I learned about flying from that: Keeping calm when the cloud base starts dropping

Another one was being sent to complete a flying lesson in quite low cloud, where a few of us were up. Space was a bit crowded, so I went north of Longridge and in the short time that I was there, the cloud descended, which forced me to be lower than I was comfortable with and out of gliding range. Even with my local knowledge, being so low, I found everything looked different and the cloud was a little disorientating. I assessed my options and flew back to Samlesbury the way I came skirting the cloud base. I learnt keeping calm and standing your ground when you don’t think it’s suitable to fly is important.

Written by a motor glider instructor

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