By : Sara Moser

(Guillaume Apollinaire)

Now that I am finally approaching 'Intermediate' status, I thought that now may be a good time to reflect or my experiences as a novice pilot.

Hang gliding "sucked me in" about four and a half years ago now. I would love to say that it had been a life long desire to learn to fly but it really hadn't been. It was just one of those holiday thing to do which resulted in such a feeling of enthusiasm and dedication to a sport that I had never felt before. On the last flight of my license I did a rather ordinary landing and fractured my humorous (upper arm) in three places. Needless to say I did not receive my license and had a lot of time to reflect on my mistake over the next couple of years while my arm healed (and while I waited to get the plate and nine screws removed from my arm!). So, by the time I finally did receive my license I had spent a lot of time watching other pilots learn to fly and also had plenty of time to build up a fear of landing - which brings me to one of the emotions which has been the feature of my flying career to date.

At this time point of writing, I now have 20.3 hours (Yes I am still counting the 'points' - every minute counts!) and my last fly at Ben Nevis (Victoria) was one of my best. One of my best, and yet, as I flew around I was contemplating my fears. Let's see. My fear before launching, my fear when I get too law, my fear when I got too high, my fear when I get a strong thermal, my fear when I fall out of thermal, my fear on landing approach, My fear when I fly a new site and my fear when I have trouble getting down (on my last two flights). In amongst all this fear I sometimes need to stop and look around and wonder why I do this. I remind myself that I am meant to enjoy this crazy sport that I drive all over the countryside for (last Saturday I left home at 9am and returned at 9.30 pm, all for a 1.2 hour flight - sound familiar?). And my answer I guess is simple - because I love it! I love the sensation when I Launch, I love the view from the air, I love watching eagles fly, I love the feeling when you tern the glider, I love the feeling when you pull off that elusive perfect landing (and even mores when someone else sees it!). Most of all I guess I love the personal challenges it provides me with and the people who support me through it and provide me with many laughs and good times. As others have started, it cannot be done without the support and guidance of other pilots, and that I've had plenty of (and a big thank you to all of them).

So, as I approached Intermediate status, I feel my confidence increasing slowly but surely, although the fear is always present (but somewhat more controllable now!). As I look back on each flight and the achievements in each and every one, I think that this time as a novice should be valued; such a huge time of learning, when such small gains are cause for so much excitement and days of walking around with a smile on your face. Flights where you constantly surprise yourself with what you can do, and times when you doubt yourself so much. Such a strange mix of emotions but such a rewarding time. I look at other pilots now going through the same struggles I have, and hope that they can look back on their novice hours like I do, as a positive and rewarding experience. There are times in flying when we all wonder why we are doing it; those days when you spend a whole day getting somewhere just to do another sleddy! But than you think of those times when people ask you, "Don't you get scared?", along with, "I 'd love to try it". And you think, "Yes I do get scared but it is definitely well worth trying!" (but be prepared to spend lots of time and money chasing the wind!). And when I'm flying around at 4000ft admiring the view, watching eagles fly below and other pilots flying past, I think of these people and think how lucky I am to be there, enjoying that sensations that others only dream of! Don't give up. It does get easier and it's well worth the effort.

Article reproduced from Gliding Sky Sailor