Cu Nim Gliding Club

[spinjob]

Anyone every soared with the club? They're based out of the Black Diamond area.

I've never had the chance to fly in a sailplane before, and i think learning to glide would make me a better pilot. (if not just for the fun of it) It looks to be a few grand to get the license and I'd like to know if any fixed wing pilots could provide some advise about soaring or info on the club.

Thanks,

Spinjob

[Old Dog Flying]

We started a gliding club at Namao in 1957 using an old Schweitzer SGU 1-19 primary glider. I had a private pilots licence at the time and it only took a few flights to meet the requirements at the time. It was a great experience! We later joined with others in the Edmonton area flying out of Namao and Hemsworth's strip near Wetaskawin. We had the use of a TG-2, TG-3, LK10A and a Flauvel AV-36 flying wing being airtowed by the Granley brothers and their Tiger Moth.

It certainly gave me a whole new meaning to forced landings.

Barney

[Adam Oke]

I would suggest checking out www.sac.ca or asking around on http://soaringcanada.riq.ca/index.php

Soaring is the Canada's Aviation Industry Best Kept Secret. It contains some of the greatest group of people I have met. This goes for the other side of the world as well. Gliding clubs are that; a club. It's not a business. As a member of a club, you will be expected to give a hand to make the operation flow and the club to continue. Be it cutting the grass, or running ropes to help your friend launch, there is plenty of your skills to be had!

It will be some of the most enjoyable flying you will accomplish and bring new meanings to many things. Precision, micro-meteorology, stick and rudder, and fantastic pilot decision making skills are just a short few things you will improve upon.

As a fixed wing pilot you are a great asset to a club provided you have a handful of hours on taildraggers and test your hand at towing. Another new world that will give you entirely new perspective.

Any questions about gliding in general feel free to ask.

[looproll]

Cu Nim was great for the years I was a member. Great times flying the Blanik and Jantar. They have updated their fleet a bit since. Most people there are very friendly and welcoming. Go check it out! They are online at http://www.soaring.ab.ca/cunim/ . Still probably my favorite flying to date. The fall Cowley wave camp has been a highlight for me. Soaring effortlessly to 25 000ft in the wave all alone is amazing.

[Panama Jack]

I started my career in aviation, 20 years ago, flying at the local glider club. I now fly A340's for a major air carrier.

Last summer during my vacation I ended up with the most enjoyable "job" I've had in aviation, giving glider rides and some flight instruction in a high performance glass-sailplane (when I wasn't renting it myself) at a glider operator. I was delighted to discover that after doing the fly-by-wire thing and typing on FMS' , I still know how to "fly."

Needless to say, I had serious morale issues for a few weeks after my vacation ended!

As far as learning to fly gliders . . . do it. My initial motivation, as an enthusiastic 15 year old, was that gliding would allow me to solo at a younger age than airplanes. I thought that once I fly "real aircraft" I would leave gliding behind forever. Fortunately, this was not to be. This activity is now my favorite form of recreational flying!

[light chop]

question (possibly stupid) - how come you're allowed to glide up at 25,000 ft in Class 'A' airspace (no VFR)?

[ahramin]

They have a "wave window" which is CYR(s) airspace. Class F, not class A.

[M. Essaie]

If you are on the west side of the country go directly to Invermere Soaring Center - do not even consider anywhere else.

It's primary attraction is that it is a commercial operation which means you can walk up to the desk and be flying in one the world's most capable gliders with one of the world's most capable pilots within minutes of arriving on the airport.

This is to be contrasted most severely with the demoralizing experience it can be trying to get a flight at any club.

There is a website with rates and such if you will do a search.

I have flown gliders all around the world and nothing excels Invermere's utterly unique combination of scenery, conditions, personnel and "apres-soar" joie-de-vivre.

Hasten.

[Adam Oke]

If you are on the west side of the country go directly to Invermere Soaring Center - do not even consider anywhere else.

It's primary attraction is that it is a commercial operation which means you can walk up to the desk and be flying in one the world's most capable gliders with one of the world's most capable pilots within minutes of arriving on the airport.

That's an awfully bold and judgmental statement when in fact, for example, clubs such as SOSA Gliding Club has aircraft available such as the DG-505, LS-4, Jantar, Juniors, brand new fresh off the boat ASK-21 (x2) ... and plenty more! (One of the, if not THE largest club in Canada; Cambridge, Ontario) Invermere's fleet is just like every other club fleet in Canada. Typical Larks, PW-5's, Single Astirs. I hate to break it to you, but those gliders are not world class. Don't be fooled because "World Class" is in the PW-5's name ...

If you want to talk about the worlds most capable pilots as well ... take a look at who has been eligible for the FAI Worlds Contest. One club in mind stands out as the most prominent cross country club in Canada producing world class pilots. Take a look at Canada's pilot's that went to worlds this year, and their manager whome also attended worlds in the past and see where they came from. A CLUB

I have nothing against Invermere, just merely your very bold statement. I would recommended checking out Inveremere as well to see what a Commercial Operation has to offer. Seeing as there are less than a handful (literaly) of clubs that are commercial, I would suggest taking a look around at various clubs aswell. I drive 2.5 hrs to my club, when there is one that is 1.5 away. Why? ... just take a look at the pro's and cons

Regardless where you go you will meet fantastic people, and have a fantastic opportunity. Much like a skydiving drop zone, the atmosphere of the people is noted by how people want to be there to help out. Commercial operations may or may not have the same "2nd home" feeling.

[Shiny Side Up]

Don't know if things have changed at Cu Nim, but last time I was there we recieved a pretty frosty reception when we dropped by to visit, even though we made sure there was no glider activity that day and phoned for permission. That was a few years back though so I don't know if things have changed, though I would advise checking ahead if possible, there was a lot of gopher holes in the turf then too, if one is planning on flying in that is.

[all_ramped_up]

Ahhhh, Soaring.... I miss it so!