Water Ballast

In my last article, we discussed what wing-loading is and how it affects the glider. Essentially, it is the aircraft's weight divided by the wing area & is a crucial factor in the cross country performance.  In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of wing loading, addressing key considerations

Wing loading is a critical concept in gliding, as it significantly impacts the glider's polar, handling, and overall performance. Wing loading quickly changes when adding a passenger to that second seat or loading up water ballast before the flight. By understanding the relationship between wing loading and the glider's polar, pilots can optimise their flights and achieve the best cross-country

Prior to your first flight with water ballast, there are a few things that you should do. If your glider has removable bags pull them out, place them on a sloping surface and fill them with water - looking for leaks. Patch any leaks that you find and make sure that the valve system is working ok. Patching methods depend upon the construction of your bags, but usually a life raft, inflatable boat, or

There is surprisingly little written about the use of water ballast in gliders, and this is true of the flight manuals produced with many gliders and which explain the manufacturer’s systems in detail but say very little about when and how to use the systems. Most of the knowledge in the sport seems to be handed down with the sale of used gliders as old owners impart their experiences to the

I’ve got a secret to share, it’ll make a lot of people happy and a handful of people, not so happy.  Are you a glass glider owner (with tanks, not bladders) that is experiencing shrinkage of the spar?  Are you seeing ripples or deformations in your wing profile?  Some manufacturers are more prone to this or well known for it, fortunately, there’s a cheap fix that doesn’t

Mitigating Risk by Course Selection

One of the biggest impediments to an early start on a good day is the risk that we will start too early, land out in the first hour or so, and ruin what would otherwise be a great soaring day. Fortunately, there is a technique of task layout that manages this risk very well. It involves planning a task with a short run opposite