by Monique Hodgkinson

August 2011 —
Inspiration can be found in unusual places. For Moss Beach resident Peter Deane, inspiration was found in a sailplane, 2,000 feet above the ground. After taking a half-hour glider ride with his wife, Katrina, while visiting Calistoga, he was hooked. Since that first auspicious ride 25 years ago, Deane has soared over 2,000 hours, reaching great heights — including representing the U.S. in the 2010 glider world championships in Slovakia.

Deane Soaring over remote scenery. Photo courtesy of Peter Deane.

Deane says: “Flying a glider has little in common with flying in a commercial jet. Instead, it is a bird-like freedom that directly uses the atmospheric energy to stay airborne. We fly exactly like the hawks and ravens on Montara Mountain, or the pelicans we see cruising the updrafts along the cliffs at Pillar Point. Gliding is quiet, graceful, demanding, absorbing, thrilling and beautiful. I have flown in and over some of the most jaw-dropping, remote scenery you can image.”

Peter Deane inside his glider.

Deane has flown along alpine spires and ridges, and over glaciers and extinct volcanoes. He has shared the columns of rising air called thermals with bald eagles and white pelicans. At times, Deane has even flown with huge flocks of ravens that have tumbled playfully 6,000 feet above the ground. He says: “These are spiritual moments. No flight is ever the same; the atmosphere is always dynamic.” What Deane clearly conveys is that soaring allows him to celebrate the joy of being alive and part of nature.

Deane, an engineer by trade, is a member of an elite class of glider pilots; he has competed in eight national championships and numerous regional championships, and holds soaring records in both California and Nevada. Additionally, he has earned the distinction of being the 265th pilot since 1948 to complete a 1,000-km flight.

Making this type of flight has unique challenges. First, gliders don’t have engines and so they must find air that is rising faster than the natural sink rate of the glider. The pilots must rely on their knowledge of micrometeorology and visual sense throughout the flight. Second, time of year plays an important factor. A 1,000-km flight in thermals can only be accomplished during the summer. As night falls, there isn’t enough thermal lift to fly; there must be enough daylight to keep the plane aloft. Finally, it takes sheer skill and determination.

What does it take to be an elite glider pilot? Deane says that, as with any sport, “Success is always based on a bedrock of passion for the activity — perseverance, a capacity for joy, and a strong drive for self-improvement, to be the best you can be.” He adds: “Self-reliance is critical and situational awareness is key — the ability to see the potential for problems before they develop — and of course sensible risk management. Flying at the highest level is a highly complex activity and there is no substitute for experience. With good physical fitness and mental faculties you can soar competitively well into your 70s. It’s a lifetime sport — and there aren’t many activities you can say that about!” As a top flyer for the U.S. team, Deane participated as a guest pilot at the German national championships this past July.

Preparations for participating in such a large, international competition are formidable: finding a competitive glider to rent, reserving a rental car with a tow hitch, and making travel arrangements are only the beginning. Deane also had to learn about the terrain and conditions that he would be facing, in order to be competitive with local pilots. There are also many psychological pressures. “So much of soaring is a mental game. At a big competition there is a lot going on in your head,” says Deane.

As he departed for Germany, Deane knew that the terrain he would be flying in, just south of Berlin, would feature rolling, arable land with low, tree-covered hills, and plenty of safe landing areas. The continental European climate is warm and humid in summer, and features good soaring conditions.

During glider competitions, the pilots complete cross-country courses called “tasks.” At the elite world-championship level, 150 pilots will compete in three classes, which are determined by design of the plane. Task distances range from 300 km to 600 km between turn-points. Atmospheric conditions determine the length of each day’s task. The competition format is similar to the Tour de France; daily points are accrued over 12 days.

After rigorous safety checks are performed, an airborne extravaganza begins. Tow planes quickly launch all 50 of the gliders in the division, a feat which takes approximately one hour. After the final plane is launched the start gate is opened and the race begins. Upon completing the day’s task, the pilots each hand in a GPS record that shows the position and altitude of their planes every four seconds. These records or “traces” are used to verify that the pilot completed the task by rounding each turn-point. The traces are also used to determine speed. One thousand points are awarded to the fastest pilot to round the course each day. The pilot with the most points at the end of the competition wins.

Deane getting ready for take-off.

When reflecting on the competition Deane notes: “Each day the weather and the course vary, testing different aspects of the pilots’ skills. Not everyone makes it around the course every day. Sometimes they have to land off-field and be retrieved by their crew. Landing off-field involves significant point loss so there is great premium on completing the task. When a glider lands off-field, it is disassembled into a long trailer which can be towed back to the airfield, using a normal-sized family car or van.”

In 2012, Deane will again be representing the U.S. in the world championships to be held in Argentina.

If you are interested in learning more about soaring, the Pacific Soaring Council is an excellent source of information about how to get started and where to fly gliders in California and Nevada.