When you’re above the clouds, seeing the brilliant sun and heading swiftly to your destination on a jet plane, seeing the planet from far above reminds me of how big our planet is.
I like the power of an airplane and how I can travel long distances, but when I experienced a glider, I have a new appreciation of the slow movements of a flight on the air currents.
On the north shore of Oahu, I went up in a glider with Honolulu Soaring at the Dillingham Airfield. When I arrived, I walked up and the lovely lady said are you ready to go? I said yes, signed my name and met my pilot, a friendly man named Dwight.
We walked out onto the runway, and I got to see the plane, a sleek white glider which Dwight easily turned around on its small wheels. I was shown how to get in, how to fasten my seat belt, as Dwight made jokes and I got ready to fly. Within minutes we were connected to a small plane, and then towed up into the brilliant blue sky.
It was a gentle take-off and noticeably quiet. A glider has no engine and the sound of the other plane’s engine seemed very distant. As we rose higher and higher, the mountains on the one side of the runway were just below us, rippling shades of green. On my far right was the Pacific Ocean, with its multiple shades of blue and frantic waves rushing towards the creamy sand beach.
Dwight pointed out various things and kept up a constant chatter as I looked in amazement at the planet from a bird’s point of view. I was so enthralled I had to remind myself to take photos and not just take in the images for my own memory. My pilot explained how the glider was working, each step that was happening just before the plane released us from the tow, to glide on our own at 3500 feet.
I realized at that moment why people wanted to fly – to have that weightless feeling, to see the planet from above and appreciate its beauty.
I felt a jolt of excitement and then relaxed into a calm trance as we slowly floated on the air currents, winding our way along the mountains, seeing rainbows in the sky and across the brilliant blue sea. I was soaking in every minute of the freedom.
Dwight explained that the gentle back and forth motion, weaving across the airfield, mountains and ocean was the way he guided the plane to lower levels, since the natural inclination was for the glider to stay aloft. With one last swing across the north shore beach near the airfield, spotting the surfers waiting for the wave, Dwight guided us back down to the airstrip, slowly descending to the runway.
The landing was gentle and I realized I was back on earth, now back within the grasp of gravity. My calmness evaporated and was replaced by joy and excitement, as I realized my luck at spending 20 minutes held up in the air.
Note: My thanks to Honolulu Soaring: The Original Glider Rides and my pilot Dwight for a truly memorable flight above north shore of Oahu, Hawaii.