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Rating: 
Summary: An excellent introduction to gliders and soaring
Review: Gliding: The BGA manual is a gem. This book is very well written, and goes into considerably more detail than the average introduction to flying gliders book (this also makes it a bit longer than the average introductory book) For example, in the section on aerodynamics we are given not one, not two, but three theories of how lift is generated by an aerofoil (I'm using the Brit spelling because the book put me in the mood). This is still a book that's great for beginners--but it does provide a bit more detail and theory than say, the SSA Soaring Manual (used by most instructors here in the Colonies) or Ken Stewart's introductory book (a British version of the same). It is not an extremely technical book, such as Fundamentals of Sailplane Design, however, and anyone interested in sailplanes or "sailplaning" as they used to say, will find something of value here. But the best parts of this book are the random bits of humor (oops, humour) interjected throughout. It makes the text sound like it comes from an actual person, instead of some Higher Authority of What a Glider is and How Even the Likes of You can Fly It. There are a number of excellent illustrations in the book. I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject, whether you're a novice or a grizzled old veteran.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent introduction to gliders and soaring
Review: Gliding: The BGA manual is a gem. This book is very well written, and goes into considerably more detail than the average introduction to flying gliders book (this also makes it a bit longer than the average introductory book) For example, in the section on aerodynamics we are given not one, not two, but three theories of how lift is generated by an aerofoil (I'm using the Brit spelling because the book put me in the mood). This is still a book that's great for beginners--but it does provide a bit more detail and theory than say, the SSA Soaring Manual (used by most instructors here in the Colonies) or Ken Stewart's introductory book (a British version of the same). It is not an extremely technical book, such as Fundamentals of Sailplane Design, however, and anyone interested in sailplanes or "sailplaning" as they used to say, will find something of value here. But the best parts of this book are the random bits of humor (oops, humour) interjected throughout. It makes the text sound like it comes from an actual person, instead of some Higher Authority of What a Glider is and How Even the Likes of You can Fly It. There are a number of excellent illustrations in the book. I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject, whether you're a novice or a grizzled old veteran.
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