Desperately Staying in the Air

A winter's day in Matamata, and we got a bit low gliding on the ridge, again!
This time we demonstrate how sometimes we need to not muck around, keep moving, and get to a better area of lift. And we discuss the difficult decision making required when ridge flying.
Aviation and soaring at its most fun.
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00:00 Introduction
00:34 Get to Te Aroha
06:45 Te Aroha has nothing!
15:59 What we learned from this flight

[@jamesnugent6525]

Next time it might be worth mentioning Tim, that the flight was done by an experienced, current and competent pilot, in a glider he is familiar with, in an area he is familiar with, and in weather he understands. Maybe a disclaimer? 🤔 It's not a flight I would want most of my students trying... Keep up the great work 👍

[@PureGlide]

Yeah that is a great point

[@gliderguld]

And maybe pointing out reachable outlanding spots along the way (there must have been more than the race-track).

[@cdeerinck]

My favorite part of this comment is that "experienced" and "competent" are not synonymous.

[@buzzinbritain8222]

Why would your students try it? Are you such a poor instructor that you have not undertaken no judgement training with them? Why does everything have to come with a disclaimer these days - to mollifying the inanely stupid? If they are that stupid maybe they shouldn't be in charge of an aircraft?

[@Sara_PY]

I have a fifteen meter glider (a Standard Cirrus), plus I’m a new glider pilot, which means, with the conditions in your video, land out! Says the woman who has yet to do a cross country. Another thoughtful video, Tim. And, Middle Earth is such a beautiful place. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@PureGlide]

Thank you! I should also note, if i was in a 15m glider without an engine, I wouldn't have avoided getting into that situation in the first place :)

[@8OrangePants]

I would have certainly bailed! I was nervous half a world away behind a screen.

[@PureGlide]

fair enough!

[@iggywood2943]

Arriving at Mt Te Aroha in a 15m glider about 15 minutes before you, I was just a a couple of hundred feet higher than you were. Lacking the courage to push on, I stayed within reach of the racecourse as a land-out option and did figure eights (about 12 of them) taking just over 20 minutes to get to enough height to continue south. I had a good day in the light ridge conditions. Perfect way to spend a mid-winter day!

[@PureGlide]

Yeah very wise not to push on Iggy!

[@kirkglundal4289]

If I understand correctly, you were flying figure 8's on the windward side of the ridge always turning in to the wind? Slope soaring in other words...

[@user-lp6gv3cw7s]

A gutsy move. The fact you know your area really helps. I would have been hesitant. Well done!

[@PureGlide]

Yeah I've been flying around these parts for many years now!

[@ChessInTheAir]

You had me on the edge there. To answer your question, without knowing the area, no I would not have kept going. But I can see why you were confident that things would improve given the shape of the terrain that was ahead.

[@PureGlide]

Yeah knowing the area and ridge helps a lot :)

[@acward2007]

That looked like quite an epic flight. I watched the altimeter like a hawk and seemed like no matter what was being tried it stayed no lower than 1300ft which is a good height. Towards the end must have been a little nerve-wracking hitting 800ft but fortunately you knew the area. Great confidence inspiring footage to not give up (and pop the motor out).

[@kats1719]

Just goes to show that having a great understanding of the area is a must

[@PureGlide]

Yeah certainly helps! and I've been flying these ridges for a LONG time, 15 years or so

[@justcommenting4981]

Hero's journey

[@paquettel]

Tim, your video reminded me of several hang-gliding flights over the past twenty years, a wing tip almost rubbing against the vegetation, hoping at each steepness in the relief for a little lift, a knot in my stomach and buttocks tight. To say that I found pleasure in it. Well, a little. Thank god, I'm now flying sailplanes.

[@PureGlide]

Ha that's great, glad you enjoyed it.

[@ronaldglider]

What is the difference between hang-gliders and sailplanes in your experience?

[@PureGlide]

To us it looks like they are floating still in the air as we wizz past at 180km/h!

[@paquettel]

@@ronaldglider Hang glider vs sailplane? Let's talk about sensations, not performances. Definitely the feeling of flying. In a glider, the cabin isolates the pilot from his environment. Under a hang glider, the pilot is incorporated into the environment. It is undoubtedly the closest thing to flying like a bird, even more than under a paraglider where the sensations are a little distorted by the pendulum effect.

[@paquettel]

@@PureGlide In hang-gliding, this is exactly what it feels like to fly alongside a paraglider ;-) Cheers from Eastern Canada!

[@timparker9235]

fascinating Tim, had me gripping the chair - riveting!

[@PureGlide]

Awesome, glad you enjoyed it!

[@johndunstan3875]

As a retired hang glider pilot, back in the 1980's at Sand Patch and Shelly Beach near Albany WA, those days of scratching for lift were stressful and unenjoyable. I would much rather call it a day and land. I pushed too hard one day at Sand Patch and ended up on the rocks below (safely) with a two hour hike back up the ridge dragging my folded up glider behind. There's always another day. By the way your glider looks far more comfortable than mine was. 😊 Enjoying your adventures.

[@PureGlide]

Thanks John! yes worst case for us. usually we land in a field, wait 30 minutes for the trailer to turn up, then pack it away!

[@skydive1424]

Hands down, I would have bailed out very very early. This flight had a good pucker factor

[@colinkellynz]

Wow . . . what a difference 3m, years of experience and a cool head makes. I preferred the view from 2000' above you! Thanks for sharing another wonderful video.

[@PureGlide]

Very wise to stay up there!

[@AndrewJonkers]

Well as a non-glider viewer I was comforted during this video by all those nearby green paddocks....

[@PureGlide]

Exactly right, at any time I could have turned out to a field to the right! Cheers

[@harryspeakup8452]

I would have backed out of that rather than push through, but I'm saying that for me, not for you. I'm most often in a lower-performance glider and I don't have your intimate knowledge of the day and the terrain. Obviously it was all safe, because you had a nice level landing site within range all the time off to the right, but I am pretty sure if I had pushed along I would have ended up having the mickey taken by a retrieve crew

[@PureGlide]

Fair enough! Yes I’ve flown the ridges there for 15 years, and there are landout fields away from the ridge the whole way along pretty much! Cheers

[@JohnSchirra]

I always used 1500ft above ground level as a select landout point and 1000ft above ground as a mandatory landing point. That was in a 40:1 15M sailplane. Those decision points served me well. I would be sweating bullets if I was only 800ft.

[@PureGlide]

Yeah and for thermal flying, that's an excellent guide! It gets trickier when ridge flying though, because sometimes the ridge is only working at 1000 feet :O

[@aehsrose]

HaHa!!! Just purchased a 50% share in a Ventus cT on Saturday, moving up from a Discus B!!! You really know the ridge intimately, superb!!!

[@PureGlide]

Excellent choice! great to hear :) I used to fly a Discus B too... uncanny! just shout if you have any questions about the Ventus

[@aehsrose]

@@PureGlide Many thanks Tim, that's very kind!

[@takeflightwa]

Great video!

[@PureGlide]

Thanks!

[@IgorVolkov]

Wonderful winter!

[@PureGlide]

Not bad eh! We are lucky we can fly in winter at all, many clubs have to shut down

[@johnrobertson9945]

Impressive, very nice!

[@PureGlide]

Thank you very much!

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

Excellent demonstration of the joys of gliding. Great lift days are amazing but where is the challenge in that. You obviously have a great knowledge of the area, I would have popped the engine the first time I dropped below 1,000 feet, or what ever the minimum engine start height is.

[@chrisj800]

Nice flight. Looking forward to your convergence gliding video!

[@PureGlide]

Thanks! Yes I must get onto that :)

[@MrHenkfromHolland]

I loved your videos

[@PureGlide]

Thank you!

[@Theintruder100]

Very interesting video

[@PureGlide]

Thanks Gary, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@charlieirvin5898]

Thanks Tim for such a good video!! It’s so good to see someone working weaker conditions at my home field as a newer pilot, helps me know what to think about when things are less than ideal far from home :)

[@PureGlide]

Hi glad you liked it! just keep in mind the PW5 won't do that haha :)

[@spadgm]

As tricky as it was, it made for nice closer viewing of the scenery! Another very good vid!

[@PureGlide]

Thank you! 👍

[@ozoneswiftak]

This is just like paragliding. Same LZ situations.

[@PureGlide]

Interesting, cheers

[@markpeters3710]

Riveting stuff. Newbie here, so maybe one day….

[@PureGlide]

Absolutely!

[@Freq412]

Tim, I was riveted to my couch by this video and learned a lot. I'm a novice and just started flying my Ventus 2cxa with it's 18 meter extensions. But, it doesn't have a sustainer like yours and so what I got out of this video, while valuable, was very limited. I wish that when you are so low, with so little lift, that you would talk much more about your landout options and when the sustainer is and is not a viable option. Also, your sustainer is a Turbo, ya? This means you have to dive for airspeed to start it. At what point, altitude or situation do you make a decision about using or not using it? Obviously it allows you to "save" situations that the rest of us would find ourselves totally screwed. Finally, this same engine is used in Schleicher and other gliders but it has an electric starter. Why oh why doesn't Schempp-Hirth offer this option?????? It would be such a great improvement, no?

[@PureGlide]

Hi yes it's a turbo that requires a dive start. My advice is: - Always glide to a good landout first! - Start your engine in circuit over your landout option. - Only start your engine with a lot of height, especially to start with. As you gain more experience with your engine and the glider, you might be able reduce your margins. I would say a newer pilot should be starting their engine at least 1500 feet above their landout option. Because if it doesn't start, you need time to put it away and land out like normal. Hope that helps, and have fun with your glider!

[@Freq412]

@@PureGlide Thanks Tim. In this video you were often too low to start the sustainer. Rhetorical question: What were your plans for landing out? Perhaps guys with your level of experience have a degree of confidence that doesn't cause undue concern. For a lot of your viewers including me, we could learn a thing or two about plan B or C. Thanks again and no reply necessary.

[@TheTonynoble]

Great to have a clear view of your instruments Tim….keep the videos coming. T.

[@lesstockley4937]

Ha, I had to laugh at the caption of Te Aroha has nothing. Left there 30 years ago, love the place and have plenty of family there, but yeah, it's got nothing. :-)

[@PureGlide]

haha pretty much! Poor 'ol Te Aroha

[@glidermike1]

In my K9 that would be a normal light wind ridge day, but I would be doing more S turns proceeding S.

[@gonegliding2966]

Nothing like a good scratchin' session! I've dug myself out of holes like that before but in thermal conditions. As far as ridge goes and along with my (lack) of experience, I would've bailed. (clubbie 15 meter glider as well). Thanks for the video

[@PureGlide]

Thank you!

[@alexanderSydneyOz]

I know essentially zero about flying generally, nor gliders, but I was interested to note in another of your videos about the fold up engine. What a bloody good idea! Obviously that adds cost, but if they can be fitted, I am surprised they aren't standard kit.

[@PureGlide]

Yeah it adds to cost, not only for buying, but also maintenance. Also it's not really a problem to land in paddocks, we do it often here! I've done about 80 in my life...

[@winksmith]

you have nerves of steel buddy.

[@PureGlide]

Haha thanks Mark!

[@tadeksmutek5840]

Thank you, Tim - very interesting video for me as beginner:-) I have no experience with ridge gliding jet - so, I think, I would probably decide to find a good field for outlanding:-)

[@ronaldglider]

good decision!

[@PureGlide]

Yeah very sensible! Until you gain the experience it's hard to make the margins finer.

[@Johan-ex5yj]

Excellent ridge soaring skills! 👍 I think you made the right decision to keep going towards a better part of the ridge. If you tried to turn back where it was marginal, it would have been over in an instant, because you lose a lot of height in a 180 turn.

[@PureGlide]

Yeah exactly, you can end up in trouble and having to land out very quickly!

[@johnvella5834]

Very interesting Tim. Lovely flying. I am a retired glider pilot who has alot of experience x/c and ridge flying. My imput is having done many hours in 15 and 18 m gliders mainly the Discus B and ASW28-18 , both have their advantages. My Discus was better at working marginal and broken lift and the 28 would cover the ground and keep going better.

[@PureGlide]

Glad you enjoyed it, cheers!

[@dodoman6372]

I was in the royal canadian air cadets and did quite a few glider flights, now I’m a little bit older and oh my I can’t believe I didn’t follow this sooner, I could’ve gotten my license for free 😂

[@PureGlide]

There's still time!

[@dodoman6372]

@@PureGlide yes!! As soon as I’m out of school and I have a little cash I’m right on it Already studying the Canadian glider rules and regs and flying gliders in flight simulators to soothe my appetite:p thanks for helping spark that fire!!!

[@jeremygilbey]

great video more like the UK conditions than some of the NZ huge climb rates in many of the videos you have posted. At one point I was wondering about a nice looking cloud over the town where the racecourse is, but I guess once you made that decision that would be you last option before a landout with no returning to the ridge. Any thoughs?

[@PureGlide]

Hi yeah it's the middle of winter, so any clouds didn't have good thermals under them. Maybe a short lived 2 knots if you're lucky. Whereas I knew the ridge would sustain me to some extent, even if the winds were a bit too light. So if I were to go for a cloud, chances would not have been good :)

[@gargoreg]

"...a weather station up here", being instruments to record and analyse wind speed etc. Meaning next year you be saying 'Look at that, a wind farm up here'. Thanks for the videos

[@PureGlide]

Actually I think it was actually a radio internet repeater after seeing it closer :) and yes there are some tall wind measuring poles for the wind farm up there!

[@georgiaschofield9596]

Battled it out in the tight 2 knotter and then head on south to that next good looking cu. no blue gaps for the peewee

[@PureGlide]

haha yeah I wouldn't have done that in a peewee, but also wouldn't have got into that situation either!

[@pascal.xplore]

At around 2:00 I also thought that the next good CU was about the same distance as the lower ridges. You think you would have arrived there too low?

[@MonkeyMoneyMaster]

Awesome ridge-flight!! I think there were at least two situations where I would decide to turn right for the landing. How good do you know these ridges? I suggest the decision to land would not be as present when you are familiar with the landscape...

[@PureGlide]

Yeah I know these ridges very well, I've been flying on them for 15 years :)

[@rickdeckard7470]

Great video learnt a lot about your decision making and what is possible with an18m. I fly a Discus b and this would be way out of my safety/comfort range. When flying close to the ridge is it safer to fly a bit faster so you have some more roll authority just in case?

[@PureGlide]

Yeah absolutely it's safer to have a bit of extra speed on. At the same time, when it is very light ridge like this, if you go too fast you won't climb!

[@drewwilson1477]

Excellent commentary. I wonder if soaring birds talk to themselves the same way. 🤣.

[@PureGlide]

Surely!

[@ronaldglider]

I think they squawk

[@PureGlide]

lol

[@granttatham]

Ive just discovered your channel - superb videos. From a hang glider pilot with a quarter of the glide I was willing you to pick a paddock! Ive flown that ridge a few times, but never so low. Truly impressive glide, no tones of concern from the pilot ;-) What month?

[@PureGlide]

Hi welcome to the channel! This was flown recently in July. Cheers!

[@jackoneil3933]

Thanks for the lovely and informative flight. I'm not a sailplane pilot( Fixed Wing and Rotorcraft) but have a little time with friend in his Stemme S10 many years ago and I'm curious if your aircraft is similar in glide ratio? Thanks.

[@PureGlide]

Hi yeah Stemme S10 is 50:1, mine is 49:1, so almost the same!

[@jackoneil3933]

@@PureGlide Thanks, How you were doing there seemed very similar to how remember of the Stemme so I guessed about the same. One flight we managed some ridge from Newport Oregon to Salem Oregon (about 100km) at low altitude like you were doing.Very magical.

[@whathasxgottodowithit3919.]

Great video Tim, a good point below, this is not your first 'Rodeo' on those slopes you are very comfortable in your surroundings. Had it been me I would probably been calling my recovery trailer :-(

[@PureGlide]

Yeah I used to fly a Discus B, and also would have not gone out that far in that glider! So wouldn't have got that low.

[@patedwards6968]

Great Video Tim. Just wondering if you've ever encountered any FPV planes on you adventures?

[@PureGlide]

Hi, only the model aircraft that fly from Matamata!

[@Jeff-eq6yc]

12:36 2nd glider spotted upper mid/left of screen?

[@robeckel4965]

That dog toy looks very similar to my dog's favorite toy

[@PureGlide]

Amazing how long they last!

[@wrinkledm]

Great stuff Tim. So are you still using the LX Nav "Hawk" feature?? And I'd love to see how you mount your video camera sometime. If I missed it in an earlier video I do apologize. :) And if I'd just waited till near the end I would have not asked my second question. That mount looks like a nice little rig.

[@PureGlide]

Yeah I am using the hawk, so I was assuming the indicated wind was very accurate. Hard to actually know, but it felt about right! Yeah I should make a video about how I film in the glider. I'm using a GoPro on the standard gopro swivel mount with the standard gopro suction cup, beside my shoulder. And it's using a snap mount, so I can add/move it quickly. Cheers!

[@wrinkledm]

@@PureGlide I do appreciate the information. I just looked at my cockpit footage and I just need to move the mount forward so as not to record my ear hair. ;) Looking at your cockpit footage it looks as if you have the camera in front of you below you chin level???

[@Robot_Child_Productions]

Argh newzelanders are just the best. Great video mate!!

[@PureGlide]

Haha thanks!

[@MSBWilson]

Hi Tim. Am I correct in assuming you are getting your wind information from the LXNav Hawk vario upgrade? It seems to me that this real time data is a valuable addition to your local knowledge and confidence in progressing this flight.

[@PureGlide]

Hi yes exactly, having much more accurate wind at different levels is so useful for a flight like this!

[@adrianflower3230]

Fascinating! thanks Tim 👍 I fly a pure glider so don't have the option of starting the engine. I'm guessing that you were already below the height required to safely start your engine. Were your options a successful ridge run or an out landing? Or did you have the option to start the engine as well? Thanks again for sharing 👍

[@PureGlide]

Hi yeah about 800 feet AGL over a landable field is the lowest I'd want to start the engine. Which is about the height I got down to (1000' = 800' AGL around there). I had already started it that flight to give it a run, and it usually starts more easily the second time. So I had that in mind. Cheers!

[@LegendLength]

@@PureGlide what's the reason for not starting the engine close to the ground?

[@kirkglundal4289]

@@LegendLength I would think, upon deploying the engine (if it's is stowed within the fuselage behind the pilot) that it would create a lot of drag, increasing your sink rate significantly, therefore the min. required altitude. A landable field nearby in case the motor fails to start! Please correct me if I'm wrong, Pure Glide. Some gliders today have an electric motor in the nose with a foldable propeller in which case this minimum altitude may not make a difference.

[@eedurigon]

@@LegendLength that it may not start, and them you are low with that thing out dragging you down. You're in the oven.

[@josephlarsen]

man, having the motor on this seems like it makes this sport a lot more fun :). Is it as awesome as it seems?

[@PureGlide]

Well it reduces the need for big long Retrieve’s, although quite frankly they can be fun too! You don’t need an engine to have awesome fun gliding that’s for sure. Landing out is just part of it.

[@tombrennan3973]

Wow. So much going on ! Might I ask what is the glide ratio of that beautiful bird ? What is the min safe AGL to deploy the motor if you wanted to in flight, or is it more just a launch n stow ?

[@PureGlide]

Hi yeah glide ration is 49:1, so pretty high! I would want to start the engine at least 800-1000 feet above the ground, assuming I have a good field already picked out to land in if it doesn’t start. So at that limit the whole way!

[@tombrennan3973]

@@PureGlide Thanks ! That's so much better than the pa-28 I fly lol. Yes I saw some of the other comments on height and technique as well with the engine. Did you also mention you don't keep the fuel tank full all the time ? Is that right ? Is there not a condensation problem if you have air in there ? We keep things full here to keep water out...

[@PureGlide]

Good point! I have no idea if that’s a potential problem for my little tank and engine or not. I will ask some experts

[@bretthunter7594]

Superb soaring conditions. Should attach floats next time.

[@PureGlide]

Haha exactly

[@davidtodd7216]

Hey Tim, great video. At 12:13 doing about 58 knts you decide to go to +2 flaps. I probably would have flown at 0 flaps based on polar since we fly almost same glider. What is your thinking? Am I missing something ... I always assumed the polar dictates the best flap settings for a given speed? I suppose less chance of a stall, but not the best glide???

[@PureGlide]

Hi simply for the best climb, much like a thermal climb, I was keen to slow down and milk that bit for all I could. Probably +1 would have been fine, +2 probably a bit too slow. I often put it in positive flap a bit early, so it would have slowed down after. I sped up again after a short bit...

[@BruceHoult]

@@PureGlide but unlike in a thermal you don't have the increased G loading and therefore AoA, necessitating flaps.

[@Jake_Rounds_Gliding]

Do you always fuel your engine before your flight as a routine?

[@PureGlide]

No, only if it’s less than half full. Generally I only use it for a short time! So every 3 or 4 uses I’ll top it up.

[@ronaldglider]

*Very impressive flight* - great video. Q1: after you had passed the racetrack, at 1000 Ft, where would you have landed if you had hit large sink? It does not look like any landable fields were in view. Q2: how high do you fly over terrain? With the camera distortion it is really hard to judge Q3: at what height would you have decided to land out? You mentioned at one point you were 800 Ft over ground. That is _way below_ my decision point to land out Q4: at what time of the day did this happen? *My Comments:* C1: _you kept your cool._ In these situations it is really required to stay calm and focused and not have distracting thoughts racing thru your head. Experience helps you get there. C2: _you know the terrain very well, and you knew the wind;_ this gave you the confidence to trick (sorry, track) on. Without this knowledge I would have landed out getting below 1200Ft over landable terrain. Not sure, however, I would have continued if I would have had the same level of knowledge as you do C3: In the Swiss Alps, when we would get this low, in 98% of the locations it would be hopeless to find lift. Amazing that you made it home. C4: I would not recommend this approach to pilots without huge experience.

[@PureGlide]

Hi yeah if I had hit any heavy sink at any stage I would have been landing, or starting the engine over a landing at least! But on a ridge day like this, it's unlikely to be much sink around. No thermals to make sink, and not strong enough to create wave sink. So it's all pretty positive air as its gently pushed up over the hills. Cheers

[@PureGlide]

The flat terrain out to the right is between 0 feet and 200 feet altitude. So 1000 feet indicated is about 800 feet above the landing area to the right. Of course over the hills it's about 100 feet.

[@ronaldglider]

@@PureGlide Good point: _no thermals to make sink_ and of course you stay away from the lee side

[@ronaldglider]

How do you get the wind information? I noticed that while flying straight, the wind you reported varied between 7 and 12 knots.

[@PureGlide]

Hi that’s using the new Hawk system built into my flight computer. Check my other recent videos I made about it on how that works! It is accuracy and instantaneous, without needing to turn or manoeuvre. Very handy for such situations. Cheers!

[@janschatteman3873]

What would i have done? Not sure, but relieve myself while flying relatively slow that close to the slope would prob. not have been at the top of mylist. I stand in awe.

[@PureGlide]

Haha yeah I had to hold it until I knew I was on a good reliable part of ridge!

[@kaptenpanna4603]

Hello! Quick question, what camera do you use to record in the cockpit, and how do you mount it? Suction cup?

[@PureGlide]

Hi yeah it’s a GoPro on the GoPro suction cup, over my right shoulder. I also use a magnetic quick connect and a swivel mount. So I can spin it around easily. Cheers!

[@kaptenpanna4603]

@@PureGlide Cheers!

[@grove.thomas]

How come you didn't make any eights along the ridges? I thinking to gain a bit more altitude and to stay more safe?

[@PureGlide]

Hi I did a couple of times, but there were only a couple of spots good enough to do that, and when I did I quickly fell out of the lift. The wind was simply too light down that low. If I had done some eights I would have lost height rather than gained it. Cheers!

[@jamesneville441]

Whats the app you use on your mounted phone please buddy?

[@PureGlide]

Hi it’s the gliding New Zealand tracking website gliding.net.Nz/tracking

[@PaulAnthonyDuttonUk]

The hues of green in NZ are remarkably like England. Very strange.

[@PureGlide]

Yeah it is, that's because of all the rain :)

[@uhertlein]

That was a fascinating and instructional flight for me to watch, thanks for that. I'm pretty sure I'd have headed for a land out at some point. I've purchased a Ventus b 16.6m two years ago and am working on my skills to do it some justice. Right now I actually prefer to fly it with 15m because the 16.6m variant felt uncomfortably wobbly in yaw. You had a similar glider if I remember correctly, did you experience something similar? Greetings from Germany (via Geelong GC, Bacchus Marsh, Vic, Australia.)

[@PureGlide]

Hi yes i've heard that with the Ventus B as well. I have the Ventus C which is a later model and fixed some of those stability issues. I find my 15m with winglets, 17.6m tips and the special 18m tips I fly with are all pretty stable. Although on the whole it's still easy to drop a wing and stall if you're not careful with your airspeed! I made a video about the wingtips that came with my glider: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4rIfniaapeaf7s

[@MarteFiveFive]

Fake (sim) pilot here. Out of curiosity, what functions have the buttons in your joystick? I see an obvious PTT, but I was wondering about the rest. Great video; the type that keep the flying bug awake (even the simulated one).

[@PureGlide]

Hi great question! I need to make a video on it at some stage. It controls the LX9050 flight computer (that display in the middle). It replicates the buttons on the device and include: switching pages, left and right, a joystick in the middle for scrolling, and a cancel and OK buttons. Cheers!

[@IFGCZ]

Did you have a plan "B" during the whole flight? I am sure you did but it would be good to mention it :)

[@PureGlide]

Yeah, land in the fields :) there are a lot of them over the whole area near the ridge

[@glennwatson]

What is the advantage/disadvantage of having the 18 metre glider over 15 metre you mentioned in the video?

[@PureGlide]

Hey thanks Glen for the tip! 18m wings = more wing = more lift = higher glide ratio = longer in the air. So if 15m wings descend at 1.8knots at 60 knots (a rough guess), but 18m descends at 1.6 knots, and the air is only going up at 1.6 knots, you can see it's better to have the 18m! Then 18m will maintain height while the 15m will descend.

[@damianpeterkelly1234]

@@PureGlide given nothing is free, what is the downside?

[@harryspeakup8452]

@@damianpeterkelly1234 In the air, reduced roll rate and perhaps a little more adverse yaw. On the ground, extra weight and dimensions mean a bit more effort in ground handling / rigging and it'll probably cost you more than a 15m one in the first place. Plus, of course, you can't enter a 15m contest in an 18m glider

[@PureGlide]

yes as Harry mentioned, Handling is reduced, i.e. it is slower to roll. You can buy gliders with huge wings. They cost a lot more money (because there is literally more glider to make) and they roll more slowly, but you have much longer glide angle e.g. 60:1 instead of my 49:1. See my previous videos on wingspans and my wing extensions for examples: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJXapYF8l7Sgrq8 kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4rIfniaapeaf7s

[@buzzinbritain8222]

@@harryspeakup8452 You can if you take the tips off - most 18m gliders have removeable tips down to 15m ....

[@Will-ui7dv]

The most stressful Pure Glide yet! As a newbie I would have landed out the second this video started 😰😂 I've always been taught "start your circuit at 1,000ft AGL" which I think provides good safety margins for those who haven't built up their own judgement and flying skills. In this specific situation, do you remember if you had an altitude in your mind where you would commit to landing if the ridge just wasn't working? What's the lowest height you're comfortable starting a paddock circuit in? Have you ever flown straight into a paddock without a circuit?

[@PureGlide]

Yeah that 800 feet AGL over a picked out field is about my limit to start the engine, which is about what I got down to. The real trick is identifying: is it improving? or getting worse?

[@jme104]

It seems that you can fly all year round . You're lucky , here in the (not so much) flat lands of western Europe, you can fly only during 7 months of the year .

[@PureGlide]

Yeah we are lucky, as well as the Kaimai range for ridge flying, our airfield also drains well. Some NZ clubs have to close because their airfield becomes too boggy! Saying that I have only flown twice in the last 3 months due to rain...

[@sparkycjb]

Why 2 yaw strings? I've watched a fair amount of your videos, and maybe I missed it; but every time I see the two yaw strings I get curious. Advantages and possible disadvantages to having the 2?

[@harryspeakup8452]

There is a whole video on that here, and I have to say I'm a convert (or I will be when I can afford a whole glider to myself again one day) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYOcq32tmKyrpbM

[@Will-ui7dv]

It's obvious that you're flying perfectly straight when you have two yaw strings because they align with each other. One string is usually less precise because you don't have a reference point for it being straight (unless you add a dot or something on your canopy to line the string up with). As an added bonus, if you lose one of them you still have a yaw string.

[@sparkycjb]

@@Will-ui7dv Thanks. I guess now my question becomes, why I don't see more videos with people doing this? I assume personal preference.

[@Will-ui7dv]

I think a mix of personal preference, and can’t be bothered. Same reason why some people polish their gliders and some don’t. Then again I’m new, someone more experienced might have a different answer for you.

[@PureGlide]

Here you go! I made a video about this kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYOcq32tmKyrpbM I've been converting a few people over to dual yaw strings :) One other advantage: because my camera is on an angle off to the side, it's easier to see on the video if I'm flying straight or not.

[@LegendLength]

imagine how angry punters would be if you landed mid race

[@PureGlide]

I would love to land mid race, it would make a good video! I should do it more...

[@cdeerinck]

Ok, honest question for you: When you are in very light lift conditions, at 1300' are you flying Min. Sink speeds, or Best L/D speeds? Best L/D gets you the chance to visit more potential spots, but Min. Sink might help you sustain in weak lift, where Best L/D might not sustain. So what conditions would make you switch to Min. Sink, and which to switch to Best L/D? Like: Strength of lift, conditions changing over time (better or worse), available height, anything else?

[@PureGlide]

Hi great question! The most important speed is our “safe speed near the ground” minimum. This in Nz is stall speed plus half the wind speed plus 10. This is to reduce the chances of a stall from a gust of wind. This was a gentle wind day, so not too big a deal. Otherwise I fly at the speed that will maintain altitude. I don’t follow flying speeds too closely, but if you wanted to optimise it you should use your maccready, as it changes depending on the amount of lift.

[@iangordon1371]

@@PureGlide Ah... MacCready! I flew a 1935 DFS Kranich I in the 60's and 70's and progressed via an L-Spatz and a Wassmer Squale to a Standard Jantar. I didn't keep the Squale too long as the lying down position could have been lethal on a hot day. Little voice in my head saying "Go on, close your eyes for a moment. You can always open them again." Not good. Brakes out, biting lip to stay awake and moved on to the Standard Jantar. Beautiful aircraft and my first experience of using a MacCready ring for real. Being used to floating high and slow in the Kranich (with its low wing loading it flattered your skills in a thermal - it would easily outclimb anything) I had to force myself to believe the MacCready. Not a good idea. I turned the Jantar into a lead sled and had some interesting retrieves (e.g. Sherwood Forest!). Then it was a Jantar I - more gentlemanly but I was fast becoming a workaholic and stopped flying and instructing for a few years. Ashamed to say I now fly a Cessna 172... Sorry!

[@Gianky640220]

@@PureGlide Given that I am sure that you were well aware of safe landings on your right, this is by far the most important lesson from this video, imho! I fly in Central Italy and my golden rule is "never fly too slow near the ridges" even when it's the moment to fly "with two fingers on the stick" and very gentle feet on the pedals. Indeed, it is very pleasant to fly that way sometimes... Nice video, as always! Thanks for sharing!

[@MrHenkfromHolland]

Mayday Mayday Mayday

[@PureGlide]

Haha this is normal for us

[@Sprunga69]

I don't think you said KZbin in this video!!!

[@PureGlide]

Shoot! I recorded it, but must have slipped out. Don't worry I'll double it up next time

[@tallbillbassman]

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

[@WAVEGURU]

BAIL OUT!!!

[@PureGlide]

😂

[@dawirelessg]

that was a little hairy. :)

[@KevinMaloneysmilingthrutherain]

Great job of milking that flight!

[@PureGlide]

Thanks 👍 It was a fun one