Photo by Konrad Wojciechowski
Gliders or sailplanes are a very light aircraft that can fly without an engine. They are usually built with one or two seats and rigid wings. Unlike paragliders and hang gliders which use pilots legs for takeoff and landing, gliders have wheels.
Although there are some gliders with an engine to use for extending the flight, gaining height or in some cases for takeoff but most of them have no engine and launch by towing with an airplane, a car or takeoff by a winch. In proper weather, Gliders can gain height using thermals or ridge lift and stay a long time in the air and speed up to 280 Km/h.
Wright Brothers are the first who built Glider in early 1900, but for sporting purpose, Germans are the first.
Gliders are usually equipped with GPS, Compass, Altimeter, Variometer, speed indicator, turn and bank indicator, parachute and …
Most popular companies to supply gliders are: DG Flugzeugbau, Schempp Hirth, Alexander Schleicher, AMS Flight, Pipistrel, Profe, Airsport S.R.O, Binder, AviaStroitel, Alisport, …
Photo by Fal Enron
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