Gliding at the Adelaide Soaring Club: Amber Brown takes to the skies in the Barossa region of South Australia
We've always had a fascination with flying and they say one of the best ways to experience it is a glider. I'm no aviation expert but to me, the idea of being towed to a great height by a plane with an engine and being cut loose to fall back to earth seems - well - a little silly. But I'm assured it's not only extremely safe but really exhilarating.
Andrew Wright is a member of the Adelaide Soaring Club at Gawler - and like most of its pilots, he's like a kid on Christmas morning when it comes to gliding.
Andrew Wright, Adelaide Soaring Club: "I started flying at 11 years of age and got my licence on my 15th birthday which is as young as you can fly."
And he's been flying ever since and despite notching up more than 2-thousand hours in the air, he still gets a buzz every time he takes off. It's a surreal feeling as the tow-plane gently takes us to 3-thousand feet above the Gawler Aerodrome.
The moment of truth arrives and the towrope is released. We're now truly gliding - relying totally on the aerodynamics of this quarter of a million-dollar sailplane and Andrew's skill to keep us aloft.
Andrew Wright, Adelaide Soaring Club: "The object of gliding is to use the height you get in a thermal, and once your at the top of a thermal which could be as high as 10 or 15 thousand feet to actually use that height to go off and find another thermal. And that's how we go from thermal to thermal travelling distances up to 500 or a thousand kilometres."
One of the things that strikes you is how peaceful it is - no roar of an engine - just the wind rushing past the canopy. It's certainly doesn't feel like we're doing around 150 kilometres an hour.
The Adelaide Soaring Club is over 60 years old and has produced a number of national and internationally acclaimed pilots - including 2007 National Champion, Philip Ritchie.
Philip Ritchie, Adelaide Soaring Club: "Anyone can fly. We have members that are into their 80s and are still active - you only need a modicum of physical fitness - so we have a whole spectrum of men and women.
"Competition flying is where we all start at about the same time and they send us somewhere, for example we'll go to Jamestown, across to Waikerie and then back. The winner is the person who can do the circuit in the fastest time."
It's serious business. GPS units track and record the course, speed and distances the pilots cover but when they're not completing Andrew reckons it's all about enjoying the moment.
Andrew Wright, Adelaide Soaring Club: "Flying up in the Flinders Ranges I've had a wedge-tail eagle come in right off my wing-tip. He was so close I could see his eyes and I knew that he could look back and see me too. It was absolutely awesome."
South Australia punches above its weight on the world stage. The Gawler Club pilot, Peter Temple took out third place at the 2008 World Championships in Italy after spending 11 days flying over some of the most rugged mountains in Europe. The level of commitment of these pilots is enormous and their enthusiasm is contagious but if you want to try it for yourself the Adelaide Soaring Club at Gawler runs regular Joy Flights and Introductory Flights.
Andrew Wright, Adelaide Soaring Club: "If you've never flown before after between about 10 and 15 hours or about 40 to 60 flights you'll be flying by yourself. Then you can come up by yourself and explore the air and soar like an eagle as I like to say."
The club operates from the Gawler Aerodrome on Two Wells Road, Gawler. Coming from Adelaide just look for the signs on your left. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Adelaide Soaring Club
Gawler Aerodrome
Two Wells Road
Gawler
Ph 8522 1877Published 14th Sept 2008
