Moselle. Glider flight in Sarreguemines: aerial experience to the rhythm of the wind

The sky is overcast, the light diffuse. No bright sunshine, but no matter, at the Sarreguemines airfield , the gliders are ready to take off, taking advantage of the slightest breath of warm air to gain altitude. At the controls: Guy Michel, second in the French glider flying championship for the club class. "I've been flying since I was little," he explains. "Once you get into it, it's hard to stop."

Before each takeoff, pilots check the weather and consult the Notam (Notice to Airman), regulatory information published by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on airspace and terrain, in order to choose the right time to fly , check safety points and ensure that no instructions escape them.

Once the checks are done, it's time to prepare the gliders, checking the wings, the controls, and every detail before lining them up on the runway. "It's a team sport that you do all by yourself," says Guy while waiting at the coffee machine: "We're all alone in the cabin, but given the handling and logistical constraints, it really takes several of us to pull off everything."

Before settling into the cabin, the pilot reviews the safety instructions, checks the parachute's position, and describes the operation of the controls and indicators on the instrument panel. Don't panic, the first flights take place aboard a two-seater glider, specially designed with a dual set of controls. Seated at the front, the passenger enjoys the flight while the instructor ensures safe piloting.

Now comes the time for takeoff. Here, this is done with the help of a tow plane connected to the glider by a cable (being without an engine, the glider needs assistance to take off).

The pilot's voice crackles over the radio; the signal is given. The propeller roars, the plane takes off, and the glider follows, accelerating until it leaves the ground. The two aircraft climb together before, a few minutes later, the cable is released to let the glider fly free.

The pilot immediately begins looking for thermals, the warm air currents that will allow him to gain altitude. "You have to detect them and imagine their shape without seeing them," explains Guy. "The whole point of this type of piloting is this ability to understand where it might work by looking at the ground and relying on the weather." Below, Sarreguemines becomes very small, while the glider advances silently before returning to the runway, after about twenty minutes of flight, in a controlled glide.

Book on the Sarreguemines Flying Club website. €90 for a twenty-minute flight.