XC

Final glide after a days XC

Cross-country Course

Course: 3 days
Price: £250

All transport and radios provided

Aim
This follows on from the thermalling course, as pilots master the skills of ridge soaring and turn their attention to thermal flying, the focus leads to cross country flight. The challenge and adventure of flying in unfamiliar surroundings is unbeatable. However, flying in the mountains requires a more advanced flying technique. This 3 day course aims to give an introduction to mountain flying with the objective of looking at the necessary skills and decisions that give us the best chance of thermalling away from the familiar environment of the ridge to the freedom of the open skies.

Each day will follow a similar pattern. The morning briefing is designed to give as much information to the pilot as possible to put them in the right frame of mind for XC flying. Conditons, thermal strength, xc route, retrieve etc.

Flying XC is just a case of linking 2 thermals together, but it requires the symbolic cutting of ties from the hill. This course deals not only with the practice but also the mental side of XC flying.

Each day the instructor will launch first and wait in the house thermal for the students to catch up. Then it is follow my leader down the ridge and beyond. Radio guidance will help in your decision-making and you will be amazed at how quickly you progress.

The debriefing session each day is vital to improving the next day’s performance. The decisions you made, why and when etc all need to be discussed.

The Sarangkot ridge is a perfect location for this our XC course. 10Km long with many options and easy retrieves, it provides the ideal conditions and unforgettable views, so don’t forget the camera!