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How to Pilot a Glider or Sailplane

Presented by Gene Franklin

Learn the basics of piloting a glider or sailplane in this free online video series, including making a pre-flight check, flying maneuvers, making turns, g-forces, obtaining a student pilot license, finding thermals, reading gauges, and making landings.

Series Summary

Soaring through the sky in an unpowered aircraft, dependent on nothing but the conditions of the air around you may sound terrifying to some, but just as sailboats harness the wind for propulsion, gliders and sailplanes can give you a feeling of freedom and connection with the natural world you won't get with a motorized craft. Glider designs have been dated as far back as the 5th century BC by Lu Ban, although the modern sport of gliding evolved in the 1930s. Successful glider flight is determined primarily by weather and hot swells of air which rise from the planet's surface called thermals. In this series of free videos you'll get expert advice from a glider flight instructor on what it takes to pilot a glider or sailplane. Gene Franklin takes you along on a flight, demonstrating the pre-flight checklist and the universal hand signals used by glider pilots around the globe, how to take off and detach from the tow plane, and how to make various flying maneuvers once you're airborne. Gene shows you how to determine your airspeed, wind speed, and set your barometric gage, deal with g-forces and stalls, and how to find and use thermals to fuel your unpowered aircraft. He also offers tips on formation flying and competition flying, how to obtain your student license, as well as how to tow your glider with your vehicle.

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