Outdoor Report: Flying gliders above the Alberta Foothills

He's tackled snowysteepmountains, treacherous trails, andwindingrivers.

Now, Paul Karchut has conqueredAlberta's greatbig sky.

For this week's Outdoor Report, hehopped into a glider to get adifferent view of the Foothills.

Glider, not hang glider

You have to run offa hill or the side of a mountain to launch a hang glider.

A gliderdependson a tow plane or a tow vehicleto drive italong arunway and launch it into the air, releasing the tow line when the aircraftgetsabout 1,200 metres off theground.

No motor?No problem

A glideris amotorless aircraft that gets its lift from its near 30-metre wingspan.

Everyone who goes for a flight has to wear a parachute, but Karchutwas assuredthat no one from the glider club he visited has ever had to make an emergency leap.

He took flight withShulamit Kuttner, who has been flying gliders since2009 through the Cu Nim Gliding Club, nearBlack Diamond, Alta.

"It's so wonderful," said Kuttner."Being up in the sky and flying you have such great visibility when you're up there and it's quiet."

Flying with the birds

In order to stay up in the sky,glider pilots have to aimtheir aircraftatinvisible, rising columns of air.

Kuttnerhunts down those pockets of lift using instrumentation, which is fairly similar to what you'd see in a conventional plane, and by keeping an eye on what's happening around her.

"The birds are one of the cues that we use. We also use clouds They're white and they're fluffy and they're starting to develop. Those would be the type of clouds that we'd be aiming for."

Kuttnerand Karchut met up with a pair of hawks on their flight, who led them to a rising column of air that sent them spiraling upwards.

"I'm not going to lie, spinning around and around did start to make me feel pretty queasy," said Karchut.

There are a number of glider clubs in southern Alberta that offer introductory flights. The Cu Nim Club, for example, charges $175.

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With files from the Calgary Eyeopener