Inspired by a video shared by a friend about a glider flight into IMC.

VFR Into IMC - YouTube

 

Edited November 23, 20205 yr by w6kd
edited at user request to remove dead URL

Scary stuff! Especially the glider one.. (...shudders...!!). I had one glider flight which briefly entered into the base of the clouds. I cannot remember the exact details. I believe it was just a circuit to reposition better on the airfield at the end of the day because the weather had closed in - our landing would put us closer to the hangar!  The club only has winch launches.

He said we'll be releasing off the cable early due to the lowering cloud and we may briefly enter the cloud. Understandably he was PIC for the takeoff, release and the majority of the short flight.

As predicted - release off the winch and then into the cloud, stick forward a little and airspeed building gently. They were some of the longest few seconds of my life (about 5 or 6 in reality I think) before the ground came into view! No artificial horizon in that K13 to refer to either so yes, my heart was in my mouth from just watching that video. 

Had that experience too more than a couple times, although I shouldn't admit it publicly ....

One was some 25 yrs ago while flying along a superb cloud-street on an x-country flight... All of  a sudden the "suck" was stronger than expected and the Blanik ( L-13 ) even with full spoilers, was brought well into the cloud... 

The other was in a mountainous region, but I was well above what we see in this video... 

Both scary... without an AH...

Had this happen to me in a SGS 1-26 when I was 16 years old--got sucked up into the bottom of a rapidly building cumulus cloud while thermalling over the desert.  I was probably 1500 ft below the cloud base...felt that elevator-lift kick in the butt from a big updraft, the variometer pegged up, and in maybe 15 seconds I was in it, completely disoriented, and still climbing at 4000-6000 fpm.

There was only one way I could envision making sure that I was going in the desired "down" direction, so I ended up intentionally putting the sailplane into a spin.  Took probably the better part of a minute (or maybe it just seemed that long) to come wheeling out the bottom of the cloud (bases were at ~6000 ft AGL).

Though that worked out flying over the open desert floor, I can't imagine having it happen while working a ridge with the terrain right there.  Not...fun.

A post-flight underwear change was accomplished IAW FAA regulations.  😜

Had quite a few winch launches into the clouds at Camphill, since being on a hilltop in the peak district it is already approximately 800 feet nearer the cloud base than the surrounding terrain. As a result of that, I invariably will trim a glider for slight nose down prior to the launch so that if either my hands slip off the controls owing to a jerky take up of the cable, or if I go into cloud pitched up on the launch and get disoriented, I can just let go of the stick and the aeroplane will sort itself out. Standard procedure however, if you go into cloud in a glider, is to keep wings level or slightly nose down, then open the speed brakes so you drop out through the cloud base - terrain permitting of course!

So I've never really had a problem with going into clouds in an aeroplane without an artificial horizon, I've done it so many times in a glider off a winch launch, with the nose piched up 35 degrees, banked off to one side laying off to one side of the airfield for the cable release in the crosswind, and with maybe 70 knots on the clock, that it's not especially unusual nowadays, although of course it doesn't pay to get too complacent about such things, which is of course why I always brief for it in the E (eventualities) of the final checklist before launching.

6 hours ago, jcomm said:

Interesting commented version of the glider video on the OP...

Can't access it - it comes up as private. 

I have zero hours in a glider, but the notion of going into clouds without an attitude gyro AND propulsion would make me feel little uncomfy. 😶

 

54 minutes ago, SAS443 said:

I have zero hours in a glider, but the notion of going into clouds without an attitude gyro AND propulsion would make me feel little uncomfy. 😶

Indeed...especially after about 30 minutes of constant rolling in and out of steep turns while thermalling...your inner ear is spinning like a top, and the second you completely lose your visual references it feels like someone stuffed you into a running clothes dryer.  You only have to do it once to know you never want to do it again!!

 

2 minutes ago, w6kd said:

...your inner ear is spinning like a top, and the second you completely lose your visual references it feels like someone stuffed you into a running clothes dryer

Ouch. Doesn't sound attractive at all.

Can't say I experienced it that bad...But had a similar feeling during instrument training (VOR/ILS/ADF). One session in particular with no visual references  (had the hood on) in 50knot winds trying to maintain QDM / QDR (lol like that ever happened that day...).

My legs were stiff from rudder work and I felt sea sick. Best 150 dollars spent in my aviation career. 🤢

Original post glider VFR into IMC link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SoUmWYRLhE