5 Little Gliding Extras
We all love a bit of retail therapy, especially when it comes to buying stuff for our gliding setup - it’s easy to justify, that’s what I tell myself anyway! If you’re like me, Wings and Wheels is my go-to for quality soaring supplies, but myself being so far away from the States, I often look to buy many little extras after my main purpose purchase (like my recent Softie parachute) – I justify it by saying to myself, I’m paying for the shipping, these smaller products are effectively cheaper as a result! So what have been my latest little purchases that have really helped my enjoyment of our wonderful sport?
SMAK PAK Survival Kit. Sadly like most of us, we all know someone who has jumped out of a glider for whatever reason. I fly 250hrs a year quite often, while I touch wood that it’ll never happen to me, it’s entirely possible. So one should be prepared should it happen, which is why I bought the SMAK PAK. A great little kit that has a hook knife, flat whistle, fire starter, and a signal mirror. There are two sizes, the larger one can store your inReach or SPOT tracker, which is naturally handy storage for day-to-day use, but more importantly, it’ll be with you should the worst case happen!
Mini razor scraper with plastic blade. I’m surprised at how often this little beauty has come in handy, both for gliding and life in general. Rather than using your thumb to roll back the Tesa tape after removing your mylars, taking off the residue from tapes in general, or removing any stickers placed on your glider, fridge or car, the plastic blade on this tool will save you from blisters, your time, and protect your surfaces – no scratches, soft and easy to use!
Quiet vent. Do you suffer from not enough airflow in the cockpit, or enough airflow, but it misses your face or chest which ultimately you want cooled down? This handy little item is for you. Very simple to install, clean, professional, and is discreet. What it does is gently directs the air that comes through your Mecaplex pop-out-scoop on the canopy further into the cockpit, it quietens down the cockpit too when installed, as it’s now guided smooth air – rather than hitting the sharp edges of the Mecaplex components which cause drag and turbulence.
Mark IV yaw string. Rather than have a piece of old wool and tape that ultimately shrinks and sooner or later falls off, I recommend this little addition to your glider. It has a hand-crafted clear base with super-strong adhesive (which when removed, doesn’t leave residue), it raises the yaw string slightly off the canopy & reduces scratches. The wool tuft is synthetic too, making it long-lasting. Hot tip: follow the included instructions for perfect center placement, also, place it further up your canopy for less overall drag.
Plexus canopy cleaner. I can’t recommend this product more, it’s the most effective canopy cleaner, it protects & polishes all kinds of plastic too. I simply flood my canopy with water first, then dry down with a dedicated canopy chamois, then spray the Plexus on, wiping off with a clean anti-static cloth. You’ll be amazed at how clear the canopy becomes, it really makes a difference!
Banner photo by Holger Weitzel, AUFWIND-LUFTBILDER.DE
Adam Woolley was born into the gliding world, being the 3rd generation in his family. Going solo at 15, his thirst for efficiency in soaring flight & quest for a world championship title to his name has never wavered. One big passion is sharing his experiences & joy with other glider pilots all around the world. Adam is an airline pilot in Japan on the B767 & spends his off time chasing summer around the globe. He has now won 7 national Championships & represented Australia at 5 WGC's & 1 EGC.
