Gliding and the Mysterious Ways China Affects the World

[Exadios]

An interesting article about gliding in China. It includes such nuggets as:

 

"Why would a country want to promote gliding? There are several reasons, but mostly because it attracts, fosters and trains a generation of better pilots, whose value is becoming increasingly evident, especially in Asia and even more so in China. Aviation safety experts denounce the erosion of stick-and-rudder skills among airline pilots, but just like sailing shapes better seamen (who then become more in-tune with their environment), gliding provides unparalleled experiences to future professional pilots."

 

How true.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Indeed....though it comes to mind that if a commercial pilot has to be good at picking areas of lift, or indeed operating in silent mode, then he's already operating at a level far above that what he should need to.....

 

For me, stick and rudder skills are not the sole domain of the glider and to suggest, as has been with the hudson river crash, that only those wh fly gliders are really the only ones with the keys to understanding the aircraft is fanciful.

 

I realise that the quote didnt specify that "Better" was the sole domain of those that glide....but to me it was inferred...wrongly

 

So your right it was a nugget...just not sure of what

 

Andy

 

 

[eightyknots]

China: the land of misinformation

 

Why does the article's title contain "mysterious"?

 

 

[Exadios]

Indeed....though it comes to mind that if a commercial pilot has to be good at picking areas of lift, or indeed operating in silent mode, then he's already operating at a level far above that what he should need to.....For me, stick and rudder skills are not the sole domain of the glider and to suggest, as has been with the hudson river crash, that only those wh fly gliders are really the only ones with the keys to understanding the aircraft is fanciful.

 

I realise that the quote didnt specify that "Better" was the sole domain of those that glide....but to me it was inferred...wrongly

 

So your right it was a nugget...just not sure of what

 

Andy

I think that you've misread the article.

 

The difference between a glider flight and, for instance, a SLA flight is the increased amount of turning done during the former. I think that is why the article claims that flying gliders is the best way to maintain stick-and-rudder skills.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

oops... if only I noticed the link then I may not have made a fool of myself.... sorry

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Haven't read the article YET. but just reading through what has been posted I'll just give my view on the term 'stick and rudder' skills.

 

Especially in a glider but also with basic powered aircraft with limited performance it takes continuous evaluation of many factors, most of them are outside the cockpit. Conditions IE lift sink wind temp and turbulance are constantly changing. So the pilot needs to be aware of these changes and will need to continuously evaluate and provide the required inputs to obtain the best performance from the aircraft. Stick and rudder skills go way beyond balanced turns maintaining the right airspeed etc. It is being in tune with your environment and aircraft being able to read the signs and respond with the correct inputs.

 

As Jonathon once said "perfect speed is being there!"