Terry is a retired school teacher, retired Army Reservist, and retired civilian Department of the Army Civilian working about half the time as a pilot and flight instructor. He has been flying since age 19, adding gliders in 2011. He's been an FAA certificated flight instructor since 2013.
ON JANUARY 23, 2011 I passed the check ride for Private Pilot Glider at Bermuda High Soaring. Four days later I took my dad for a ride and had the chance to get checked out in the Schweizer 1-26 single seat glider – a first for me.
Apparently, it’s pretty common to over control during takeoff on most pilots’ first flight. I listened to Frank’s directions and managed to do OK. The first flight was just a simple sled ride from 3,000′ to the ground.
About to takeoff – this picture and the others were taken by my dad.Takeoff! I’m rolling down the runway on the first flight; I managed to avoid over controlling, too.
After the initial flight I was ready to go again! I released at 3,000′ and began to coast back. Suddenly, at about 1,800′ I felt a bump and thought, “This feels like how the books describe a thermal.” I didn’t know anything about centering in a thermal, but I did circle for a while and actually gained 600 feet. That was the first time I had “soared” rather than “glided.”
Frank Reid with me after the first “solo” in a single seat glider – also my first flight ever in a single seat aircraft. 🙂
Suddenly, at about 1,800′ I felt a bump and thought, “This feels like how the books describe a thermal.”
Takeoff! I'm rolling down the runway on the first flight; I managed to avoid over controlling, too.
The SGS 1-26 is a very common single seat training glider in the US.
Frank Reid with me after the first "solo" in a single seat glider - also my first flight ever in a single seat aircraft. 🙂
About to takeoff - this picture and the others were taken by my dad.
I was flying to south Georgia on the afternoon of April 12, 2007. I was on an instrument flight plan. The low oil pressure light came on. I notified ATC (air traffic control) immediately. Thankfully I was on an instrument flight plan and they knew which “blip” I was on the radar. I was nine miles from the closest airport. The engine quit when I was still six miles away.
From the time the engine quit until I was on the ground was only three to four minutes, but it seemed as if it had been 10-15. I was able to glide the airplane to the ground completely under control. There was never any doubt in my mind about making a safe landing.
Eventually I expect someone will figure out the cause of the engine failure. The plane is a total write off but I’m fine and unhurt. All of my training proved itself in these few minutes of flight. I expect to be in the air again in a few days. This won’t dissuade me from pursuing a commercial pilot certificate and a flight instructor rating.
(This post is dated for the date of the event. The pictures were taken the day after. This was originally posted on my model railroading website at the time it happened. I’m now trying to combine disparate domains into a single blog, now early in 2021. The link to the NTSB report was not in the original post.)
Thanks to my friend Brook Facey for visiting the site with me the next day and taking pictures.
