Sport
27 January, 2025
Full contingent expected for gliding week
Over the next two weeks, Gliders will be in the Wimmera Mallee skies for the annual Horsham Gliding Week competition.
The coaching week began on Saturday, January 25, and will conclude on Friday, January 31. The competition starts on Saturday, February 1, and concludes on Friday, February 8.
Coaching week equips the pilots to travel long distances independently, and some will participate in the competition.
Horsham Flying Club president Michael Sudholz explained the process.
"The pilots have done a bit of flying locally, and coaching week just extends their experience to fly further from their home base," Sudholz said.
"They might do a 50km trip and work up to a 150km trip and beyond.
"We have four coaches with a wide range of experience and a lot of flying hours experience, and they will jump in a two-seater with these students and coach them on improving their flying skills and confidence."
"The biggest hurdle for them is having that confidence to leave the airfield and knowing that you have the skills to fly to say Dimboola and back again, reading the weather, understanding the terrain and the aircraft and how far they can fly at a certain height."
"They will have a briefing at 10 am, and then they go up for a fly at midday. Some of the pilots this week have been back two or three times, and they have returned to improve their skills further."
"They will be set a task for the day and the next morning are debriefed on how they went and how they can improve their skills."
Some of the pilots from coaching week will participate in the competition. Sudholz expects a full contingent of 40 gliders during the week and confirmed that the 2024 junior world champion, Ryan Driscoll, will participate.
"While numbers haven't been confirmed yet, we are looking at a full program," Sudholz said.
"We have a maximum allowance of 40 gliders, and I think we will get there.
"There will be some highly skilled pilots, including the junior world champion, Ryan Driscoll, who is stepping up to the next level.
"There are three grades: open, standard and club, and it will be an exciting week."