Beginners Training

This page serves as an introduction to Gliding in Flight Simulator and is a small extract from the UK VGA Gliding Manual, available in the downloads section, which all members should download and read through.

Introduction

Modern high performance gliders are able to achieve a 70:1 glide ratio, with some maximum speeds reaching 170mph, yet with stall speeds typically around 40mph. The current gliding distance record is 3000km. The height record is over 46000ft. On a good day a glider can continue flying for many hours, 5 hours not being exceptional in good conditions. In order to achieve such feats, it is necessary to use naturally occurring lift, yet it is not generally realized just how much energy is available in the air. Though only occasionally found in the UK, rising thermal air currents can provide a lift rate of 1000ft/min. Needless to say sink rates can also reach similar levels. You just need to know where to look.

Although the word soaring is used interchangeably with gliding, it is soaring that is the art of using the natural air currents to stay airborne. These currents take various forms and are described fully in the UK VGA Gliding Manual, available in the downloads section. In this beginners section we will concentrate on thermals as they are most easily reproduced in Flight Simulator.

Thermals are a secondary effect of the direct illumination from the sun. The heat is absorbed by the ground and causes the surrounding air to be warmed. This air starts to form a bubble which is dislodged from the ground, usually by some movement such as a car passing, so that it starts to rise. As the air rises, it expands and becomes more established, possibly merging with other bubbles, thus becoming larger as it reaches a greater height. It will tend to take on the more usual shape for thermals of a doughnut. Rising air is found at the centre, or core, of the thermal, and falling air on the outside. This is why an area of sink is found just before one reaches the rising part of the thermal. The real art of soaring is then to try and fly within the centre where the fastest rising air is found.

Club Bases

Four airfields have been established as bases for Association activity.

• Seighford, Staffordshire
• Parham, Sussex
• Lasham, Hampshire
• Long Mynd, Shropshire

For each of these airfields, the Association has created custom scenery, which includes runway layouts, buildings, windsock and a few gliders scattered around to create an interesting environment for members. These scenery files may be downloaded from the downloads section.

For each of these airfields, we have also created some “fixed” thermals. These are scenery files, (.bgl) which are installed in your FS Addon Scenery folder along with, but separate from the airfield scenery itself. These thermals are fixed in position and never move, regardless of wind and weather.

They have been placed over specific ground features, e.g. an industrial estate where there are many buildings with a combined large roof area which gets hot in the sun and heats the air above it. In the real world might be expected to generate thermals, so that is why a “virtual thermal" has been put there.

They vary in number at each airfield, so that beginners get a graduated challenge.

The thermals are graduated in size, getting larger in diameter with height, in a similar way to real world thermals. Most have been constructed in the following dimensions, but a few are slightly different.

• 500ft AGL to 1500ft AGL - 0.25nm wide
• 1500ft AGL to 2500ft AGL - 0.375nm wide
• 2500ft AGL to 3500ft AGL - 0.5nm wide

At Seighford, as a separate download, a “Nursery thermal” file has been provided. This file contains just one large thermal which is profiled as follows:

• 500ft AGL to 1500ft AGL - 0.25nm wide
• 1500ft AGL to 2500ft AGL - 0.75nm wide
• 2500ft AGL to 3500ft AGL - 1.0nm wide

This is where absolute beginners to gliding may choose to start to discover the magic of this, the silent side of Flight Simulator. For members without photographic scenery, a large flock of birds has also been provided which will circle in the thermal, giving you its position. Once beginners have grasped the concept of an aircraft rising through the air without an engine, and had a bit of fun with this thermal, which, it is important to realise, is very much easier to obtain lift from and stay in than the real world thermals, it is hoped that members will remove it from their scenery library, as ultimately, it will interfere with your enjoyment of the other Seighford thermals, and even more so when graduating to dynamically generated thermls using the advanced software tools available.

In each download there is a “Readme” file telling the user where each of these thermals is located. We strongly recommend that beginners to gliding use this information to find these fixed thermals and thus experience their effect without needing much in the way of help from other members. We also recommend beginners to start off at Seighford and work up to flights at Long Mynd as they gain experience.

Club Training Gliders

In the real world, beginners to gliding fly in 2-seat aircraft with an instructor, as you would expect. In Flight Simulator, we cannot mimic that easily, so you fly solo from your very first launch. We do however require that beginners fly one of four 2-seat training aircraft which we have obtained from the stable of the prolific FS glider designer, Wolfgang Piper. We have modified these aircraft to incorporate a unique and clever winch launch system called VET. Each of these aircraft gives the beginner an easy insight into gliding, and you can select your preference.

For FS9 users these are all available with the VET winch launch simulation. FSX users may use either WinchX! or the VET launch simulation. At beginner stage, though, it is recommended that you use the VET launch system. WinchX! is explained in the advanced section which leads the glider pilot into more advanced flying using some very sophisticated software tools to enable him to get the most out of this branch of Flight Simulator... Note that the UK VGA aircraft fitted with the VET launch capability cannot be launched by aerotow (towed into the air by a powered aircraft) – a feature available in FSX for any glider not fitted with the VET system.

Our grateful thanks are due to Wolfgang Piper for his wonderful work in producing the base versions of these gliders. Only the VET equipped versions for FS9 and for FSX are available on the UK VGA website. If you wish to try a launch using aerotow, you will need to download the versions of the aircraft from Wolfgang Piper’s website, www.fsglider.de, which do not have VET fitted.

In the Badge Rules section , the rules for the competitive badges and awards system are set out in detail. It is sufficient to point out at this stage that to obtain the first three levels of gliding achievement; Badge A, Badge B, and Bronze Award, one of the above training gliders must be used, with the A and B Badges required to be gained in a dual seat trainer which again, broadly mimics real world gliding practice.

The VET Launch System

The picture below is of the cockpit panel of the Schleicher ASK 13 2-seat training glider. On the right of the panel is a switch and to its right a small lamp. Above these is a small liquid crystal display containing the number 1500. These are the VET controls.

The default height at which the cleverly simulated but invisible winch cable will release is 1500 feet when FS starts. Launch height is the height required above the airfield level (QFE) not sea level (QNH).

To use the VET system, the following simple actions are carried out.

1. Select the altitude at which you wish the “winch cable” to release. Click the down arrow to change the altitude setting to 1000 feet, (it always defaults to 1500 feet as illustrated).
2. Hover the mouse over the switch on the left of the green lamp until the “pointing finger” mouse pointer has a ‘+’ inside it. Now click the switch.
3. The lamp will now flash orange, and an audible beep will be heard, both at 1 second intervals. After about 20 seconds, the glider will begin to move forward.
4. Keep the wings level and a few seconds later the aircraft will be airborne. It will climb rapidly to the height of 1000ft above airfield level, when with a loud “clunk”, the “tow” will be dropped. The aircraft will pitch wildly for a second or two, which you should control and damp with stick inputs.
5. Once the aircraft has settled down – you are gliding. The system is as simple as that.

VATSIM - Flying Online

VATSIM stands for Virtual Air Traffic (Control) Simulator. It is an online Air Traffic Control (ATC) System. It is designed primarily for powered aircraft flying cross country routes in Flight Simulator and making use of Air Traffic Control Services which are provided by enthusiasts who prefer being Air Traffic Controllers rather than pilots.

Both pilots and controllers connect to a network of servers worldwide which allows all aircraft in close proximity to see each other, and when their communication radios are tuned to the same frequency; to hear each other and the Air Traffic Controller talking to different aircraft.

The Association uses VATSIM primarily so that members can see each other at or near the same airfield. It will be rare, but not unknown, for glider pilots to communicate with ATC, although there is a system called UNICOM which all pilots not receiving any other ATC service must tune their radios to.

Full details of how VATSIM works and what it provides can be found on the comprehensive website at www.vatsim.net. Suffice it to say here that UK VGA members must also be members of VATSIM and must comply with VATSIM rules when gliding, as well as Association rules.

For a flight to qualify as a recognised UK VGA flight, it must be flown while connected to VATSIM. Your VATSIM username number is also required before you can file any UK VGA PIREPS.

Using one of two freeware software applications, and an internet connection, you connect to a network of servers around the world. You are then also connected to sometimes well over 100 other pilots all flying on line, and at least half as many virtual Air Traffic Controllers. To avoid complete computer overload, you only see other aircraft out of your window when within 10 nautical miles and Air Traffic Controllers within about 80 miles radius.

Before you can join the VATSIM world, you have to be a member. Go to the main international VATSIM website at www.vatsim.net and look in the left hand menu for “Member Services”. Click on that entry and you will find a “Join Now” link. Once you have your User ID and password, you can install the software described below.

The two free online connection programmes are “Squawkbox” and FSInn. Some people prefer Squawkbox, others prefer FSInn. They do essentially do the same job, although FSInn has more features and is thus more complex. For FS9, which of the two applications you choose to use is up to you. FSInn Version 1.2 is the official release version for FS9, whereas FSInn Version 1.3 is a stable Beta release designed for use with FS9 and FSX. For FSX, you must use either Squawkbox 4 or FSInn Version 1.3.

Checklists

Real world glider pilots use the following checklist acronyms to help them remember all the checks to carry out before launching or landing. These acronyms are printed on labels stuck to the panels of the club training gliders to help you.

CBSIFTCBE - Pre-flight Checklist

• Controls
  Check for full and free movement
  Check FS is not still in Slew Mode
• Ballast
  Check aircraft weight is within limits, especially if water ballast is loaded.
• Straps
  Not an issue with FlightSim but here for completeness, unless you are lucky enough to have a simulator motion rig.
• Instruments
  Turn the the altimeter adjusting knob until it reads zero, to show aircraft height above the aerodrome (QFE), the preferred option for local gliding at one airfield.
  Familiarise yourself with where the launch speed indication is on the ASI.
• Flaps
  Set to launch position if fitted.
• Trim
  Check trim is set correctly. Usually just forward of neutral is set, but some VET equipped aircraft reset trim to neutral as the launch starts.
• Canopy
  Closed and secured. (Press Shift-E to check)
• Brakes
  Check for full and free movement of the Air Brakes. (Many times gliders have launched with the airbrakes open)
• Eventualities
  Run over in your mind likely actions required in the event of a cable break. Don’t overfixate on it. You will need to judge the situation as you find it.

TUF - Post-launch Checklist:

• Trim
  Check trim is set correctly.
• Undercarriage
  The landing gear should be raised if the glider has retractable gear. Omitting this check can cause you to raise the undercarriage just before landing.
• Flaps
  If fitted they should be set to zero degrees.

WULF - Pre-landing Checklist:

• Water
  Empty the water ballast before landing, remember this can take quite a few minutes so do it before the downwind leg.
• Undercarriage
  The landing gear should be down if the glider has retractable gear. This is an expensive mistake.
• Loose Objects
  Secure all loose objects, including the pilot!
• Flaps
  They should be set full out.