AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 56

to keep us lined up, and laser focus on the Pawnee
ahead of us. The glider wants to fly, so getting it off
the ground is no big deal, and at the controls, it feels
like a pretty normal takeoff. Flying during the tow,
however, is something else.
I follow Coulson's instruction and try to mirror the
Climbing out of the ASK 21 after
a successful aerobatic flight. The
author at the controls for takeoff
and climbout. A map of the greater
Phoenix area-Maricopa is to the
south of Chandler.
Pawnee's control inputs, bank for bank and pitch for
pitch, all while keeping the Pawnee's wheels approximately
on the horizon. We're going back up to 5,000
feet, and as far as I can tell the world consists of only
the Pawnee and the six feet either side of it. I am
completely tunnel visioned on the tow, and I have to
snap myself out of it to look at the sailport and keep
my bearings. It feels at least as complex as hard IFR,
and I can't remember the last time I had to focus so
much in the air.
When I get low, we get into the Pawnee's wake
and I mentally apologize to the tow pilot. I used to
tow banners, and a gusty day with a big banner felt
bad enough-I can't imagine
how uncomfortable it is to have
a student pilot attached to you.
But Coulson tells me I'm doing
fine and to keep working it.
At last, we reach our target altitude,
and this time, I release the tow. With a little nose
up to reduce pressure on the tow rope, and a little
pop of letting it go, we turn away from the Pawnee
and begin sailing.
We fly closer to the mountains, and the air has
changed slightly. What was almost perfectly smooth
in the morning is bumpy now, and Coulson considers
calling off the aerobatic portion of the flight. But once
we fly into the aerobatic box, the air is smooth enough
and we try it again. After another fun series of maneuvers
that I don't want to end, we call it a day and land
the opposite direction as we did before. This time I'm
ready for the noise of landing and it feels less alarming.
We climb out, and Tulis gets a chance to fly before
we wrap it up, grabbing some T-shirts on the way out
and both making plans to come back and add the class
to our certificates. The heat at this point is stifling,
and just as we're leaving, the folks who were waiting
for the hottest time of the day get their aero tows. I'm
happy to wait for cooler weather to try again.
It's said that gliding is the purest form of
aviation, and that in turn it makes the purest aviators.
In just a couple short flights, I see why. It hooks
you-sucks you in-and it's great fun. When you
only get one chance at the landing, you tend to get
it right and pay a little more attention. If you're
looking for the next great challenge, and want to
make yourself a better overall pilot, fly sailplanes.
alicia.herron@aopa.org
56
AOPA PILOT / December 2022

AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022

Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - Intro
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 34
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 38
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 112
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - Cover4
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