Soar with Simon

Used today's flight to test the phone mount and the recording on my Android. Not terrible quality for a first attempt. Probably a bit washed out due to the cloud but worked okay. It was a decent day with some nice ridge soaring. #gliding #avgeek #selfie

YouTube video by Soar with Simon Landing Behind - A busy day at Denbigh

This is my latest video of me doing a land behind on a busy day at Denbigh:

youtu.be/a95bp3m0EW8

#soaring #denbigh #gliding #landing

The queue of gliders at Denbigh waiting to depart.

#Soaring #Gliding #Denbigh #sailplane

Nicely done! It looks like such a nice plane to fly.

YouTube video by Soar with Simon Flying home from the coast

Watch me fly back to Denbigh after thermaling near the coast:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Lw...

#denbigh #soaring #avgeek #gliding

Found some amazing thermals near the coast today. Amazing weather. #gliding #soaring #avgeek

Nice bit of blue wave in Denbigh today. Looking out over the Irish Sea.

#soaring #gliding #avgeek

YouTube video by Soar with Simon Wing drop on take off

Had a few problems with the Go-Pro recently, so been a bit dry on footage. However, here is small clip of me battling a wing drop on take-off for you to get stuck in to:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGs5...

#gliding #avgeek #take-off #soaring

Yeah, coming from the powered world, the fact that you can legally fly in cloud as a student pilot on solo was wild. Of course, it's not a sensible thing to do and no-one advocates for it. Informally, folks don't attempt it until they have their cloud flying badge.

YouTube video by Soar with Simon Loss of control - upset and recovery training

In the UK, the only legal requirement for flying IMC in a glider is that you're wearing a parachute.

As an optional bolt-on, you can undergo training for cloud flying. In this video, I do upset and recovery part of the syllabus.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLoN...

#gliding #soaring #avgeek #denbigh

Looks like good fun for sure

Approximately 40:1 at 54 kts.

Yeah, LS4 solo. I looked back at the footage and the speed never went below 45kt and it stalls at 37kt, and that's not a huge margin. I think I should probably fly lower and faster and everything would probably work better. I'm probably towards the maximum altitude the ridge would work.

It's definitely a confidence thing being that close to the ground. It will 100% work better, as it was able to recover height lost. Just need to practice more.

North Wales, UK. Wales is quite mountainous. Lots of good soaring.

100% - some of the footage out the alps looks amazing. Absolutely on the bucket list.

YouTube video by Soar with Simon A beginner's attempt at ridge soaring

As a trainee glider pilot, this is me working a small patch of our local ridge at Denbigh. I have to stay within glide distance of the home base so can't venture too far.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

#Denbigh #soaring #gliding

You have to love a bit of ridge soaring. Got a clip coming out in the next few days of me working a small section of this hill.

#gliding #soaring #ridge #denbigh

YouTube video by Soar with Simon Battling Turbulence in the Wave

Today's adventure was battling turbulence in the mountains.

It was significantly rougher than it looks on the video. The straps were tested a few times during this short clip!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0EA...

#Denbigh #Soaring #Gliding #Turbulence

YouTube video by Soar with Simon Descent through the clouds

Today's flight was a badge flight. I completed both the Bronze XC (1hr) and Silver Height awards.

After an hour and half in the air, watch as I descend through the cloud on my way to land:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX5n...

#gliding #soaring #denbigh

In search of sunset at 4,000ft over north Wales.

YouTube video by Soar with Simon When ridge soaring becomes wave soaring

Today's exercise was ridge soaring in the LS4, however, midway through the flight the weather transitioned to more wave like conditions.

Watch in the following clip as I go from scratching around for lift to properly established in the wave:

youtu.be/iFIEkgX5QUQ

#gliding #soaring #denbigh #ridge

Second flight in the LS4. Transitioned out of the ridge lift in to wave. Probably my best flight to date, was up over an hour.

I had my go-pro so stay tuned for any clips!

#gliding #soaring #denbigh #flying

Every landing you can walk away from is a good landing. Bonus points if you can use the glider again 🤣

YouTube video by Soar with Simon My first landing in the LS4

Took my first flight in the LS4 yesterday.

It's a single seater aircraft which means you can't go up with an instructor before you fly it. That made it a step forward towards my Bronze rating.

You can watch my landing here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm0W...

#gliding #soaring #denbigh #flying

Captured this picture of Denbigh's airfield. Unfortunately, ice was condensing directly on to the wings which made it unflyable.

I did a bit of ridge soaring to finish the year. You can see I'm close to cloud base here hugging the ridge.

Unfortunately, the camera was mounted incorrectly so the video was unusable.

However, this still show the view out towards Rhyl and the sea just below the cloud.

#gliding #soaring #denbigh

Loved the footage. What an amazing day where you were. I was battling intermittent showers in Denbigh today 😢

YouTube video by Soar with Simon A Christmas Sledge-glide (With a hyperspace takeoff)

Today's flight was a quick currency flight, with scattered showers about.

Watch the takeoff for the "hyperspace" effect as the speed picks up on the take-off role. #gliding #denbigh

Part of the reason I started making this content is that I watched other people's gliding videos and enjoyed watching them.

But in order for me to have content to watch, other folks have to make it. So I thought I'd contribute myself too.

So sort of paying it forward. Glad you enjoyed it!