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Gliding in India | |
Gliding Centre, Pune |
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Paragliding in India | |
Guest Book |
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Safety Information | |
Picture Gallery |
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Links to other sites | |
International ladder |
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World Gliding Championships 1997 - St Auban | ||
|
Gliding in India | |
Gliding Centre, Pune |
|
Paragliding in India | |
Guest Book |
|
Safety Information | |
Picture Gallery |
|
Links to other sites | |
International ladder |
|
World Gliding Championships 1997 - St Auban | ||
Please sign our guest book . It will help us reach you.
You are vistor no , since 26th June 1997.
1. Government Gliding Centre, Hadapsar, Pune, Maharashtra
2. Deolali Gliding Club, Artillery Centre, Nashik Road, Nashik, Maharashtra
3. Ahmedabad Gliding and Flying Club, Ahmedabad Airport, Ahmedabad,
Gujarat
4. Delhi Gliding Club, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi 110 003
5. Birla Gliding Club, Pilani, Rajasthan
6. Jamshedpur Gliding Club, Sonari Aerodrome, Sonari, Jamshedpur, Bihar
7. Ranchi Gliding Club, Ranchi Airport, Ranchi, Bihar
8. Gliding and Soaring Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Kalyanpur,
Kanpur
9. Pinjore Aviation Club, Civil Airport, Pinjore, Kalka, Haryana
10. Hissar Aviation Club, Civil Airport, Hisar, Haryana
11. Ludhiana Aviation Club, Sanehwal Airport, Ludhiana, Punjab
Three new clubs are likely to be active soon. These are
1. Rajasthan Government Flying School, Sanganer Airport, Jaipur, Rajasthan
2. AGNI Airsports Academy, Jakhur Airport, Bangalore, Karnataka
3. Guwahati Gliding Club, Guwahati Airport
How is Gliding Organised in India?
Student Pilot's Licence
Pilot's Licence (Gliders)
Flight Instructor's Rating (Gliders)
Aero Tow Rating
Motor Glider Rating
Airworthiness of Gliders
Accident & Incidents
Foreign Nationals wanting to glide in India
Age: Minimum 16 years
Knowledge: Pass oral/written exam in 1) Air law, 2) Aircraft and Instruments
including
theory of flight and airmanship, 3) Aviation Meteorology, 4) Air navigation
as
applicable to gliders
Medical: Class II medical assessment by DGCA/ICAO Document 8984.
Experience: Total of 10 hours gliding time of which at least 5 hours
shall be solo flight
time. This time shall include minimum of 75 take-offs of which at least
25 takeoffs
shall be solo within preceding six months.
Knowledge: The pilot should have passed laid down examinations:
Skill test: A pass in skill test from an approved examiner within preceding six months.
Validity: The licence is valid for four years and can be renewed on
production of
evidence of having flown at least three hours PIC within preceding
six months or
carrying out a skill test with an examiner.
The medical is valid for two years till age 40 years and subsequently
one year.
A pilot shall have minimum of 50 hrs and 250 launches as PIC experience
in gliders. Of
which at least two flights shall be of two hours or higher duration
and a cross country
of not less than 60 kilometres.
He shall have undergone an approved instructor’s course.
He shall have passed written examination and skill test leading to instructor’s rating.
The licence is renewed each years upon furnishing evidence of 10 hours
of
instructional experience within preceding twelve months or having undergone
a flight
instructor refresher course.
A glider imported into the country with a valid export Cof A is issued
with Indian
CofA after a routine maintenance schedule as advised by the manufacturer.
All gliders are kept under continuous maintenance programs which is
originated by
each operator and approved by the regional Airworthiness authority.
1. Foreign ab-initio pilots: undergo flying training as for any
other pupil pilot.
Medium of Instruction and examination is English.
2. Foreign pilots in possession of a valid ICAO gliding licence would
require a conversion to Indian licence. This involves an examination
in air-law followed
by General Flying test and three solo flights. After this the relevant
documents together
with the original licence are sent to DGCA, New Delhi for issue of
Indian Licence. The
Indian Licence is issued provided the applicant meets or exceeds the
minimum
experience requirements as laid down for air-crew licencing. Any limitations
on his
foreign licence remain unless the local examiner recommends a waiver.
3. Foreign pilots with no licence (i.e., British pilots): After a pass
in
examination for issue of Pilot’s Licence (Gliders) a Student Pilot’s
Licence is issued
and skill test for issue of Pilot’s Licence (Gliders) is conducted.
This is followed by
three solo flights. Necessary documentation is now send to DGCA for
issue of the
licence. In the meanwhile the pilot continues to exercise the privilege
of his Student
Licence (can fly solo, however no passenger carrying).
4. Pilots bringing their own gliders: A glider registered outside India
is
allowed to operate for six months after which it needs to re-exported.
While it flies as a
foreign registered aircraft the airworthiness requirement of the country
of registry
apply. Compliance is to be guaranteed by the operator. At the end of
six months the
glider needs to registered as an Indian aircraft if not exported out.
Then Indian
airworthiness requirements apply. A foreign registered glider may be
operated by any
pilot holding a valid Indian licence or a licence issued by the country
of registry.
What to expect & a little history
The soaring conditions
Located on the Deccan Plateau amidst Sahyadri ranges, the Government
Gliding
Centre, Pune is situated on the east end of Pune City. Pune city is
about 160 kilometres
from Bombay (now called Mumbai). Pune is well connected by Air, Rail
and Road.
There are several good trains from Mumbai VT, most of which also stop
at Dadar and
bring you to Pune in about four hours. Fast trains that provide daily
air-conditioned
services are Deccan Queen, Pragati Express, Shatabdi Express and Indrayani
Express.
These cost about three British pounds for one way air-conditioned journey.
Non A/C
fares are about 75 Pence. There is also a regular bus service for Pune
from Mumbai,
Dadar for about 1.5 to 3 pounds. The train passes through fairly beautiful
country side.
The journey from Pune Railway Station to Gliding Centre (about 10 km)
could be
trying as the road leading to the Centre is congested. The situation
should improve
with widening of the road that is in progress.
The Centre has a fleet of 10 Super Blaniks and seven wooden gliders
which includes
T21b, Ka 6 and Grunau Baby.
There is a hostel for visiting pilots and a club house. We operate five
days a week from
Sunday through Thursday.
A couple of years ago the Centre was operating with only a lone T21b,
ITG-3(Grunau
baby), and Ka-6 and a couple of other gliders of similar performance
and age. There
were several import restrictions and an import duty of unbelievable
300 %. With the
opening up of the economy and some hectic persuasion this was reduced
to zero in
1993. With no import duty, and relaxed import procedures, DGCA set
about searching
for new gliders. There are no glass ships in India, and hence no maintenance
facilities.
Gliding Centre turned to BGA for advice. Chris Rollings, National Coach
very kindly
responded as did the CFI Lasham. We looked at the second hand market
and did not
get any good deal in the money that was sanctioned. Armed with about
200,000
pounds we had to choose a sailplane which would give the now ailing
gliding
movement - a little room to breathe. There were questions about transition,
maintenance, insurance costs, operating costs and net life of the gliders.
Gliders short listed were Puchacz, DG 500, ASK 21, Grob two seaters,
Puchatek and
L-23 Super Blanik. Difference of opinion cropped up within the committee
set-up for
the purchase by the Government. One school of thought quite rightly
wanted to hear
nothing but glass. The other school opted for softer approach and built
a case for
purchase of larger number and considered other costs and practicalities
like
non-availability of high powered winches. The debate ensued for several
months.
Manufacturers started to run out of patience renewing their offers.
Time started to run
out as the end of the financial year edged closer.
Puchatek KR 03 and Blanik L 23, were inexpensive (could be purchased
new and in
numbers - they were not made of gold), required virtually no maintenance,
repair
technology would be readily available, and assured a long life (no
gel coats to be
refurbished by the manufacturers - after all Europe is not next door).
Puchatek was an
elegant new design from Poland and Super Blanik had served gliding
in large number
over several years in many parts of the world. Fear of unknown weighed
against
Puchatek and familiarity plus Derek’s review in S&G helped the
decision in favour of
L 23. Finally 16 brand new L 23 reached India last year. The gliding
movement that
seemed moribund only days ago, sort of wriggled in its comatose state.
Induction of this fleet has set the ball rolling. The Government has
set-up another
committee for a second purchase. The gossip has it that PW 5, L 33,
L 23 Super
Blanik, Puchatek, Lak 12, Puchacz and Junior are in race. We have the
fingers crossed
and hope like hell that a decision will be made before the end of the
financial year. To
the common glider pilot however, any glider is a good glider so long
as it is in the air
with him in it.
During the former season - the premonsoon season - the thermals very
strong and sky
is entirely blue. The temperatures can be high and unconfortable at
low heights. As we
reach the trigger temperature scores of dust devils are kicked up,
taking up them all
sorts of things, including gliders. Sometimes the conditions are such
that we have to
stop launching to wait for the first wave of dustdevils to subside
- which it does after
about half an hour only to launch its tirade after a short while.While
it may seem
daunting to search thermals in a totally blue sky, there are so many
that are surging up
with lift that our local soaring pilots do not really care. On
any day you could be easily
climbing at 10 knots. No jokes. Although intervening areas of sink
can be eaqually
dramatic and have caught many unaware.
The post monsoon season produces bands of Cumulus marching across the
sky in
beautiful streets - all with bases at 3000 to 4500 feet. Lift is easy
to find, though it is
not as strong and pilots are happy when they climb at 6 to 8 knots.
This time of the
year also brings some nice waves sitting pretty over the tops of the
cumulus streets.
This season is more temperate. The maximum daytime temperature hardly
crosse 25
degrees Celsius, and night temperature sits at comfortable 20 degrees.
There is plenty
of greenery and much slush though no dust. It is also a good time for
photgraphy.
Most of tourist festivals are held now.
Our days are short - being close to equator has its disadvantages. Great
for small
triangles, but 2000 km is still a dream.
Pune is blessed with predictable weather. There is large difference
in minimum and
maximum temperature - except during monsoon. The best thermals are
generated
when the minimum temperatures recorded in a 24 hour period are higher
than 13
degree Celsius and the maximum is higher than 35 degrees Celsius. summer
daytime
temperatures in shade could be as high as 40 degrees Celsius, but the
nights are always
pleasant - being never higher than 20 degrees.
In a closed cockpit it could get quite hot on a summer day and we recommend
that be
carried in the glider for all long flights.
On the South of the the airstrip - about 10 kilometres - there several
hills. A little
further out, the Western Ghats begin. The hills could reach upto 8000
feet. The
alignment and weather conditions do not generate waves often. However
several days
each year we get waves off thermals and Cumulii. Our gliders are NOT
equipped with
oxygen and the law prohibits flights over 10,000 feet without certified
Oxygen. We
have therefore not had any chance of exploring the extent of this lift.
However the
pilots who encounter this lift have had to leave it - rather regrettably
- at 10,000 while
still climbing 10 to 15 knots in what they term very smooth conditions.
There are many European pilots who migrate to Australia during winter
months only
to return for summer. We wonder weather they could drop by in transit
as our best
soaring season fits right in the middle.
If you are the serious soaring pilot who does not care about anything
less than 500 km
triangle you had better get your ship with FAI approved GPS for turn
point evidence.
It is a hassle to get permission for turn point photography.
You will find that the fields are cramped if you wanted to land out.
If you planned to
come to India for several months - it is a big country to see - you
may enjoy soaring.
The people in gliding are friendly. About the bureaucracy one can only
say that British
left it for us and we have perfected it. So you will need to live with
it. However those
gliding will do everything to make your visits pleasant.
Links to other sites on the Web
More
information
International
League/Ladder
Glider
Database
Please do not hesitate to e-mail, if you need any further information on Gliding or any other air-sports activity in India.
© 1997 kshamta@usa.net
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