Longest glider flights: Distance and Time

[DC-3TP]

I once had a flight in a 1-26 that was 4 hours 50 minutes. I didn't really go anywhere except up and down in thermals. I was always within gliding distance of the airport. I would like to read of other flights folks have accomplished. I know of many flights that have covered great distances and took well over 5 hours to complete.

 

[Gofish]

The guy who holds the record (last I checked) is Karl Striedick of Center Hall Pennsylvania. His wife autolaunched him with a Chevy Suburban from their home on eagle ridge and he rode the ridge all the way to Selma Alabama.

Nice guy...he loaned me his car once.

 

[SPilot]

I just beat you by a couple of minutes.. but with glass fiber airplane: LS-4b:

longest flight duration of flight: 5 hours and 25 minutes.
longest distance: 60 kilometers, about 37 miles (not much to brag about).
highest altitude gain: 5000 meter, or 16,000ft.
highest MSL altitude: 6200 meter, or 20,000ft.

I've had alot of joy while doing these flights. Flying gliders will always be the best flying one can do!

I think it is still possible to break some records if one can get gliders with higher Vne speeds. When flying in wave-lift with 10-15fps, the only limitation preventing gain in distance, is speed.

If the US immigration laws wasnt so lame, I would be flying gliders in the US as well.

 

[Lead Sled]

I've had several 5+ hour flights. I was still going strong at the end, but nature wasn't just calling, she was screaming if you get my drift. :0 One day when the ridge was particularly good, I came down after 5:30 and my partner took it up for 5 hours as well.

I never tried any distance flying, but we did to a couple of 200+ mile aero tows. That was pretty interesting - we rigged up a bunge cord to apply forward pressure to the stick. It made the trips pretty easy.

As far as altitude gain, we could usually do pretty well, we had O2 in the glider and could get up to 13,000+ pretty easily. We always had trouble get Salt Lake Center to open the window for us and the highest I was able to go was 17,500. It was way too cold for me up there though. One of these days I'd like to do some wave flights, but I'll buy some electric socks first.

'Sled

 

[SPilot]

It was way too cold for me up there though.

Yeah! Surface temp the day I was flying altitude flights was 15 degrees fahrenheit, temp at 15-20.000' was like -50-60 fahrenheit. In addition, I had to keep the window and ventilation open to take the moisture from my breath away from the windshield, so I had a nice breeze going through as well. I tried to close it, and within a very short time the entire windshield was dewed in and I couldnt see anything. Gotta be careful where I breathe!

I packed myself in with dual layer cotton underclothing, then regular pants and sweater and then thick military arctic style winter-clothing. Felt like being in a diving suit nearly unable to move while in the airplane...sick experience.

 

[Gorilla]

The call of nature can be the deal-breaker! My very best 1-26 sortie was about 5 hours from Estrella-Phoenix to Tucson. No biggie, but for a 21 year old it was fun. It was Silver C distance.

When the lift ran out, I spotted an airport below which turned out to be Avra Valley Airpark near Tucson. Not wanting to close a runway, and with the bladder screaming for mercy, I landed on a taxiway. Instantly, canopy up, stand up, and release over the side. Yaaaaah! Too bad at that exact moment, a twin Beech taxied by about 20 feet away loaded with people, watching this fool whizz over the side of a 1-26. Not one of my prouder moments!

 

[honeycomb]

Too bad at that exact moment, a twin Beech taxied by about 20 feet away loaded with people, watching this fool whizz over the side of a 1-26.

Priceless.......I'm still laughing.

 

[MICK]

Hey....when you got to go, you got to go!

 

[TXDA2000]

I was lucky enough to be friends with Wally Scott.

He did at least one long distance thermal flight per year to win the annual trophy.

He usually did at least 650 miles at least once a year. He did this into his sevventies.

 

[n32jk]

OK I would never try to compete with KS but I did have have a 7 hour 4 minute flight in my LS3 in Arkansas. While that is not a big thing,,,, but in flat land Arkansas thermal flying 7 hours is a good day....... the IGC file is on the OLC on 6.3.07


Jor