2014.04.11-12 Junior!

Mission codename: "Junior"
Not very inventive but, well... The goal was easy. Firstly I must say I don't know the English word for "laszować" - in short it is when you "get" a new type. Firstly you pass it at the mechanics, he asks you for its details like, speeds, weights, lengths, (dis)assembly and more. Later you have to do around 5 flights (1-2 with an instructor on a plane you already "have" to check your skills, and later 3 on the glider you're trying to "get") to finish the process.
I passed the theory test on Friday and hoped to finish everything that day, well yeah, that was the plan. Around one hour before sunset when I was already in the glider ready for my first check ride a problem arise at the winch making impossible to depart behind it. How great is that?!?
The next day we started late (due to "intellectual" reasons), 12:45 first departure. The winch arrived 2 hours later and that is when I could start flying. Two flights quickly done, a short pause, short intro to how to fly the SZD-51-1, how it behaves etc. and I can get in the air. Three flights, each around 4 minutes. The first one, hmm, it kinda was bad. The steering requires less force, gentle moves are more than enough. Especially when using the elevator. A lesson learned: the steering is very fragile. The next two flights have been smooth and without problems, found the correct amount of force needed and all when almost perfectly. This is how the mission was accomplished. SZD-51-1 Junior is the fourth glider I can fly on. Next on: Grob 102 Astir CS, mission "Astir".
Photos from Friday:

Puchacz (SP-3782) going to the moon

2014.03.30 A nice weekend... with gliders

Last weekend I began to fly again. 4 flights on Saturday, all four with an instructor. Sunday was spent at home and the second airport on other stuff.
This week it all was supposed to start on Friday afternoon when flights were supposed to be done. And so it happened, although only behind the plane as there was no one to sit behind the winch. No flying for me that day :( Saturday came with fantastic weather, but, I volunteered earlier during the week to spend it at an open day of one of Warsaw academies. We took the PW-5 after 7am and arrived at the place we where going to have our stand after 8am. All was set till 9. The thing kept on going for the entire day with children going in and out of the glider, a couple of people asked question about availability and prices of passenger flights (yes, we do offer ones like that also) and other things more sophisticated than "what does this do?". The event finished after 5pm and I was home after 6. Not bad.
That night we changed time to daylight saving time what meant an hour of sleep less. After all - it helped the next day.
Sunday morning - at the airport from 9am. All good except the number of two-seater gliders - just one, and plenty of people wanting to fly on it. It was flying time for 1 Jantar std3, 1 Astir, 2 Juniors and 1 Puchacz. The last one made over 40 flights that day, 5 of them with me, 3 solo ones. This resulted in the end of my period proceeding next steps to the license. Last flight landing at 7:03pm with the sun behind the clouds, almost over the horizon (sunset: 7:06pm). Even though I had to wait 6,5h for my first flight of the day it sure was worth it! Hope to get on with new things soon. And maybe some "older" spotting action will follow.

SP-3782 Puchacz, view on Bielany district.

Sorry for poor quality, phone made, lack of light.

2014.03.22 Back in the air

After over 8 months without a single glider flight, the past weekend finally gave me the combination I've been waiting for. Good weather and free time. Although my friends have been flying already since at least the beginning of the the month, I haven't had the opportunity yet, or the weather was crap or I had a shitload to do... Well the rules say I have to complete 6 flights with ans instructor and 3 solos before I can continue training that is what I started with. A standard 9am briefing and on we go. Unfortunately there currently is only one available double seater for flights, and as there has been around 8 persons wanting to fly on it, the queue wasn't small. Over all I managed to spend 17 minutes in air during 4 flights. Had some problems at the start, but as time passed got back to the routine. 10 hours at the airport spent and just 17 minutes in the air... Hope to get back in the air soon.

SP-3459 "SJ" SZD-51 Junior