This video is about flying The PW-5 glider. This glider makes an excellent cross-country trainer. Our glider club, Texas Soaring Association (TSA) located in Midlothian Texas which is one hour drive south of Dallas Texas.
The PW-5 was designed for and won a competition held by the International Gliding Commission for a simple, low-cost sailplane that would form the basis for a new competition class, the IGC World Class. Unlike other, soaring competition classes, the World Class designation would guarantee that all pilots participated on an equal footing and that pilots could not gain an advantage by spending large amounts of money.
General characteristics: PW-5
• Crew: One • Length: 6.22 m (20 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 13.44 m (44 ft 1 in) • Height: 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 10.2 m2 (109.8 ft2) • Aspect ratio: 17.71
• Empty weight: 190 kg (419 lb) • Gross weight: 300 kg (661 lb)
Performance • Maximum speed: 220 km/h (140 mph)
• Maximum glide ratio: 32 • Rate of sink: 0.65 m/s (128 ft/min)
The Texas Soaring Association (TSA) is a non-profit corporation devoted to motorless flight. Established in 1947, the club is located 15 minutes south of Midlothian, Texas, which is itself at the southern edge of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The club is maintained and operated by the voluntary efforts of its more than 200 members. The club operates from its own airfield and owns six single and four two-place sailplanes, plus four Pawnee tow planes. TSA operates year-round on most flyable Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The club also operates on an unscheduled basis on other weekdays when the flying weather is really good!
Why learn to fly gliders?
The Wright brothers knew that the way to get into aviation was through gliders. Their experiments in design and practical application in flying gliders helped them to understand the complexities of powered flight. If you are new to aviation, learning to fly gliders provides basic skills valuable to any aviation pursuit.
If you are an experienced pilot, you could join the rank of glider pilots such as Steve Fossett, Neil Armstrong, Chesley Sullenberger, and many other renowned aviators. Flying sailplanes may re-introduce you to the joy of basic flight which doesn’t require noisy, gas-guzzling engines or complicated technology to fly.
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