Show Soaring Isn't t So Dan Dangerous erous By STANLEY JAMES Two general misconceptions about gliding soaring are that its it's higl highly y dangerous and that the main trick is to stay aloft SOARING is not especially dangerous and for those who exercise caution it is as safe as other sports safer than many LI Landing away from the home airfield shouldn't be dangerous Most gliders land about 35 miles per hour and require a very short landing run AN AVERAGE pilot can set them down in a corn corri corli field or plowed field or in open meadow easily The hull might be scratched or otherwise damaged but the pilot need not suffer physical injury The other widely-held widely misconception misconception mis misconception mis- mis conception that staying up is the main trick is under under- Most people marvel marvel marvel mar mar- vel at the thought of motor- motor less manned aircraft in the first place They tend to think if a pilot stays aloft for an hour he has done something WHILE ITS IT'S true that staying staying staying stay stay- ing aloft is the first necessity of glider flying any good glider pilot on a good day has no trouble staying aloft for hours The measurement of ability among good pilots is the speed one averages and the distance covered Good glider pilots dont don't stooge around over an airfield airfield airfield air air- field all day just staying up They set a goal goal goal- fly a triangle triangle triangle tri tri- angle a cross-country cross or make a straight line trip to another airport AND THEY judge their performance performance performance per per- on how fast they make the trip On a good day they are practically sure they can stay up What is a good day Generally Generally Generally Gen Gen- speaking a good day dayis is one when thermals begin to form in the morning usually usually usually ally about ten or eleven and produce white cumulous clouds at several thousand feet If the cumulous dont don't overbuild into rain or thunder clouds and dissipate on top as they form at the bottom they are just right CLOUD FORMS when the moisture in the rising air condenses and lift can often be found under one in about three of these cus ens as they're called Wave soaring and ridge soaring are fine but thermals are frequent from spring though fall and occur in all areas of the country They make possible practically all cross-country cross flights in m t areas THE PILOT must find them his tells him when he encounters lift and then utilize the lift in them to gain altitude He must know when to leave reave them be able to feel lift decreasing glide at the best to speed-to-fly perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps 20 mph or more faster than climbing speed depending on several things to the next thermal On a good day the veteran glider pilot expects to find lift again well before he is worried about having to land and actually passes up some thermals if they are not strong HIS IUS ABILITY is measured by how little altitude he loses between thermals how quickly quick quick- ly he climbs in them and his speeds over the ground |