Photos: Gliding above Camden

[Maikha Ly]

Hi all

Two Fridays ago, after a productive morning along Foreshore Road photographing aircraft departing 34R, I drove down to Camden to do a stint of gliding.

Gliding has always been something I wanted to continue, having tried it down at Lockhart while living in Wagga Wagga for the past three years. However, having moved to Sydney, very close to Bankstown Airport, training for a GFPT has been a fulfilling achievement.

The weather wasn't overly good for this day, so average glides lasted 25mins, but was still very enjoyable being able to skirt along the clouds. Photos as follows:

http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8490.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8491.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8492.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8500.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8507.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8513.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8514.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8518.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8529.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/IMG_8531.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8536.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8537.jpg

[Maikha Ly]

On the ground

http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8545.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8546.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8547.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8552.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8553.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8562.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8563.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8566.jpg
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/20101029-gliding/_MG_8573.jpg


Was a great afternoon! Gliding is definitely a much cheaper means of learning how to fly, and additionally, there are some great people there to guide you along the way.

This was with the Southern Cross Gliding Club, I flew a very nice looking DG1000, and more info on this, plus their Air Experience packages can be found here (http://www.gliding.com.au/).

Enjoy! :)

[Grahame Hutchison]

Great shots Maikha, I love the one of the red glider about to touchdown.

The weather has been very unstable for months. Finally completed my AFR today after 6 weeks of attempts due bad weather (did the ground component on the 5th October).

[Nigel C]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the red glider looks like an old Blanik. It also looks like the tow rope is still attached Grahame, so I dare say it's just become airbourne. The Pawnee would still be on the ground at that stage.

[Maikha Ly]

Thanks for the Feedback Grahame!

Nigel is right, that the red glider (K13?) is being towed up for a flight.

[Nigel C]

Blanik's were designated L13.

Made by Polish company Let, the Blanik was a very familiar sight at most gliding clubs 20 years ago. These days a few clubs still have them, but their popularity has weakened somewhat with the ultra-efficient and relatively light modern gliders.

I remember my Dad telling me about spin recovery in a Blanik...it was simply a case of taking hands and feet off the controls and waiting. It used to take itself out of the spin quite nicely! Not the sort of thing one would do during a check flight though!

[Phil M]

The red one does look like a K-13. Fabric and wood construction as opposed to the Blanik's all metal construction.

The K-13 is a nice little aircraft to fly. The trim is on the wrong side though :)

[Nigel C]

A bit of research and it is indeed VH-GIQ, Schleicher ASK-13.