Glider Cloud Flying 2023 - extended edition

Рет қаралды 16,861

6 ай бұрын

Extended edition of Cloud Flying 2023 video with original audio. Flying LS8-st glider over Southern Finland skies, mostly near Räyskälä airfield. Clips from summer of 2023.
FAQ
1. This looks absolutely crazy, it has to be illegal
The European Aviation Authority (EASA) has regulations that set the framework for how to fly gliders in clouds. Your national authorities may prohibit this, or make it very difficult. Mine does not; they abide by the EASA regulations. You need a cloud flying rating, and the glider needs to have proper instruments. In short, it is legal. I have over 3500 hrs flight time in gliders with 15 year experience of cloud flying. I am a flight instructor and also teach cloud flying ratings.
2. This looks very dangerous
Cloud flying is only done by pilots who have received training and a rating. We have a very good safety record; accidents are practically non-existent.
3. You are flying very close to clouds, breaking minimum distance to cloud VMC minima
Cloud flying is done in IMC conditions, so VMC minima do not apply.
4. You risk colliding with other planes in clouds
In controlled airspace, we get clearance from ATC, who keeps traffic separated. In uncontrolled airspace, we broadcast cloud flying on a common frequency and take care of the separation ourselves. I have a transponder and FLARM, though they are not required by regulations.
5. Icing is very dangerous
Icing degrades the glide performance of the glider, but it remains totally controllable. Ice sheds away below the zero level. Icing of pitot and total energy ports leads to some instruments (ASI, variometer) becoming inoperable. We practice for this during training. If we lose an instrument, we exit the cloud and descend to an altitude where ice melts away.
6. It looks totally awesome
Yes.
#Gliding #CloudFlying #Cloudsurfing #glider #sailplane #soaring

Пікірлер: 71

@TeekoFPV 6 ай бұрын

This is one of the most visually stunning aviation videos I've ever seen! definitely needs more views

@krasw 6 ай бұрын

Thanks mate, much appreciated!

@TeekoFPV 5 ай бұрын

@@krasw Very welcome, thanks for sharing! have fun up there :)

@JohnCunningham-sy5ug 5 ай бұрын

Great thanks for no music. Super veiw!!

@IgorVolkov 5 ай бұрын

Amazing! I thought I was the only one crazy. In South Africa, I once had to dial 5800 to return to the airfield through a zone with no weather. In 15 minutes the cloud went from small and gentle to thunderous. Came out of the flow at 10 m/s. There was icing when leaving the cloud. It is surprising to find it at 35 degrees near the surface of the earth.

@EvilBikerGangOfTheSky 6 ай бұрын

Those couds are epic!

@user-yd9bj3bs8g 6 ай бұрын

Started gliding and power flying both on 'wood and fabric" machines 56 years ago. Gliding is still my preferred form of aeronautical activity Hopping in,out and around clouds is really great but best in gliders. Still flying and gliding. John.FAI/BGA 51417 25/08/1968.

@markplain2555 6 ай бұрын

Kristian, thank you very much. . Sharing this video is a true wonder of KZfaq. If you ever come to Toronto, your beer is on me. . You were obviously having so much fun whipping in and around the clouds. You have inspired me, I have been researching petitioning our local authorities to find out if this could be done here - at least in some parts of Canada. Or if we can get temporary permission. First things first, I'd love to get an experience and some training and then of course (if the authorities would be open to it) I'd get the instrument upgrade. . Again thank you - this is very appreciated.

@krasw 6 ай бұрын

Thanks Mark!

@krasw 6 ай бұрын

BTW this was shot on my hand held S22+ phone (thus ugly left-handed flying), got to get proper action cam for next season :)

@markplain2555 6 ай бұрын

@@krasw Yeah I could see the reflection on your little mirror. But hey the video came out fantastic. Which reminds me - do yo have a motor in the back? . I know of a few local glider pilots who carry a transponder and they radio in asking permission to cross class C and class D airspace - and get their permission (ie: our authorities can be accommodating to us). I wonder if the authorities would be open to the idea that if we carry a transponder (broadcasting altitude) if we could do cloud flying in class G. The reason this may be possible is that with a transponder, IFR planes can see us, but why it is material to us is that cloud base is normally a mere 5,000ft and most airspace around me has no Class B, meaning we could in theory go right up to 18,000 ft or as high as the clouds go. On a blue thermal day I can go up to 18,000 (in theory). There is a lot of altitude gain and hence more cross country distance we are missing out on (not to mention fun in the clouds). . Maybe as an experiment - I would like to apply for a certain 'zone' to be temporarily designated class F for gliders only and allow us to do cloud flying (with transponders). . I'd like to ask you more about the details of your local regulations and how there is the exception for cloud gliding. . Lastly - I should tell you, at home, I have a very large screen and to sit back and watch your long video is a treat for me. So thank you again.

@krasw 6 ай бұрын

To be honest, it depends totally how your authorities view cloud flying. It does not help if you have instruments, xponder and G-airspace, they might just give blanket response "no", sadly. You might find this article interesting, it is about initiative to allow cloud flying in Germany few years ago: www.aerokurier.de/segelflug/wolkenflug-aus-freien-stuecken-ohne-sicht/ (use browser translate if you do not read german) What is most appalling, there was a lot of german glider pilots who were against this. You can actually read them preaching dangers of cloud flying in the article, without any experience of cloud flying, at least with modern glider/instruments. I think it went nowhere after that. For common glider pilots, I can only say that luckily they do not know what they are missing. @@markplain2555

@krasw 6 ай бұрын

To answer you other question, possibility of cloud flying is very much written into EU regulations, it was lobbied to EASA because it was so common in many countries (UK above all). So it is not an exception to allow it, it is an exception to prohibit it.

@oskarlorenz2727 6 ай бұрын

Amazing ! Absolut goal in my Gliederung career

@MrErwinGliding Ай бұрын

Epic :D Watch out for your inputs on 1:05, counter aileron on wingdrop can lead to unintentional spins.

@maxerle1092 5 ай бұрын

Wonderful! 🤩

@robhelenflaherty9083 5 ай бұрын

What a treat to be able to fly with you through the heavens - it’s like a dream! If you ever decide you want a soundtrack I can recommend the track Hiding In The Clouds on the album Terrene by LAUGE & AES DANA. Album available from Ultimae records.

@skymatserupinthesky5889 5 ай бұрын

Wunderschöne Aufnahmen!!! Supi Geil

@soaringeagle 6 ай бұрын

Imagine if he had such an epic flight but you forgot to charge your camera batteries

@petergric 5 ай бұрын

Amazing!!!

@krasw 5 ай бұрын

Thanks!!

@gxlbiscuit 5 ай бұрын

Great video, Such a bummer that I can’t fly like this in the U.S.

@krasw 5 ай бұрын

Maybe one day!

@AndrewBashtovoy 2 ай бұрын

Amazing IFR glidining

@chatGPT_Chats Ай бұрын

4:50 is my new desktop background

@don_alex_97 4 ай бұрын

you are living my dreams.....

@jos0981 4 ай бұрын

Parabéns de um voo lindo - Brasil

@peterp.4381 4 ай бұрын

WOW !!!

@flyneur 4 ай бұрын

...this video is incredible! Thanks for sharing. The ice on the wings looks very scary! Did you feel a difference in performance and controls?

@krasw 4 ай бұрын

Performance suffers obviously very much, but glider flies the same. Controls may stick occasionally when you exit totally wet glider into cold air around cloud. Nothing too dramatic, controls will free up when moving the stick. Thanks for you comments!

@flyneur 4 ай бұрын

@@krasw Wow! It would make me too much worried. Thanks for your answer! 🙏😃

@krasw 4 ай бұрын

The glider gets ice pretty during almost every climb, so I've grown used to it.

@youtube-user73424 3 ай бұрын

Magical! @6:37

@sportevolutionclusone7200 4 ай бұрын

WOW......😎💪💪

@christianhoney4244 3 ай бұрын

Looked like rough icing on your leading edges. Scary shit. Was that why you tested the stall speed?

@krasw 3 ай бұрын

Yes, I wanted to check that if the ice does not melt before next climb. Stall really is not so different from clean wing stall, speed is marginally higher. No big deal.

@mnice59 4 ай бұрын

Now I'm confused on cloud rules, IFR and gliders and Nimbus up/down drafts exceeding the G-forces of a wing. EDIT: Sorry the vid was so awesome I didn't read the description and I was so moved I commented before seeing the answers the comments. Thanks. PS The nimbus thing is still scary.

@krasw 4 ай бұрын

We do not fly in cb clouds, these are mostly towering cu that are generally very benign in our cold climate.

@youtube-user73424 3 ай бұрын

do yo have an Attitude Indicater in the glider?

@krasw 3 ай бұрын

Yes, my electric variometer has one, as it has full inertial sensors

@cloudstreets1396 2 ай бұрын

What did you do to your yaw string? For half the video it doesn’t move at all like it is being held down

@krasw 2 ай бұрын

It gets wet in cloud and then freezes. I need a heated yaw string!

@cloudstreets1396 2 ай бұрын

@@krasw ha!!! I never even thought of that. It made you look like a super star. Perfectly coordinated turns all the time.

@glider1157 5 ай бұрын

I think some parts could be not legal. Are you IFR-equiped?

@krasw 5 ай бұрын

Cloud flying is done in IMC, please check the FAQ.

@zbigniewkunas2020 4 ай бұрын

Hi, I have a separate zone in Poland for glider cloud flights. I also conduct training in such flights, very cool but demanding flying. I have been flying since 1981 and have flown 15,500 hours in gliders so far.

@krasw 4 ай бұрын

Nice to hear from fellow cloud flyers, Zbigniew. Greetings to Poland! Agree that it is demanding, but little bit less so with modern artificial horizon.

@zbigniewkunas2020 4 ай бұрын

@@kraswEquipment is one thing, but the ability to fly freely in a separated and activated zone up to FL135 is a great comfort.

@promail70 4 ай бұрын

OMG

@kentwilliams3326 2 ай бұрын

So, do they have to file for an IFR clearance to fly that-a-way?

@krasw 2 ай бұрын

Depends on airspace class, in uncontrolled (G-class) airspace there is no requirement/possibility for IFR clearance, whether you fly a glider or Airbus A380 inside the clouds.

@kalashdhamal1070 5 ай бұрын

Gliders can do IFR?

@krasw 5 ай бұрын

Pls read video description for info

@kalashdhamal1070 5 ай бұрын

@@kraswthanks

@steffanjansenvanvuuren3257 3 ай бұрын

I saw Ice on the wing leading edges???!

@krasw 3 ай бұрын

Yes we get that all the time.

@steffanjansenvanvuuren3257 3 ай бұрын

@@krasw I never knew that also happens to these gliders. Is it a problem? Weight/Aerodynamics?

@krasw 3 ай бұрын

@@steffanjansenvanvuuren3257 Performance goes down the toilet for a while, but it melts usually below cloudbase

@steffanjansenvanvuuren3257 3 ай бұрын

@@krasw Still an amazing flight...

@SlosII 6 ай бұрын

Do the VFR rules not apply to gliders? 1000 ft vertical separation from cloud and 1500m horizontal separation?

@krasw 6 ай бұрын

Cloud flying is obviously done in IMC, so VMC minima do not apply. I have explained this in detail in comment section of this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/graEest43NytfYk.html

@SlosII 6 ай бұрын

@@krasw I've just read up on this. As a GA pilot, I never knew this existed. It's very cool but I still think it's crazy. If I'm minding my own business, staying 1000 ft below clouds in my Cessna and suddenly a glider pops out of those clouds? that's insane.

@krasw 6 ай бұрын

Uncontrolled airspace can be full of GA planes in every cloud, without you knowing they are there. If you fly under clouds in VFR, you have a chance of flying with bigger separation from clouds (than minima), and of course looking out of the windscreen. In glider cloud flying we generally exit cloud from the side (up high), exiting by descending from the bottom is quite unusual and risky in areas you have a lot of (VFR) gliders. BTW we have flarms installed (sort of ADS-B) and see other gliders on traffic radar screen all the time (upper left indicator on my panel). I use also transponder, which some GA planes might see, though usually not as they universally fly with 1960's tech.@@SlosII

@SlosII 6 ай бұрын

@@krasw Uncontrolled airspace can be full of GA planes in every cloud ? Really, I thought the whole point of VMC minima is to prevent exactly this.

@SlosII 6 ай бұрын

@@kraswby the way, in the Czech Republic (where I’m currently flying) uncontrolled airspace (class G) is from ground to 1000 ft AGL only.