Question: we were on the subject of gliding, do you go on our own and how far in the air do you go up? is it something that takes time to learn or something you know as soon as you do it?

Claudia Krehl answered on 20 Mar 2013:

There are two types of gliders: two-seaters and single-seaters. You learn to fly in two-seaters, the instructor sits in the back and the student in the front and everybody has the same controls, so your instructor can teach you properly. (There is an example picture here: )

It takes about 60 flights to learn how to fly on your own, so it doesn’t come natural to us like it does to birds. But when they first started gliding they just gave people a briefing and launched them. That is a pretty scary thought. Now there is a teaching syllabus. But it is the cheapest way of learning how to fly and it is stunning!

Once you can fly you can fly in a single seater without an instructor. When you fly you usually get to about 1500 to 2000 feet and then slowly drift to the ground again. But there is also some lift about that you can use to get higher. I have been to 10000ft. The view from that height is pretty amazing. But there are some real pioneers out there! The height record achieved by a glider is 50000ft! You need special suits and oxygen for flights like that. And they are even now thinking of gliders who can go into space! Pretty awesome right? (Though I think I would be too much of a wuzz for that..)