Page 14 - May 2020
P. 14
What a guy! So I laughed too, in fact I laughed so hard,
probably letting all that stress out, that I almost lost my
balance tipping us both over into the river, but I didn’t.
Peter couldn’t move, but we were luckily just within,
leaping distance to shore. I threw the dry clothes,
they were still for Peter, at this point, and the Saskatoon Soaring Club
emergency radio, onto the shore then leaped!
Gliders offer a great span of fun things to do with
I made it !
them. Soaring using thermals is typically the most
Peter finally got free after getting rid of his burden common, but don’t be fooled; there are other
and crawled out onto shore. We laughed & laughed sources of lift that can be used. For example, ridge
and we were very happy that the Lord had spared us, soaring. Gliders fly back and forth utilizing heat and
once again and we gave “Thanks”. winds to accomplish ridge runs. Another source of
lift is the ever elusive “wave” . All hail the wave!
Peter donned my dry cover-alls, which almost covered
his knees and we laughed, some more. My radio
message had got through to the La Ronge Fire Centre and
my good friend, Brooke Ede, flew out and picked us up in
his Bell Long Ranger Helicopter. Peter and I still have
some pretty funny pictures.
The Director of Aviation Safety, for Transport Canada
was perfectly correct, when she said; “It’s been
determined that; Crashing Your Helicopter, Is
Dangerous To Your Health”.
The “wave” allows gliders to fly at extremely high
altitudes, and long distances. In fact, one of the best
places to catch the wave is located in Cowley,
Alberta! Just over the Livingston Range!! Gorgeous.
Saskatoon Club members often make the trip to
Cowley to enjoy this amazing phenomenon during
the summer and fall.
At the Saskatoon Soaring club we utilize thermals as
Enjoy Life, My Friends ! our source of lift, but the best months to catch big
Jim thermals are around May and June. Long flights in
duration and distance are highly sought by all pilots,
members, students and instructors alike. During
such months, thermalling our way to heights of
10,000ft is likely - it may not be the same as
“catching the wave”- but one obtains great
satisfaction by using our skills to ride a thermal all
the way up and enjoying the view. More advanced
pilots hop from thermal to thermal, exchanging
height for distance of travel. When these pilots
venture out enough that the glider cannot come
back to the field on a final glide, it becomes cross
country soaring.
