[Thanks to Tommy and TCGirl]
My uncle tried a glider plane ride many years ago. He said there was quite a lot of wind noise. But perhaps he'd tried a poorly designed plane, has anybody tried it?
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It's amazing how far a glider can go, even disconsidering any convenient updrafts.
2 comments:
He said there was quite a lot of wind noise. But perhaps he'd tried a poorly designed plane, has anybody tried it?
I guess that if you are to complain about something, the noise would be it. But think about it: you are gliding thru thin air at 60-100km/h, with nothing but a canvas or thin fiberglass hull between you and the outside! Sure, there's some noise, but you really have to be a 1st-class grouch to let that ruin the incredible rush you get from free flight.
It's amazing how far a glider can go, even disconsidering any convenient updrafts.
The best birds out there perform in the vicinity of 60:1 glide ratio, 30:1 to 50:1 being more common. This means that for a 1000m altitude drop, in ideal conditions one could travel up to 60km.
But that would make for an extremely boring flight, concentrating solely on maintaining an optimal glide attitude and speed while avoiding turns, e.g. a total waste of what should be an exhilarating experience.
My point is that no one who's ever flown a sailplane would ever even think of not considering ascending air! Searching for and fully exploiting thermals and mountainside drafts is so much fun, not to mention rewarding in terms of flight time. After all, long distance record on sailplanes are around 3,000 kms! Now, that's what sailplanes are all about, wind noise or not.
I tried it once - over 40 years ago - in a Czech-designed "Blanik" soarer (not a "glider", the owner insisted).
It was noisy and shaky all the way up behind the towplane, (a "Chipmunk", ISTR) but as soon as we let go of the rope and banked out of his slipstream, it was magnificent!
Smooth as silk and incredibly quiet. Just a gentle "shhhhhhh" of the wind over the bubble canopy.
No lift that day out at Bathurst, so it was a gentle and peaceful circuit back down to the strip - for about 15 or so minutes.
I prefer the freedom of powered craft, especially since we Aussies are somewhat short of "alps" here - and thermals are way too temperamental.
Having said that, if you get the opportunity to try it, grab it with both hands. Leave the camera behind. Aerial shots look great through the viewfinder, but are boring afterwards. Leave all your attention to just enjoying the flight.
Which you will, if you do try it.
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