Soaring With The Eagles
Local Glider Flies to Great Heights

Gerret Willat is ranked second in the U.S. as a junior pilot.

By Jim Evans

His parents have owned and operated Sky Sailing in Warner Springs since 1979, so Garret Willat literally grew up on a gliderport.

Now 23, he has been gliding, or “soaring,” for the past 10 years and has developed an international reputation in the sport of soaring.

In September 1995, on his 14th birthday, Willat set a world record by soloing 22 flights in one day in 18 different sailplanes of nine different models, soaring from California to New Mexico. He is a member of the USA Junior Soaring Team and is ranked second in the U.S. as a Junior pilot (25 and younger) and placed 25th in the Junior World Soaring Championships.

Most gliders are constructed of carbon, Kevlar or fiberglass. They sometimes are known as sailplanes, although there is a difference in the glide ratio, or distance a sailplane travels forward for each foot of altitude it loses.

The crafts vary in size and weight and have wingspans that are typically about 50 feet but can range from 45 to 101 feet. They can seat one to three people, with three-seaters generally used just for scenic rides.

Gliders and sailplanes are safer than airplanes for the obvious reason that there is no possibility of engine failure or running out of fuel — or the more serious scenario of crashing and burning.

“I have experienced an engine failure in a plane,” Willat said, “and this does make you appreciate glider training very fast.”

What happens if the wind quits? Not to worry. Gliders and sailplanes do not rely on the wind; they fly based on air and gravitational pull. Actually, the most common kind of “lift” is a “thermal lift,” in which a rising mass of warm air allows the craft to circle within the confines of the mass, like certain birds.

Most glider rides at Sky Sailing in Warner Springs typically stay within 10 miles of the Warner Springs airport and last 20, 30 or 40 minutes.

“My longest flight out of Warner Springs — more than eight hours — went to Jacumba, then to Barstow, back to Jacumba, north to Palm Springs, back to Jacumba, and finally home to Warner Springs — 608 miles altogether,” Willat said.

According to Willat, the current world distance records are being set in Argentina, with flights over 3,000 kilometers.

“The world altitude record was set just north of here in the Sierra Nevada mountains at just under 50,000 feet,” he said. “In Warner Springs, we have seen flights over 25,000 feet.”

Sailplanes regularly cruise at speeds of more than 125 mph and can fly at maximum speeds of more than 200 mph.

What are the risks of gliding or soaring?

“Not making it (back) home is not a huge risk, because there are plenty of large fields and other airports to land out,” Willat said. “Most of the risks are taken by the pilot, and some choose to take more risks than others. For instance, one person might choose to land and tie the glider down during a thunderstorm, while another might choose to fly under it. That person (the latter) is taking more risks and could run into problems.”

How long does it take to become proficient at sky sailing?

“If you are coming out on a weekly basis, it takes roughly three months to solo and around six months for a license,” Willat said. “Most people push hard to solo, and once they solo they can fly by themselves, at which point they enjoy it more and build experience. Then they work on getting their license, which gives them the privilege of sharing the sport with others (taking passengers).”

According to the Sky Sailing Web site, there are currently more than 30,000 licensed sailplane pilots in the United States and more than 150,000 worldwide.

“You can solo at the age of 14,” added Willat, who has been teaching for the past five years, “and I already have a few students who are 13 and just waiting for their birthdays — including my younger brother, Boyd!”

Competition in gliding or soaring usually is based on the speed at which pilots navigate a certain course — usually between 100 and 400 miles (called a “task”).

“Everything is recorded by GPS (Global Positioning System) which we use for navigation and validating our flights,” Willat said. “Then they launch all of the gliders, and the start gate opens.

“You can start whenever you want based on your assessment of the day (weather, wind, etc.), but once on task … you have to make your own decisions, and it becomes like a three-dimensional game of chess. You fly over your point (or points) and then fly home, turn in your log, and wait for everyone else to turn in theirs (logs). Since you can start at any time, you are never sure how you did...until that evening (when the scores are tallied). So, it is always best to compete with yourself and not worry about everyone else — just fly the best you can and race against yourself.”

And what does Willat enjoy most about soaring?

“The peacefulness,” he said without hesitation. “Today, we were able to thermal with two redtail hawks. And, of course, with cross-country sailing and racing, you have the challenge of pushing to become better, fly faster and make better decisions than the other pilots.”

According to Willat, Warner Springs provides some of the best year-around flying conditions in the world. For information about glider rides, rentals and instruction, call Sky Sailing at (760) 782-0404 or visit their Web site at www.skysailing.com.

Gift certificates are available for lessons and for a variety of scenic flight adventures. Tell them Garret sent you — and wave to him as he soars overhead.

Photo by Jim Evans