software that shows the flight track of all three gliders. For those of you who have not considered cross-country flying .. I hope this video gives you some insight into the excitement (and occasional fear) that comes along with a well-planned cross-country flight. If you have any questions or interest in cross-country, please let me know. I’d enjoy talking with you or maybe sharing a shorter flight. We are still planning on conducting a cross-country camp later this year (date TBD)."
We talked about the trainer a little.
"Oh yeah, it drives like a truck".
Blanik L-23 two seat trainer:
Waiting for tow:
Clockwise from top left:
Airspeed in knots, variometer (rise or fall in knots, max indication is 10), another variometer, rise fall in meters per second, compass, yellow tow line release handle, and altimeter, reading 90 feet above sea level.
My 75 year old Czechoslovakian instructor waiting with me and my hand in the Czechoslovakian Blanik.
Here's our ride:
A 1961 Cessna 175
The man with the cane is the "Wing Runner" - about to grab the tow rope with the hook of the cane he is not actually using to walk. I'm volunteered for that job for several upcoming Wednesdays (11am to 5pm), having taken and passed the on-line traing for that task.
It works. Cloud base (and top of lift) is generally around 5,000 feet here on a good day. I suspect we have plenty of good days.
Towed to 3,000ft, rise to 5,000 three times before my hour was up and it was time to land.
Traffic Pattern (entry at 1,000 feet) and runway marked. The runway looks small but actually is close to amile long at 4694 x 100 ft. / 1431 x 30 m.
Zephyrhills FL - https://www.airnav.com/airport/KZPH
Flying Hint: Don't forget where the airport is.
Seminole Lake Glider port (commercial operation, 80 miles) upcoming event.
No, I'm not ready to participate.
Of course I hope to graduate to something a little more sporty in a year or so:
Privately owned Lak-17, about 20 years old:
I watched him get towed and come back after a couple of hours, and later helped break it down and put it in his trailer.
He posted this "what I did Saturday" from his flight computer afterwards:
"Please follow the link below to a short video of a cross-country flight 4 TBSS members made yesterday. Bruce P and Steve C were flying a DG1001 from Seminole Lakes, Randy M was in his LS8 and I was in my Lak 17. We all met up just East of ZPH and took a 103 mile flight together. The video is of a flight-replay that I put together using SeeYou software that shows the flight track of all three gliders. For those of you who have not considered cross-country flying .. I hope this video gives you some insight into the excitement (and occasional fear) that comes along with a well-planned cross-country flight. If you have any questions or interest in cross-country, please let me know. I’d enjoy talking with you or maybe sharing a shorter flight. We are still planning on conducting a cross-country camp later this year (date TBD)."
We talked about the trainer a little.
"Oh yeah, it drives like a truck".
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