...He towed me to 2,000 feet, and I released, turning and climbing to the right, as he dived to the left. When he was clear, I circled a couple of times just to settle down, and then got level, and flew. The wind wasn't very loud as I flew, the plane and the canopy were streamlined, and I had great visibility as looked around, my head covered by the canopy. I was in 'hog heaven'...here I was...a late teen girl...in a high performance sailplane. I did dive, and did sharp turns just to feel how it handled. I was actually doing an 'Imaginary Dogfight' against an imagined enemy sailplane. People on the ground probably thought that there was a maniac at the controls. (They were correct...
)
...I then settled down, and searched for thermals. I found a couple weak ones, but got out, looking for a better one. I did find a nice, strong one, and flew it up to 6,000 feet, and then searched for a wave. I was downwind of a ridge of hills, so a wave can form. The air will rise as the wind hits the hills, and then it will continue to go up and down downwind of the hill. Riding a wave is how some sailplane pilots have flown into the upper atmosphere, they caught a wave that formed downwind of a mountain. The 'wave' can actually rise higher than the hill or the mountain. Those pilots had pressure suits and oxygen, and the sailplanes were specially modified. I just had a headband holding my hair out of my face, and a water bottle full of Tab Cola, and the canopy had a small leak.
...I did find the wave, and rode it to the higher level, and then just flew back and forth, downwind of the hills. I would get to the radar station that I have mentioned, and then circle back, and ride the wave back to just past the field, and turn, and repeat. I stayed at the same altitude, I didn't have to work, I just held the joystick steady, and it was QUIET...ABSOLUTELY NO SOUND!!!!
The wave was holding me up, my nose was level, so I wasn't losing altitude.
...During that part of the flight...I was well...overwhelmed by many emotions. I mean, here I was, 4,500 above the ground, in a cramped, small cockpit, my head was in the canopy, I was flying...and...THERE WAS NO SOUND!!! My mind went into many places, what my life was, what my life had been, and what I wanted my life to be...and I was flying a plane. Clouds were around me, I could look to either side, or in front, and see far away...and when I looked down, the ground was far below.
...I did head back to the field, after 50 minutes, I felt that it wouldn't be safe to stay up any longer, my mind wasn't focused on flying. I lazily spun down to get to 900 feet, and then entered the landing pattern, and pulled on the wing flaps on the downwind leg. I then got into the base leg, turned, and made the final approach. I brought the sailplane in to a good landing, we didn't bounce, and I rolled for a bit, and then turned off of the paved runway and then onto the grass edge and stopped. I sat for a moment, and then popped the canopy, and unhooked my straps as the Owner and a kid came up. The Owner held out his hand, and I grabbed it, and climbed out of the plane, and stood away as they pushed the plane to the parking area.
...I did return, and flew the trainer a few more times, and helped wash the planes, and then I had to get back to school.
...Oh, one last note...doing a SIDESLIP!!!!
I LOVED THOSE
...That was a thing you would do if you had to land in a heavy crosswind, or lose some altitude. I would kick the right rudder with my right foot to the floor, and hold it, and then push the joystick with my right hand against my left thigh. The rudder would push the plane into a sharp right turn, and the ailerons would turn the left wing to the ground...so...I WAS FLYING SIDEWAYS!!!!
I would look out the side of the cockpit to see where I was going, and the wind was VERY LOUD...I mean, the slick, clean plane was flying SIDEWAYS!!!!
...I did that once, during a landing, the wind had kicked up, and my downwind and base leg approach weren't going well. I didn't have a radio, so I couldn't ask what was happening...I just looked at the wind sock when I could see it. I got into the side slip to stay on my final approach, and grinded my teeth as I approached the runway...I had to get this right, I couldn't just circle around and try again. I did release my harsh handling of the controls, and landed OK.
...The Owner was grinning as he helped me push the plane to the parking area...he had seen my landing...and asked..."Hey, you really did a lot today, want to go up for another hour?" I just nodded and said, "I gotta get back, I have a babysitting job. I will take that hour next week...after I look at the wind sock."
...We both laughed, and I thanked him for the good training he and his staff had given me...that was a difficult landing.
