Nothing Comes as Expected During Quiet Flight

Glider experience offers a chance to be a beginner again, drinking from a fire hose.

Friday, October 11, 2024 at 08:52 AM ET

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With gliders, FLYING contributor Ben Young (seated) discovered there is no go-around. No second shot. You are going to land one way or another. [Courtesy: Ben Younger]

Key Takeaways:

The author, a powered pilot, pursued soaring lessons to learn advanced energy management, considering it a crucial skill for potential engine-out emergencies in his aircraft.
The glider flying experience proved to be an "analog" and challenging education, dismantling many of the author's preconceived notions about flight and its operational procedures.
Soaring relies entirely on natural lift for extended flight, emphasizing precision, adaptability, and flawless execution, particularly given the absence of a "go-around" option during landing.

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Sitting in a folding chair under a weathered canopy on a warm California day in Lake Elsinore’s Skylark Airport (CA89), I listened as a group of glider pilots talked about the improving weather.

We were gathered just off of the grass Runway 29L, and everyone stared intently at the ridgeline to our west. When a solitary, tiny cloud formed a few thousand feet above the ridge, the pilots became suddenly animated.

Ben Younger

Ben Younger is a TV and film writer/director, avid motorcyclist and surfer—but it’s being a pilot that he treats as a second profession. Find him on Instagram @thisisbenyounger.