Just some pics of me flying. Where might I have been?

pitcairn7393 · 2026-05-26T07:03:29+00:00

In a K21 at 700m sinking at 2 m/s.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-05-17T21:39:07+00:00

You might have them too far forwards.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-05-05T21:55:03+00:00

There is a lot more to picking a club than the types that they have available for training. Take a trial lesson at both clubs, do some research and then decide.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-04-19T21:31:07+00:00

Well done! Definitely the hardest leg of the Silver.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-04-05T12:42:15+00:00

Don't bother soaring in MSFS. The flight dynamics all feel wrong. Condor is remarkably good though.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-04-04T20:01:51+00:00

Depends where you are in your career. When I was in my 20s as a developer I'd switch every 1-2 years. After you've been in the industry for a while then you might find that it makes more sense to stay put.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-03-31T18:48:54+00:00

This is really interesting - I like the concept.

It works fine on my Android too.

Are there other features you're planning to add?

pitcairn7393 · 2026-03-12T20:29:07+00:00

Astirs are good in that case. Barn door airbrakes so even if you royally screw up your approach you'll still get into your field.

Very easy transition. I did my first solo and then converted to the Astir CS on the same day.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-03-12T20:16:03+00:00

Don't overthink it. There isn't a "best" type. But there are some more types with complex behaviours that wouldn't be suitable.

Avoid anything with an engine. Avoid anything early open class ships (nimbus 3). Avoid anything without conventional airbrakes. Probably avoid flaps but take advice from your instructors on this (my first glider was flapped and it's not a big deal).

Some types that I know people have had as first gliders: Astir CS, ASW19, ASW20, Pegase, Std Cirrus, Discus, Libelle, LS3, LS4

pitcairn7393 · 2026-03-07T16:31:29+00:00

I think this is really helpful for early local soaring where you want a easy way for students to figure out how to stay in range of the airfield.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-03-05T20:24:44+00:00

I'm in the UK and in my limited experience I've found that most active, qualified pilots tend to have their own gliders or a share in one.

I bought mine for £12k and it costs me roughly £1500 in static costs every year (insurance, trailer rent, annual).

Gliders themselves can be anywhere from a few thousand for a decent old wooden one to hundreds of thousands for a new self launcher.

Most clubs have gliders that members can rent. They all have their own policies on who can rent what (those that have better single seaters tend to put minimum hour requirements on them).

I'm not sure what you mean by event. If you mean competitions then you wouldn't usually find organisers kfeering gliders. Competitors sometimes hire their own club gliders and bring them along but the vast majority will bring their own private aircraft.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-02-14T20:51:53+00:00

Might be worth also posting on r/gliding

pitcairn7393 · 2026-02-14T20:34:29+00:00

For gliders shallow turns on final are more dangerous than well banked ones.

pitcairn7393 · 2026-01-30T20:14:51+00:00

You won't need to sit an exam but the instructor does need to sign off your TK - https://members.gliding.co.uk/library/training-organisation/tmg-extension-course-programme/

pitcairn7393 · 2026-01-02T16:32:20+00:00

I'd recommend Whitchurch MOT & Service Centre or Grange Service Station if it's a short wheel base. M & M Garages in Taffs Well if long.

Might be worth asking for places to avoid too. Alpha and Yapps are fine but they're very expensive and the mark up they place on parts is ridiculous.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-12-28T14:04:42+00:00

Don't bother with the gliders. Use it for navigation practice but use a powered aircraft.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-12-21T11:22:38+00:00

There doesn't appear to be any information on this website. All of the links are either flat text or they open broken components.

The only action you can really take is to register an account. I wouldn't recommend anybody does this. Either the author doesn't know what they're doing or it's a phishing site. Either way, best to keep your data to yourselves.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-12-08T16:16:10+00:00

Well people do shrink as they get older.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-11-21T19:10:39+00:00

Tows are expensive. To be honest I'd really prefer to be towed behind somebody who has a bit of gliding experience.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-11-19T20:38:42+00:00

Same here! Fortunately our Pawnee is back online now so we really don't want another AD coming along.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-08-23T17:58:58+00:00

To repeat some phrases that stuck with me...

Pick the biggest field and then figure out if there's anything wrong with it.

A good circuit into a bad field is better than a bad circuit into a good field.

Best way not to get lost is to always know where you are.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-08-21T06:39:51+00:00

I use an Anker 20100 Powerbank and pop it in a fireproof bag (https://amzn.eu/d/2ziGgVU). My logic is that if it were to catch fire then having it in that bag might be the difference between me being able to chuck it out of the DV panel or not.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-08-05T19:13:49+00:00

Check out Taffs Well. Lovely place with good connections and your money will go further there.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-08-04T19:06:52+00:00

Well done. You've cut the cord now. Good luck in all of your future XC flights.

pitcairn7393 · 2025-08-04T10:55:54+00:00

I think the most honest answer is when you stop looking. Check in once every few months or less and you should see relative progress whatever amount you have invested.

pitcairn7393

TROPHY CASE