Gliding at Wurtsboro Airport

This past Sunday, our young adult group leader took us gliding in upstate New York. What is gliding, you ask? I had no idea what it was either when I first heard it. So basically a small plane with an engine is attached to a glider (2-seater plane with no engine) by a long cord. The engine plane takes off and pulls the glider into the air. Then at a high enough altitude, you pull on the cord to release from the engine plane and start GLIDING in the air. It's totally using nature and air pockets to maneuver and change altitude. Those of you who know me know I'm terrified of heights, ESPECIALLY small planes! But I decided to tag along with the group anyway to see what it's like and to take pictures. When everyone was signing up, I almost did (I hate being left out) - I picked up the pen and was about to sign my life away (the waiver basically saying they're not responsible if I die). Then I thought about being up in the air for 20 minutes stuck in turbulence and hating myself - and I put the pen down. So I went and watched everyone get in their gliders one by one. The passenger sits in the front of the glider, the pilot in the back. It looked so much fun - and after a couple of people came back from their rides and confirmed that it wasn't really scary and that it was very smooth, I thought 'what the heck, I should just do it, I'm already here - when is the next opportunity that I'll get to go gliding?!'

My pilot's name was Solomon - he's Egyptian and has been flying since 1956. That made me feel slightly better. Solomon explained what all the dials meant and told me that he was going to let me pilot when we got into the air! I got strapped into my seat and the plane took off, with us behind it!! It was a little wobbly going up because we were being pulled, but once we got to 2,500 feet it was fairly smooth and I pulled the ejector cord and we were free! It's amazing that without an engine a plane that small can be so smooth in the air - it didn't even feel like we were moving most of the time. I did feel kind of nauseated when Solomon was increasing our altitude by using an up-current - so basically you keep turning in circles (as if you're going up a column) in order to get higher until we hit 4,000 feet. Sof I do not recommend this for you, you would have thrown up I think. For the most part, it was very comfortable and relaxing after that - sometimes we'd hit air pockets that made it a bit bumpy but it wasn't too terrible. My pilot was really cool - he let me control the glider for most of the ride, primarily just turning or straightening out the wings. Then I got tired cuz I was gripping the controller so hard, haha, so I told him to take over. The landing was so accurate and smooth - it's as if he were flying a normal plane, there was no problem getting onto the runway whenever he wanted to. Supposedly these gliders can stay in the air for hours at a time if the weather permits. There are even gliding competitions - it's a sport! So all in all, it wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be, although I was still very tense in the plane. I think a few people in our group said it was so relaxing that they were about to fall asleep in the air - they are more adventurous than me :)

David our fearless leader was the first to go in this green plane! He liked it so much he went again at the end after all of us went, haha! I don't know how he does it - he's much older than us but he's got so much youth and energy - we can't even keep up with him half the time! I really do think that it's because he has such an amazing relationship with God - his love for God is reflected in how he lives his life - there is so much evidence of joy and peace and freedom which I guess makes one youthful! :)

Here's a picture of the engine plane pulling the glider (the green plane) behind it.

This is how you get strapped into the front seat

A glider about to land

Admiring the planes and the view

David's back from his first trip!

It just stops on the grass

It took every ounce of effort to actually smile - I was so nervous!

I went up in the air right after Jackson did. I let him take my camera cuz I knew I'd be too tense and scared to take pictures. So here are the pics he took - my pics would have been very similar anyway ;)

The engine plane that pulled his glider up

View from the glider

This is my glider! I was below him cuz he was already at 4,000 feet when I was on my way up

It's so funny - afterwards I was saying how I was tense from holding onto the controller and trying to keep the glider stable, and Jackson was complaining that it was too smooth and safe. He asked the pilot if he could do flips or something or at least make the plane move more, LOL. The pilot said no - I guess he valued his life.

Hanging out in the tent after our glides. There were SO many flying bugs around it was crazy! There were swarms of them everywhere!! We kept swatting at them - the boys were playing frisbee for a bit but I think they had to stop cuz the bugs were flying into their nostrils and stuff.

Cool picture!



















Yay for new and fun adventures!