Cloudsurfing in a glider

Cloud flying over Southern Finland skies.
FAQ
1. This looks absolutely crazy, it has to be illegal
The European Aviation Authority (EASA) has regulations that set the framework for how to fly gliders in clouds. Your national authorities may prohibit this, or make it very difficult. Mine does not; they abide by the EASA regulations. You need a cloud flying rating, and the glider needs to have proper instruments. In short, it is legal. I have over 3500 hrs flight time in gliders with 15 year experience of cloud flying. I am a flight instructor and also teach cloud flying ratings.
2. This looks very dangerous
Cloud flying is only done by pilots who have received training and a rating. We have a very good safety record; accidents are practically non-existent.
3. You are flying very close to clouds, breaking minimum distance to cloud VMC minima
Cloud flying is done in IMC conditions, so VMC minima do not apply.
4. You risk colliding with other planes in clouds
In controlled airspace, we get clearance from ATC, who keeps traffic separated. In uncontrolled airspace, we broadcast cloud flying on a common frequency and take care of the separation ourselves. I have a transponder and FLARM, though they are not required by regulations.
5. Icing is very dangerous
Icing degrades the glide performance of the glider, but it remains totally controllable. Ice sheds away below the zero level. Icing of pitot and total energy ports leads to some instruments (ASI, variometer) becoming inoperable. We practice for this during training. If we lose an instrument, we exit the cloud and descend to an altitude where ice melts away.
6. It looks totally awesome
Yes.
#Gliding #CloudFlying #Cloudsurfing #glider #sailplane #soaring

[@don_alex_97]

Wow! Awesome flight and video!

[@pylon500]

Cloud carving would have been a better title. The said the obvious question is how did you get above the clouds in the first place? Was there some wave nearby?

[@krasw]

Climbed in taller towering cumulus, then flew around smaller cumulus

[@markplain2555]

Alright Kristian, now I have a more serious question to ask you: . . . Thermalling is more of an art than a science. When we "cloud-base-mortals" thermal, we max out at cloud base.... but you carry on. Has thermalling into the cloud and above given you any new or different perspectives on thermalling? . For example does a strong thermal always translate into a taller cloud? The concept of cloud suck - any observations? Thermal versus bubble, do they have any impact? . Anything peculiar you can share with us mere "cloud-base-mortals"?

[@krasw]

Thermals are of stronger and more organized in the cloud, more like plume than bubble. But on the other hand, just getting properly into cloud requires a good thermal. There is correlation between cloud height and strength. It is rare to get very high in less that 4 m/s thermal. I have had 10 m/s average (500m up in the full circles), but that was too much for comfort, all clouds overdeveloped explosively.

[@markplain2555]

Thanks @@krasw , You had me thinking for a long while. What do you mean "too much for comfort" - would this cloud take you very high and you didn't have oxygen on hand? . Have you landed up in 'dark grey' clouds and wondered, ".... ahhh don't know there could be lightning build up inside this one" . Knowing how clouds form have you changed how you start thermalling? do you perhaps now know to start thermalling to windward side of the cloud or have you realised something different?

[@krasw]

Really strong climb in cloud means that it will develop into CB while you are inside. Cloud flying gets really uncomfortable when cloud is too big, you might get some hail already in the thermal and if you do not know which side you exit from, you might run into sink and heavy rain. I have had a lightning strike inside cloud while cloud flying, it was truly underwear changing experience. We never fly into CBs because of this, only towering CU.

[@coppering]

illegal. but what the heck.

[@krasw]

It's perfectly legal, check my longer videos' description for more info.

[@markplain2555]

LOL @ Kristian - I like that you answered all the question (even mine) in your video description... so I have another question for you: . . . . . This video HAS to have been taken in Summer. . . . It's bad enough that you can cloud fly and I can't .... but if you tell me that you can also fly in Winter - that will be the final straw - I will tell me wife we are moving to Finland or getting a divorce.

[@krasw]

It is from summer of '22, still at least few months before season starts here. There is still 45 cm of snow in the back yard.

[@markplain2555]

@@krasw - A crazy thought occurred to me. Given that you can fly virtually blind inside a cloud.... have you ever considered a 'night rating' for gliding?.... or is that simply too much? . . . My next thought is that in Northern Finland.... summer.... night is like 24 hrs of daylight.. I guess that defeats my theory.... hey!!! if you are able to have long daylight hours... can you fly say 3,000kms.... does that happen in Finland?

[@krasw]

Night flying itself is not possible, but in the north there is techincally no night during mid summer. I know of german pilots who flew overnight in Norway, landing next morning. You need wave conditions to find lift during the night, I think. Clouds die away in the evening.