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A View From Above

Launching

There are two methods of launching available to UWGC; aerotow and winch launching. Winch launches are available at both airfields, however aerotow is only provided at Husbands Bosworth. For more information on the differences between airfields, click here.

Glider on a winch launch.

Winch Launch

The winch launch is the cheapest and most common form of launch. Winch launching involves hooking the glider to a long cable; this cable is wound in by a powerful engine at the opposite end of the field, pulling the glider into the air. Once the glider is airborne, the cable is released allowing the glider to fly away.

The winch launch is an exhilarating way to get off the ground, during a typical winch launch the glider will accelerate from 0-60m mph in about 3 seconds and will climb at a 45-degree angle. The main advantages of winch launching are its low cost and speed, however the average winch launch will only launch you to a height of 1000 - 1500 ft (300 - 500 m) this means that you will have a relatively short flight (around 5 minutes) unless you find lift.

Glider on an aerotow launch.

Aerotow

The more expensive method of launching, the aerotow allows you to go much higher than a winch launch. For an aerotow launch, the glider is connected by a long rope to the back of a powered aircraft called a tug. The tug tows the glider to the desired height and location before the glider releases. The main benefit of the aerotow is that the tug will take you as high as you want and can tow you to a location of good lift. Unfortunately, as you are paying for the fuel and tug pilot's time, the aerotow is at least four times more expensive than a winch launch.

Flight

Aerial view over Leicestershire.

How gliders fly

As long as the glider is moving forward, the wings will produce lift; this lift keeps the glider in the air. Unfortunately as the glider moves though the air, drag (friction) slows the glider down. To maintain a constant speed the glider must therefore fly slightly 'down hill'. Hence the glider slowly loses height over time. A typical training glider will have a glide ratio of 30:1 (it will lose one foot in height for every thirty it moves forward) while a high performance glider will have a glide ratio of 60:1 or more.

Lift and Soaring

If you want to fly further than your glider's glide ratio, you must then gain height. This is done by finding rising air - more commonly referred to as lift. The act of flying in lift is called Soaring. The most common form of lift is thermals. Thermals are bubbles of air that are slightly warmer than the surrounding air; because of this, the bubbles rise. An experienced glider pilot can identify thermals and then fly within them. While in a thermal the glider can gain height and therefore continue flying. Thermals vary in strength and the maximum height they rise to, but a typical good thermal in the UK could be rising at 400 ft/min (0.5 kph) to a height of 5000 ft (1500m).

Landing

Eventually you will have to land; ideally, you land back at the airfield however, experienced pilots may 'land out' in a farmer's field. Once you are about 800ft (250m) above the ground it is time to land. A typical landing starts with a circuit; this involves flying parallel to the airfield in the opposite direction to that which you wish to land and performing a series of turns so that you are at the correct height and in the correct position to perform the landing.

At the end of your circuit you should be at one end of the airfield at around 300ft, you can then open the air brakes, which increase your rate of descent to bring the glider gently down to the ground. With practice, it is possible to bring the glider down in a small field with great precision.