They are called sailplanes here in the U.S. So, yes, gliders are planes...Duh! LOL

My nightmare. When I was a student pilot, staying in line or under the tow plane was an obsession.... I understood the theory. Seeing it in real life is terrifying. I'm very sad for the pilot who died :-(

Das Video fängt ja gleich gut an: Tiefflug und im Blauen......cool

Hi Tim. Great content, thank you. I’m just getting in to soaring - two flights under my belt so far. Once I’ve binged all your content - are there any books or other media which you would recommend for a novice like me?

I think motorcycles are so dangerous they should have been made illegal many years ago. Insurance acturists estimate a motorcyclist is 37× more likely to be killed/crippled than a car driver and I would have thought gliding was safer😮

Are there any modifications to modern tow rope systems that can auto disconnect if the tow angle is out of safe parameters? I'm just getting into soaring so please excuse my lack of knowledge. I have this innate passion to try and come up with solutions to problems even when I don't fully understand all the issues.

I can't believe this is happening in 2024, surely a release can be designed to release under extreme tension, and can also be designed to release if pulled outside of a certain direction?!

Well, that answered my question about gliding. These stats rank right up there with BASE jumping and wing suit skydiving. Not for me who is looking for a safe but exciting past time.

I thought you said "they", but it looks like a single pilot.

uh upside-down head, 2 stroke is it?

Not a pilot but a big fan of these videos ❤

Why oh why did he deploy his airbrake when flying down wind? If he felt he was going to fast, he could always translate airspeed to altitude (basic flying knowledge for ANY pilot) which is essential if you are running out of space. At the end he had to perform a tight turn as he didn't have enough altitude to maintain his glideslope through a larger turn which would have prevented the stall. If he had kept his airbrake in, he could have sacrificed airspeed for altitude, performed a wide safe turn to line up on runway whilst maintaining his glideslope, and only THEN, if all else is as it should be, he could deploy his airbrake if he was still going too fast. But don't use it until you're sure everything else is good first, because once you do, you can NEVER get that airspeed or altitude back again.

That was awesome! So wish I could go gliding, but, have been told my 132kg blob is to heavy.

The glider pilot must have felt his heart sink as he banked & looked down.

Gliding is not dangerous, Kiwis are!

I’m from a gliding background, both of my parents were instructors. I can think of about 5 people right off the top of my head you have been killed or paralysed in gliders.

Flown gliders in Canada, the US, the UK and New Zealand. Went to NZ twice and was utterly amazed at the level of risk accepted for next to no gain. People would intentionally come off tow early to save five bucks and then scratch up a ridgeline with their wing tips 50 feet from the grass. Nobody said a word. I never went back.

How does hang-gliding compare to this when it comes to fatal accidents? Is it safer? Speed on a hang-glider is much slower, which might also help...

Thank you for that one ! I will surely join this community. see you soon in the air Fly safe !

Never having flown with an audio vario, that would annoy the crap outta me.

I'm not current at all having done gliding in Australia around 45 years ago but until now I've never heard of doing aerobatics whilst under tow. That sounds incredibly dangerous to me, especially being so low to the ground.

I'm not a pilot but it seems to me your checks need to be on a bit of paper with a pen so you can cross them out before takeoff.. anything else seems mad to me

Everything is dangerous ..... Choose to live or hide in a cave ... I choose to live do things .. I have ridden Bikes over 40 years and Went up in Gliders for 20 easily . You day compition and all compitions have risk weather running or flying . Leave it as a Hobby . Compition is just inviting risk . So avoid the extra risk .... In comoition your forcing your thinking your forcing the controls ... Just not relaxing at all . Enjoy the Glide ... Leave the stress .

Get a release from the tow plane really quite simple

I have heard some gliders can do 5000 ft per 60 miles?

Good advice but II'll stick to ground sports, thanks.

Off airport landing is a bit tough on the planes. I once looked at a list of gliders for sale. The majority needed damage repaired. RC aerobatics with on-board POV cameras or a flight sim is what my wallet would approve of.

I'll stick to msfs2020

No.

Oh yes very easy said NOW but at that point in time im sure he was doing his best not like he was suicidal and wanted to spray the crowd with his guts and brains

That was funny! I realized it was all tongue-in-cheek and then saw it was April 1 date of production. All good!

@ 2:29 clearly reads, "ASSABLOY", on the side of the glider. WTF!?

probably would have watched this if the music wasn't twice as loud as the rest of the volume in the video

Notice that just one house on the peninsular in the intro is blurry. It stands out. The bottom right house doesn't love the camera I guess. ;) _Ok, the same house is blurry in the ad as well, weirdly drawing my attention back._

Not for me...

Are you counting hang gliders and paragliding ? or just sailplanes.

wing stall...

Perhaps I might have done a couple of figure-of-eights in the lift to gain more height.

Former US Navy jet and prop pilot, flight instructor T-28 (giant radial engine!). Check lists are there for very good reasons. In a glider, there are only a few things compared to powered A/C, but the most important ones for any A/C are the flight controls and trim all free and moving correctly, which may require some ground crew affirmation. Distractions can kill you, just like in a car!

Surprised equestrian isn't on that list. Those bastards tried to kill me several times when I was a track rider.

What about frontal lifts?

What about cbs windward ( or leeward )of mountains?

If you didn't have an engine would you have continued the task ?

I really like that design. As a electro-motorized two-seater it would be a great way for clubs to make a bit of money for offering scenic flights.

You’re a modern day Angela Lansbury!

I was going to ask you to be my friend… Being your friend, is not conducive to life No Thanks!

So there is no video of horse tow? Wait till i get a glider and ahorse and a runway

1800 feet?!! Wow! Our poor winch could only get us to 1000 if we were lucky. (3000' strip). Anything over 600 was considered flyable. My best cross country was off a 700 foot tow. My one cable break was at about 300'...a non event, just land.

A battery bank caught fire?

A good friend of mine died in his glider, he was a retired commercial captain, he died because he did not complete the check list prior to the tow, the elevator mechanism had not properly engaged. One lack of attention or haste was the end of him.