| Into the Wild Blue Yonder!üIThe Glider Experience | Reporter: Yusuke Kobayashi Click here for Yusuke's article. |
 üúLet's fly in this glider! |
On June 9, I went to Kasuminome airfield to fly in a glider. After observing the airfield where many gliders with long wings were parked, I was able to sit in the cockpit of one. There were gauges like an altimeter as well as a radio and an oxygen tank. I was told that oxygen is necessary when you fly above 3,000 meters. First, there is the pre-flight preparation. You must keep the wings from hitting the ground and attach the rope located on the nose of the glider to the back of a car. The glider is then slowly carried to the runway. It's a lot of work! I learned that you can't fly right away and that everyone's cooperation is needed. Finally, however, we were ready to fly. I sat in the back of a two seater glider and tightened my seat belt. A Cessna pulled us along and up we went. At first I was a little nervous but the pilot, Mr. Hayakawa, who was sitting in the front taught me a little about the controls and I tried flying the glider for a little bit. After cruising for a while we were over the city of Sendai. I could see the shinkansen (Bullet train) tracks, schools, the prison, and lots of other buildings. When we detached from the Cessna the glider floated up for an instant and my heart pounded. All of a sudden everything in front of me was white! We had flown into a cloud! It was really a great feeling catching the wind and flying like a bird. In the blink of an eye 20 minutes went by. It's hard to describe the experience with words but I felt really good. Next time I'd like to try piloting the glider by myself. I have a big challenge and dream now! |
 üúThe beautiful Hirose river! |
| It's a great feeling to fly, isn't it! When you see your familiar city from above you might discover something new. If you have something you would like to challenge yourself with send your comments by e-mail. |  |