In my last blog post, I mentioned how I was terrified to do aerobatic maneuvers. The one thing that I was even more afraid of was flying in a glider. This is why I was so determined to finally fly one.
My private pilot training was unique, to say the least. I experienced something most pilots never encounter, let alone a student pilot. On my first solo cross country as a student pilot I had an engine failure and had to land the plane in a field. I only had 28 total hours logged at the time. The thought of flying something without an engine scared me.
I knew very little about gliders going into my first glider lesson. I had never seen a glider fly before. I actually did not even know that another plane tows the glider up to altitude. It was brand new territory for me. Luckily, I got to ride along in the tow plane (a Super Cub) before taking my glider lesson.
I learned a lot about gliders during my lesson at Big Q Aviation. Even though I did not have an engine, there was not much to be afraid of. It is important to stay in close proximity to the airport, especially when flying in downdrafts. You want to find the updrafts by hunting out thermals. This will help you stay in the air longer.
Overall, my first glider lesson was very eye opening. I learned a lot and had a blast during the lesson. I am not letting my emergency landing be a road block in my training. I want to face any fears that arose after my emergency landing head on. It was such a calming experience and I can't wait to get up in a glider again!
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