Soaring Comes Close To Being 'One With the Sky'

Glider training can sharpen your stick and rudder skills and give you Zen-like experiences, according to this pilot.

Sam Weigel

Wednesday, July 06, 2022 at 01:51 PM ET

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In search of lift, the author soars the skies over eastern Tennessee. [Photo: Leigh Hubner]

Key Takeaways:

The author's journey to earn a glider rating highlights the initial apprehension, the critical skills needed for tow and thermal flight, and the profound satisfaction of mastering engine-less flight.
Gliding is portrayed as a "Zen" experience, allowing pilots to deeply hone fundamental stick-and-rudder skills, foster a purer connection with the environment, and appreciate the strong communal spirit among soaring enthusiasts.
Expert instruction, exemplified by world-class pilot Sarah Arnold, is crucial for developing the precision, coordination, and judgment required in glider operations, ultimately providing invaluable airmanship applicable to all forms of aviation.

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I am sitting in a semi-reclined position, ensconced in a small cockpit with a bubble canopy a few inches from my head. It offers an expansive view of Chilhowee Gliderport’s bucolic surroundings, but the peaceful scene does little to calm the butterflies in my stomach. I focus on the towplane idling a hundred feet away and subconsciously wipe my sweat from the stick as Jason Arnold, who co-owns and operates the gliderport with his wife, Sarah, attaches the towline. I am intensely aware of the empty seat behind me. Sarah Arnold, my instructor, now stands to the side of the staging area, the very picture of serene calm.

I flash back to the morning of my 16th birthday, staring bug-eyed at the empty right seat of the flight school Cessna 150. “Just do what you’ve learned the last three years, and you’ll be fine,” Jerry Graham said as he climbed out. Mind you, on this first solo I’ve only had a half-day of preparation, but the principle still applies: concentrate on procedures, and the butterflies dissipate.