Flight Level 220 in a Glider | New AS33 & ASG29

[@sergioelia9878]

You are really good Stefan. Thanks for being such an amazing ambassador of our sport! The number of views clearly indicates that your viewer's audience goes far beyond the glider pilots community. Keep on doing like this. Ciao

[@SteFly]

Hi Sergio, thank you so much!

[@pilot3016]

Beautiful. I made it to 21,200 ft over Minden, Nevada in their "Wave Window" many years ago. (H-301 Libelle)!

[@rafabeton609]

The song in the beginning combined with the footage makes it really special. Damn, I love gliding.

[@flyeatsleeprepeat]

Flying on waves is always so peaceful! Love it! Thanks for sharing, Stefan!

[@SteFly]

Thank you, Luka! :)

[@lukaharrison6548]

@@SteFly You are welcome.

[@gordonpurvis6001]

Love the videos and flight commentary. As a K13 pilot on the south coast U.K. just blown away by your technology and adventures. Keep them. Coming

[@SteFly]

Great, thank you! The current situation will makes it difficult to fly this year, but I have a loot of great footage from this year. And the workshop season is calling ;)

[@SuperReasonable]

Nice one, hope you had heated socks! We had some good wave flights in Scotland this Autumn, but it was so much colder than normal. We climbed to 16,000' over Loch Tay and had to stop because the temperature was -22c and I was shivering despite being wrapped up. The next day we flew with heated socks and did 380kms working between 9,000’ and 12,000’ with an outside temp of -18, but had no problem. Hot feet make a warm body!

[@SteFly]

Wow, Scotland must be amazing! I only had skyboots, no heated socks. The temperature on the ground was relatively high for autumn..

[@tomlaird8656]

Hi Robert, I'd be interested to know which heated socks you use? I'm into R/C aircraft and gliding but I suffer from the same cold feet in the winter.

[@rampentpanda]

wow i didn't realize these waves could be predicted accurately, so cool!

[@SteFly]

It´s great!

[@julietsierra]

Das Thumbnail ist on point!!

[@SteFly]

Vielen Dank Julia 😘

[@adamlhotak8180]

Hell yeah, a video I was waiting for. Already one of my favourites.Great stuff

[@SteFly]

Wow, thank you!

[@adamlhotak8180]

@@SteFly Did my first solo today actually

[@haberlandtoskar530]

Stefan, deine Videos sind Klasse. Es muss fantastisch sein, antriebslos durch die Luft zu gleiten. Einfach wunderbar! Und moderne Segelflugzeuge sind einfach schön, ein Augenschmaus. Segelfliegen ist ein Traumhobby! Danke für alle Downloads!

[@benorex8980]

Fange nächstes Jahr mit dem praktischen Teil meiner Segelflug Ausbildung an! Bin erst 15 und freue mich riesig!!

[@f145-c9k]

Richtig cool im Zeitraffer den Windversatz zu sehen. Einfach Mega!

[@SteFly]

Der Windversatz ist schon extrem. Da musste ich mich erst einmal dran gewöhnen... richtige Kurven darf man da nicht fliegen :D

[@AileronAviationFilms]

Amazing video!! Inflight shots from such a height look exceptional! Really loved the music as well :D

[@SteFly]

Thank you!! It was epic up there.. so hard to capture this on video ;)

[@dotchpitch4877]

@@SteFly Any info about the music used in this video ? Shazam won't find it :/. Nice video/music !

[@dirkwilke9989]

Ein geiles Gefühl so hoch über den Wolken. Hatte das mal vor gut 30 Jahren mit einer grundinstrumentierten Ka8 ohne Sauerstoff. Habe mich von einer Wolke einsaugen lassen und als ich rauskam war und blieb das Vario auf Anschlag. Kurz über 5000 Meter habe ich freiwillig aufgehört, war dort etwa 1,5 Stunden. Die Ka8 habe ich auf knapp unter 60 KmH getrimmt, da wurde es richtig still. Könnte heute noch heulen, wenn ich daran denke.

[@jurgenzoller9081]

Hallo Stefan :-)) level 220 über Thüringen - auch mit toller Technik ist das eine Super Leistung ! als Thüringer erfüllt mich das auch mit riesiger Freude - das Welle fliegen hier so gut funktioniert . Habe 1971 in Leumnitz das Fliegen angefangen - hätte man mir damals etwas von diesen Höhen erzählt - hätte ich wohl gesagt - lass das trinken sein :-)) also tolle Leistung - ich wünsche dir allzeit gute Landung Gruss Jürgen - fliege derzeit in Vinsebeck - vielleicht kommst du auch mal zu uns an die Egge - auch geil :-))

[@SteFly]

Hallo Jürgen, vielen Dank!! Ich denke das Flugzeug ist dafür nicht so entscheidend, aber die Wettervorhersagen sind dafür eine große Bereicherung.

[@romeromf]

Great work, outstanding soundtrack as well!

[@SteFly]

Thank you so much! Most of the time I hear only negative comments about music, great to hear the opposite.

[@greghart6310]

Epic flight! Here's hoping that the restrictions lift soon so you can come and visit us here in Cape Town again.

[@SteFly]

Would be awesome!

[@alexugljesic]

What a feeling!!! Never being above 2.000 m in glider. Beautiful... Thanks for sharing this Stefan...

[@gnisitricks]

Super cool, mal den Einstieg in die Welle zu sehen :)

[@maximpikalev9538]

das im bett zu schauen ist einfach nur ein traum

[@finnleithomczyk5292]

Ja

[@pussertas873]

Back in the 1980's at least two members of the Wimmera Soaring Club based in Horsham, Australia achieved their Diamond Height badge in the Grampian Mountain Wave. (Max Hedt and Steve McFarland) ACT would only allow one sailplane at a time to fly in controlled airspace and re;eased 5,000 feet blocks of airspace at a time. The canopy quickly froze up and clear vision panels were installed. The sailplane used was the ES60 'Boomerang' made in Adelaide SA by Harry Schneider. The wave was from a small section of the Grampians right in the center of the main Adelaide-Melboune flight route and one could listen on the Club's base station to commercial airliners being vectored around the released blocks of airspace. I understand that if got b.cold above 20,00 feet.

[@ミツシオガイコちゃん]

7:23 loved the bgm and the footages.. subscribed instantly 😊

[@philc.6051]

Your new instrumentation is amazing. I like the app on the phone also.

[@SteFly]

Thanks man!

[@samirhadade]

Hey Stefan. I love your videos and I may try to start this adventure next season. It would be really amazing if you dedicated a few videos to very basic fundamentals. From the basic instrumentation....pedals etc and their function, to how to apply specific techniques to fly better and safer. What are the clouds one looks out for etc etc. Today there is a serious lack of "how to..." In this glider space. I can find how to make concrete or cut a tree down....but I cannot find a serious video series on gliding from a to z. Just an idea :))

[@roberthaugen9117]

Nice Stefan! Please keep on posting. Love your videos!

[@SteFly]

Thank you!

[@magnetar152]

The AS 33... What a beauty!!

[@avigator]

Actually in the video it looks like a ASG 29.

[@SteFly]

@@avigator I was flying my ASG 29, but filmed a AS33. Especially the winglets and the retractable tail wheel is the biggest difference in the look of the glider.

[@Krankenstein105]

Thank you for these videos! I've decided to join the local flight club and start working toward my sailplane license starting with the theory lessons in February. Meanwhile I am going to enjoy these videos! :)

[@SteFly]

Awesome! I wish you all the best for your flight training. Enjoy and safe flights! :)

[@timkorsmeier3612]

Moin, Klasse Video! Der Controller hat Euch wahrscheinlich den Raum gegeben, weil er in diesen Zeiten einfach DA ist. Aber eines stell ich immer wieder fest: Unsere Controller sind echt klasse. Die letzte Saison nur positive Erlebnisse mit DFS gehabt. Weiter so, Stefan!

[@SteFly]

Danke! War auch begeistert wie die Controller das zugelassen haben.

[@yellowglider]

Lovely, I did a 33.000 once over Minden...

[@BillPalmer]

27200 for me

[@weirdshibainu]

Nice. Minden is beautiful and a gem for gliding.

[@robweaver566]

I love your glider videos, please keep up the good work. I especially like the ones like this where you show footage from the cockpit looking down at the scenery and other gliders with you- very cool!

[@SteFly]

Thank you 👍 Wave flying is perfect for these shots

[@gentlemanner]

Great Video! Flying a glider above the clouds is my dream!

[@SteFly]

Thank you! It is a dream!

[@geoffreylotz3661]

That was definitely worth watching...thank you.

[@BillysFingers]

Flying to that height was a dream of mine when i was gliding as a teen. The highest i reached was, 12.500ft in a thermal near Benalla Australia, but i wasn't wearing shoes so my feet were freezing.

[@neoetude]

What a beauiful view!!!

[@GR-il7jx]

Imagine meeting an airliner up there 👀

[@SteFly]

It´s a controlled airspace, so the airliner should not be very close. But would be amazing to fly above an airliner and film it from a 2nd glider

[@JamesAustin]

@@SteFly One of my most memorable moments from an afternoon where I climbed to FL 200 on two separate flights about 2hrs apart, was an airliner pilot's reaction on the radio, to my presence. ATC told me to hold my climb at FL160 to allow a passenger plane to pass 2 miles away at FL 170. When ATC informed the airliner pilot to be aware of glider traffic 2 miles to his right, 1000 ft below, he just replied "a What?!". 🤣🤣

[@blubb9004]

@@JamesAustin Haha, I sooooo want to be above the clouds in a glider one day, even though flying below them is also awesome. Is wave flying hard (compared to thermaling for example)?

[@raulalbertoanduni7254]

You are a Máster, thanks for sharing these amazing videos.

[@hyime69]

Hi Stefan just came across this VLOG from 2 yrs ago I was based in W.Germany in the 1980's and flew Gliders with the (RAF GGA) Royal Air Force Germany Gliding Association. there were 3 RAF Clubs and 1 Army Gliding Clubs and we flew mainly in Rhine-Westphalia region. We did go South to Bavaria, Austria, Italy and France to Fly in the wave. We had in those days had a limit of FL100 in W.Germany and when flying in the Alps we had on Wave days, Sites clearances so that we could enter Wave and the Airways in that area. However we were very limited to where we could go due to the East-West Boarder and Buffer zone airspace that was in place. I noticed that the area you are flying in this VLOG would of been to close to be allowed in that Airspace in our time That Airspace was the buffer zone and you would of had a Military fighter sent up to see what you were doing back then. I have a question do you now have to fly with a transponder to operate above FL100 in Germany and I note on your Parachute shoulder harness you have a D-ring is that for a PLB/EPIRB for when you fly in the mountains. I love the VLOGs and in my day the Discus was a new glider and the Ventus T was also a good aircraft we just got the first Duo Discus in the RAFGSA as I was leaving the Military also nice aircraft . Regards C

[@linoguedes1]

Great flight! Congratulations from São Paulo, Brazil!

[@paulmakinson1965]

Oh man, missing it so much! We are on lock down so we are grounded for a month. I see the rotors on the Pyrenees, this time of year we get strong southerly winds. Our club record is about 5 000m AMSL.

[@hanggman]

Congratulations ! You have to come to Argentina. Best waves of the world.

[@rumi.137]

It looks like a magic experience.

[@priyanshuraha]

Beautiful video

[@euanclark4671]

This is amazing, I just went solo and hope to do this one day

[@julesviolin]

Come and fly at Denbigh Gliding in UK. We get to similar heights often :)

[@SteFly]

Let´s hope that the corona situation will improve next year and I will keep this in mind ;)

[@EpicLightForce]

Reminded me of my flight school days of '07-08 in KBFI

[@jaycrone7355]

Und ich freu mich über FL100 in der Welle überm Königsstuhl xD

[@cjjohnson3939]

Hey Stefan, does your glider require a transponder when you are up so high? Also, how long does the battery last in your glider? Thanks for sharing, I love your videos and adventures 👌🏼

[@bentheguru4986]

Bloody great view, music choice was great too.

[@joewoodchuck3824]

Gliders are incredibly cool.

[@mdyang4138]

Your videos are always so exciting. Hope I have a chance to fly free as you one day !

[@Twobarpsi]

Simply incredible!

[@CalebNorthNorman]

Wow so cool. So this flying high seems to be a new trend.

[@SteFly]

Thanks man. In autumn and winter here in Germany we don´t have thermals, but sometimes wind. That´s why it is so popular at this time of the year.

[@CalebNorthNorman]

@@SteFly O ok. Now i understand 👍

[@marksadler4104]

Brilliant video!!!!

[@chrissmith7669]

So beautiful

[@djSmokeShow]

Incredible

[@Florentin-Parapente]

magic very nice video :) great job !

[@Haralddv]

Great video!

[@SteFly]

Thank you, Harald!

[@roadboat9216]

AMAZING Do you have to use a transponder at these altitudes ?

[@chrishamilton4999]

Jeez, Stefan, you organise some great rides ... then you share them with the world!! And then you go on to speak German ??? Where does the talent end? Great work and Keep It Up.

[@basilePT6]

What type of request did you have to put in to get the clearance into that airspace? Seems pretty incredible to me that they let you fly in a bloc altitude. Anyhow, congrats for making it all the way up!

[@SteFly]

You need to contact the ATC, have a transponder set to squawk 7000 and request to fly where you want to fly. We made a close formation with two gliders and the other guy made the radio. The ATC gave us a new squawk and they said we should call a different frequency (Munich radar).

[@blubb9004]

We also have some wave sectors here in Germany. I'd have to read up on these again but I think it was something like that: They are open for a day (or not, you call in the morning) and if they are open, they count as an 'E'-Sector, so no approval and no transponder needed. But don't cite this, could be incorrect.

[@hakan737]

that is amazing..I loved it....specially at 7:00

[@Dominik-je7dq]

Nice to see your glider having nearly same registration as the one I was learning to fly on :) SP-2815 Bocian

[@rhysrichards7188]

this might be a stupid question, but when you're really high up, how do you stop the build-up of ice on the wings and control surfaces? like with bigger aircraft the speed of them doesn't let the ice build-up but here you're surely not going fast enough right?

[@thatguyalex2835]

This is a great question. I am not sure, sadly enough, but maybe they glided in low humidity weather? Surely, the wings don't have heating elements.

[@detlefzimmermann6700]

Super Leistung, ich beneide dich!

[@wackaircaftmechanic2312]

That must be fun!

[@maximilianbeier5327]

What an awesome video! I am not aware of previous videos on your channel, that would explain, how you would prepare for such a flight. (besides oxygen) What do you actually need to do in order to prepare for such an intense flight? Keep making these awesome videos!

[@cannaroe1213]

3:50 - why are you limited to a small region? Is that all gliders?

[@BillPalmer]

Normally aircraft not in an instrument flight plan (with instrument rated pilots and aircraft) are not allowed into Class A airspace. Where Class A airspace begins depends on the country (in the continental US, it’s 18,000’) In Germany (which doesn’t use class A or B airspace) Class C airspace is everything above 10,000’ and it carries certain minimum equipment and communication requirements. “wave window” agreements with air traffic control allow gliders to go into a limited area of airspace under the terms of the local agreement where they would otherwise not be allowed to go.

[@cannaroe1213]

@@BillPalmer Fantastic explanation Bill, thank you very much! So i suppose one could still glide long distances, if the glider and pilot are rated, which doesn't seem impossible... ?

[@BillPalmer]

@@cannaroe1213 yes in some cases. In the US, with the floor of Class A airspace at 18,000 feet there are few limits on distance, except near major airports. I’m not familiar with the how the gliders in this video are equipped or if German Class C restrictions are different from the US. Perhaps Stefan can clarify. In the US, Class C entry requires a transponder with ADS-B-out and communications with ATC.

[@SteFly]

@@BillPalmer Above the German "flatlands" we are allowed to fly below FL100. Above the alps it is higher. In this small wave sector there is a lower one up to FL160 and the upper one up to FL220. Whe need to report the entry and exit of each of these sectors and the controller of the local airfield will report it to ATC. Therefor no transponder is needed. But I was also flying outside of the wave sector above FL100 which required a transponder and communications with ATC.

[@mauriceevans6546]

@@BillPalmer In the united states, a glider is allowed above 18000ft if they are in a wave and ATC can verify it.

[@andyp7225]

Excellent really enjoy the vids 👍🏻

[@teddynebel]

Wieder mal geiles Video. Das ist der Thüringer Wald den du empfohlen hast? Sieht super aus

[@SteFly]

Vielen Dank! Ja, den Thüringer Wald kann man nur empfehlen. War sehr unkompliziert dort zu fliegen!

[@BillPalmer]

Lots of nice lennies out there!

[@sudosden3567]

Just WOW 😲👍!

[@nlzdxl]

coole Aktion, schönes Video 😃👍

[@vxgas123]

Cooles Hobby!

[@DeltaUdo]

seeehr schön!

[@ZhihengCao]

In USA you cannot go above 18000 ft unless you are on IFR flight plan, I guess in Germany that is different?

[@SteFly]

In Germany we have a few wave sectors, where it is relatively easy to fly up to FL220. Usually in Germany above FL100 is IFR traffic and you need a clearance. But at times of corona this is also possible :D

[@ZhihengCao]

@@SteFly Doesn't an (IFR) clearance include destination, altitude to maintain and vector to follow? Hard to imagine how you can adhere to any of these with a glider! Do you have to constantly request deviations as the conditions change?

[@KarelZweefvlieger]

WELLE!!! yeah

[@nicolaspilot7189]

Amazing flight ! Next time it will be 7000m 😉

[@alexovnz]

Beautiful!!! What rate of descent? TKS

[@DumbledoreMcCracken]

Fantastisch I may run out of time before doing that

[@adrianloening8977]

Stefan. Come and visit Borders Gliding Club. I have been to FL240 once and FL230 once in my LS8

[@DumbledoreMcCracken]

@@adrianloening8977 I think you want to move this up one

[@dako125]

Servus Stefan, wahnsinn, ich bin sehr begeistert! Das sieht klasse aus, ist sicher ein wahnsinnig tolles Erlebnis... Ich setze mich mit Hilfe Deiner Videos gerade zum ersten Mal überhaupt mit Segelfliegen auseinander. Ein Anstieg von 4 Metern pro Sekunde ist viel oder? So viel, dass es einem den Magen drückt... Wusste gar nicht dass das beim Segelfliegen so schnell geht, ich dachte man muss sich Meter um Meter erkämpfen. Was ich eigentlich fragen wollte: Ich sehe im Cockpit Links auch eine art "Not-Hebel" zum Öffnen der Haube. Trägt man denn als Segelflieger per se einen Fallschirm? Grus, Dako

[@klagoggle]

Was ist denn eigentlich diese Pfeifen/ Fiepen das man "ständig" hört? Tolle Videos, danke!

[@TotalVerzockt]

Hey Stefan ich habe gerade vor dem Video Werbung von Y Food bekommen. Mich würde es interessieren ob sich diese Proteinshakes auch fürs Fliegen eignen. Habe bisher immer Müsliriegel oder Bananen gegessen

[@gilnemesis3547]

Hi Steph, how much Time do you have with O2, and did you reach unbelievable speed at these altitudes ? I just remember a Friend of mine cruising at more than 600 knots ground speed with his "old" Citation coming back from USA. Or should you freightened to meet hard streams isn't it. However Thank you very much for you share beautyful pictures ! Stay Strong !👍👍👍

[@niklaspilot]

Unfassbar schön! Wie hat der Controller reagiert, als ihr als Segelflieger die C-Freigabe angefragt habt? Kommt ja wahrscheinlich nicht so oft vor :D

[@SteFly]

Der Controller hat keine große Emotion gezeigt. Wir waren einfach Dankbar dort fliegen zu können. Mit Transponder sehen die Controller auch sehr gut wo man sich gerade befindet..

[@arminbroger7308]

super ! 😄👍🇨🇭

[@ericoschmitt]

What creates those waves? I had only heard of lee waves before...

[@fifi23o5]

Was that a Wilga tow plane?

[@RoelBaardman]

Awesome video! Did you have a 3G/4G connection at that altitude?

[@Rickenbacker69]

Not very likely. I find that my phone doesn't want to play anymore when I get above 1500m or so. :)

[@RoelBaardman]

@@Rickenbacker69 that's actually quite good! Is the connection stable?

[@Rickenbacker69]

@@RoelBaardman Stable-ish. :) Below 1000 it's pretty solid, but it kinda works up to 1500. This is over Sweden, not sure how many towers are in other countries.

[@dercbfunker7845]

Warst du schon einmal in EDQO oder EDQM ??

[@stahlhelm5755]

Wow. How much does it cost to fly gliders? How much is the training? If only my country has flying clubs......

[@everythinginone18]

Which is the song you have used in last

[@fahvm4362]

amazing view. how much this glider cost? it's look like more better buy this than supercar !

[@paulsavani3918]

Geiles Video!!!!

[@Beyonder374]

Ist das dein eigenes Segelflugzeug?

[@HarmonyHubMizoram]

I want to feel this

[@MorDarek]

What a views! Amazing! How cold it was there?

[@SteFly]

Something around -10 °C

[@MorDarek]

@@SteFly How are you prepare for that cold?

[@nob0dy27_]

Dagegen sind meine 1800 AMSL nur ein Furz.... aber Welle ist einfach geil :D

[@SteFly]

Ich bin meistens auch tiefer unterwegs :D

[@noahl.1938]

Hey Stefan, geiles Video! Ich fänds cool, wenn du mal ein Video darüber machen würdest, wie du so deine Segelflugvideos zusammenschneidest. Ich habe auch angefangen mit meiner DJI Osmo zu filmen und würde daraus gerne schöne Videos zusammenschneiden und würde mich freuen mal ein paar Inspirationen zu bekommen. LG Noah🔥✈

[@ahmedsmart1120]

Siehst du in dieser Höhe auch Jets wie 737, A320 usw? Hast du ein TCAS II um auf den Verkehr in dieser Höhe zu reagieren?

[@SteFly]

Die großen Jets sind im Normalfall weiter entfernt. Ein TCAS ist in keinem Segelflugzeug eingebaut, allerdings habe ich eine ADSB Anzeige die mich davor warnen würde. Ab Flugfläche 100 und außerhalb des Wellenflugsektors muss man mit Transponder und Einzelfreigabe fliegen. Das bedeutet der Radar würde nicht zulassen, dass sich ein Segelflugzeug und ein Jet in die Quere kommt. ;)

[@ahmedsmart1120]

@@SteFly Das Problem ist aber doch, dass die ADS-B Anzeige nicht alle Maschinen erfasst, da ja nicht alle das installiert haben. Ich weiß, dass Segelflieger einen FLARM haben anstatt TCAS. Ich habe aber gedacht, dass in dieser Höhe auch ein TCAS II vorhanden sein muss

[@derekjones9177]

Did you get a diamond climb?

[@SteFly]

Should have been enough for the diamond. But I didn´t claim it ;)

[@interamerichanic]

What glider are you flying here?