Challenges Stretch your skills by trying a new form of flight Powerless flight A fixed-wing pilot goes motorless I had anticipated that my first few moments of unpowered flight might be disconcerting. (The engine failures I’ve had in single-engine airplanes over the years sure created some anxious moments.) But separating from the towplane 3,000 feet over the heavily forested ridges of the Allegheny Mountains of central Pennsylvania produces just the opposite effect. Serene and quiet, the two-seat Grob 103 sailplane effortlessly gains altitude as it rides mild thermals on a tranquil, blue-sky afternoon. “We can fly this entire mountain range on any given day,” said Tom Knauff, a record-setting sailplane pilot and author of Transition to Gliders, a book for powered-airplane pilots seeking new flight challenges. “Sailplane pilots come here from all over the world because the unique geography BY DAVE HIRSCHMAN Snuggling into the minimalist glider cockpit, the differences with powered airplanes become obvious. But the many similarities in instrumentation and flight controls are comforting, and the visibility is tremendous. Plus— View the video. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS ROSE AOPA PILOT • 87 • NOVEMBER 2011