Exciting Times!!! By: Daithí O'Grádaidh Posted: August 26 2004
I recently took my first flight after four years away. A gentle, calm and typically Irish day. We had a crosswind and lots of turbulence just above the trees of the airfield. We flew out over the recently harvested, golden fields and beyond to the massive man-made lakes that supply Dublin with its drinking water. What a come back. All my previous experience flooded back and I realised just what I had been missing for the last while. In flight I got to practice trim and turns.
I'll never forget my first flight though. Like I said four years ago. I was very nervous for those moments before strapping up in the glider. Sure, I think anybody would be. Sitting a couple of feet above the ground and expecting to be pulled at 50m.h down the runway. I had a great instructor. Joking and generally humourous. I felt like I was in capable hands. The Piper Cub's rear burst into vibrations and we were off.
But we were only a few metres in the air when we heard a big crack!!! I can only remember my instructor roaring out in a heavy Irish accent “What the .... was that?”. I nearly pissed myself. The control stick went forward. The yellow bubble on the release cable came back and the airbrakes shook me forward. We got down safe and sound and I was jumping up and down with adrenaline. We discovered the skid in half. Apparently the glider was brought through a ditch and was damaged in the process. I was back up in the air within ten minutes. It was great.
I'm so happy to be back. Gliding is not an elitist sport. It's relatively cheap and everyone has to help each other. There's no better way of learning the basics and elemental components of flight. You truly are sensitive to every little gust of air. Long live gliding!!!
