On Saturday, 18 November 2017, Javi made his first flight in a “plastic” single-seat glider, the piwi (PW5). He tells us in his own words how he lived it (he writes in Valencian, so if you spot an unusual expression, that’s why)…
I’d spent several weeks eager to fly the piwi (PW5), but Aleix, my instructor, wasn’t quite convinced yet and kept telling me I needed to fly more.
Saturday dawned like a good “suelta” day: sunny and windless. But when my turn came, Aleix said nothing about the piwi, so, a bit disappointed, I had to fly the K13.
In the afternoon, at Manel’s request (and Aleix’s, who was towing with the Rallye) and with Jan’s help, I got into the piwi to spend a little time in the cockpit and, almost before I could get used to it, they were putting me on the runway. There, the trio of instructors (Aleix, Manel and Rafa) gave me the final tips (very gentle stick to take off; if you climb too high don’t try to descend, wait for the tug; to land, this is the position…).
In no time I found myself saying: Yankee Sierra, piwi glider, radio check… taking up slack… towing; and hoping the flight would go well.
So, even though it was a short flight, it left me grinning from ear to ear.
Javi
