The Civil Air Patrol

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Last update Monday, 2004.02.18 @ 1700 EST(-5) 2200Z

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2003.04.15 - Glider Flights at Chesapeake Airport

Civil Air Patrol cadets are afforded the opportunity to participate in five one-hour glider flights in the Cadet Flight Orientation Program. This is often the first time that cadets have been involved in glider flight operations. Yes, the glider is unpowered. It is towed aloft behind a towplane using special techniques that the towplane and glider pilot have practiced many times.

The following series of pictures show a sequential effort to launch and recover the Virginia Wing Blanik L-23 two-place glider on a cadet orientation flight. Often several of these flights occur within one day's activities.

Select each image to view an enlargement.

Capt. Mike Portanova prepares to train as Air Boss while Lt Jordi Catasus-Servia opens the cockpit of N365BA before entering.	Major Joe Bateman instructs cadets on how to properly make the glider ground towrope connection.	Major Bateman continues by teaching cadets how to test the ground tow rope release with the appropriate release signal.
Cadets discuss procedures while waiting in the flight cue.	Lt Jordi Catasus-Servia is briefing a cadet on flight procedures before departure.	Lt Doug Roberson is piloting towplane N99559 and is about to receive signals from the ground crew that glider N365BA is ready for departure.
The towplane has just begun the ground roll and the glider has left the hand of the wing walker.	The glider passes the taxiway as it continues to accelerate. The wings are level and the tail is already self-supporting.	The glider is nearly airborne while the towplane continues to accelerate to a safe rotation airspeed.
The glider is airborne as the nosewheel of the towplane begins to lift.	A few minutes later the glider is at 3000 feet AGL and is preparing for tow-release.	N99559 returns after tow-release to drop the tow rope in the grass beside the launch point.
After one hour of soaring N365BA lands on runway 5 and begins a left turnoff onto taxiway B.	Lt Jordi Catasus-Servia and the cadet are greeted by the Air Boss and the ground team who support the wing and bring the glider back across the yellow hold line.	After the flight the cadet looks rather pleased - it is a successful first glider flight.

How does the glider stay aloft for one hour? By definition, if the glider is released from 3000 feet and descends at a rate of 300 feet per minute, it should land in (3000/300), or 10 minutes.

The technique of staying aloft in the glider for long periods of time is to locate rising air that is rising faster (ascending) than the glider falls (descends). In that case the glider will climb.

It is not unusual for the glider to be released at 3000 feet above ground level (AGL) and a skilled glider pilot locates and maintains presence in relatively warmer rising air by making shallow turns (thermaling) to 5000 feet above ground level (AGL) or more. The rising air is a result of the sun's rays heating the ground and the air above it more so in one place than in another. The trick to staying aloft in the glider is to maximize flying time inside these rising columns of relatively warmer air and minimize flying time through relatively cooler descending air. Soaring birds like the common turkey-buzzard understand this concept very well. They do it all the time, and they are the experts.

Do you want to learn how to properly handle a glider? Civil Air Patrol members who are at least 14 years of age are participating in ground handling operations after taking the Glider Wing Runner Course created by the Soaring Safety Foundation. CAP members may then participate in ground operations after presenting their certificate of training to the Air Boss. If you are not a member of the CAP, you can still learn valuable information about proper ground handling techniques even if you choose to not take the exam.

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