SKY SAILING

[Music] e you're riding with the most remarkable aircraft one that flies in silence without need for an engine this is a sail plane an aircraft which uses the Boundless Energy of the sky power that nature provides for all who practice the sport of SK Sky sailing Sky [Music] sa as the hawk or Gull Soares above its terrestrial home so does the sail [Music] plane its pilot turns the graceful craft in a rising air column called a thermal this keeps the sail plane Al [Music] Loft sometimes a companion will investigate your thermal only to find that he has left a better one [Music] behind the invisible terrain of the atmosphere is the domain of the sail plane precise control is always in the hands of its pilot who flies the sail plane with an enjoyment like that felt by the Sailor or [Music] skier the joy of Sky sailing or soaring as it is usually called is found in its natural and effortless flight ever since man has dreamed of flight he has sought the secret of the ease and simplicity of the flight of birds soaring is that secret only when flying a sail plane you become a part of the craft and share the pleasures of pure [Music] flight down there this sail plane was created in a modern Factory where steel aluminum fiberglass and other rugged materials are shaped into its form Craftsmen are the Builders of its steel structure Engineers are the designers of its components then combine them into the total Craft all designs inherit Beauty from the Slender Wing sail plane Anatomy they also inherit strength from new materials and methods of construction there are routers that cut the aluminum sheet into basic shapes there are special presses that form the shaped metal into final [Music] part rollers Bend sheet metal into desired [Music] forms the metal sheet are then crafted into the Sleek body of the sail plane and also into its control and flying [Music] surfaces during all stages of final assembly quality checks are Made Federal Aviation agency tags certify air worthiness of each unit stress tests prove that the sail plane is one of the strongest aircraft constructed its wings are built in these Precision forms each part must meet requirements for size strength and overall quality not all sail planes are completely Factory Built pre-fabricated construction kits are available which enable anyone to participate in building difficult metal work is already finished when the home builder starts in his kit the steel tube fuselage and the aluminum Wing are received in an advanced stage of completion simple tools and Aver aage skill combined with a clear assembly manual ensure successful construction of a kit the kit develops into this trim sail plane Home Building makes it possible to own a sail plane at a fraction of the cost of the lowest pric power plane such construction kits are certified by the Federal Aviation agency because of their approved pre-fabricated metal construction they easily receive the necessary license required for flight it's not necessary to own or build a sail plane to enjoy this flying sport soaring schools and clubs exist that are equipped to train the newcomer in soaring or to adapt the pilot with powered plane experience to this realm of flight [Music] the sport is taught and practiced in all parts of the country there are no Geographic [Music] limitations the two-place training sail plane is the first of this family of aircraft introduced to the [Music] student safety harnesses and seat belts are standard equipment flight controls and instruments are quite similar to those found in powered aircraft but but there are some special features such as this nose hook to which the toe line is attached a check of this mechanism is always made by pulling the red release knob in the cockpit with the tow rope attached flight preparations are nearly [Music] complete however there's another partner in this launching whose mechanism must also be inspected the power towing plane has a similar hook to which the other end of the 200t tow line is attached a final check of controls is made then the raised Wing gives the signal for the flight to begin it takes but a few 2 ft for a sail plane to be airborne it can land in as short a distance the sail plane is an aerial trailer when still attached to its toe plane the sail plan's instruments indicate speed and altitude during the towed flight upon reaching an altitude of several thousand ft the sail plane releases from the toe plane free at last in its own element special flight instruments are now used to detect the rising air currents or [Music] thermals The Silence of the sail plane permits the instructor to converse with the student even at a [Music] whisper the toe plane Returns the Rope to the starting point to take other sail planes aoft often making as many as 10 toes per hour a typical short training flight teaches the student proper toe and Landing procedure Pilots with powered plane experience are often surprised by the ease of adapting to a sail plane but even for the beginner in soaring and in flying the first solo flight is normally accomplished after an average of 25 training flights after some further instructions and solo flight time one can qualify for a governmen issued private pilot's license for sail planes the first solo on a sail plane is an unforgettable experience for both the veteran power pilot or the [Music] novice [Music] from the moment the Rope is released the pilot feels a sense of unity with the sail [Music] plane this feeling of intimacy and Oneness with aircraft and sky is seldom enjoyed by pilots of powered aircraft [Music] words and pictures cannot fully describe the sensation of silently Sailing In The [Music] Sky the fields and streams pivot slowly beneath the sail plan's [Music] Wing the entire Sky becomes your playground the Earth seems remote but to it one must return even after landing the spell is not completely broken The Experience becomes a part of everyone who has become the flight partner of a sail plane the training sail plane soon prepares its pilot for more advanced craft which offer higher performance with ease of [Music] flight High performance sail planes have flown distances of over 500 Mi have soared to altitudes over 8 Mi and have remained aoft as long as the skill and endurance of the pilot would [Music] permit soaring has been recognized as an international sport since the early 20s regular National contests are held where pilots compete in distance and speed events a well-known soaring Center is this field at Harris Hill in Elmyra New York in the early days the craft were known as gliders that's a term no longer applying to the Sleek high performance sail planes of [Music] today team spirit is part of every soaring contest it is the cooperation between pilot and ground crew that makes contest flying a rewarding and satisfying experience soaring also provides an education in many related fields an aerial chart becomes as familiar as a road map one learns over what terrain the sail plane finds Rising air currents that permit Cross Country flights of hundreds of miles the sail plane pilot is introduced to the family of clouds he learns which are best for supplying Nature's atmospheric energy that the sail plane harnesses to climb thousands of feet the anatomy of aircraft becomes familiar sail planes are designed for easy assembly and dis assembly it takes but minutes to ready the craft for flight a sail plane can be handled stored and transported with the ease of a pleasure boat but the appeal of Sky sailing can be understood only after you have taken a flight in one of these man-made gulls and have felt the unity with sky and sail planes have felt the acceleration of pure flight satisfactions sought in many sports but felt only by those who go Sky sailing sky [Music] he sky [Music] stilling