Gliding is peaceful, calm, serene right? Not! Many people after suffering a spinal cord injury for whatever the reason feel compelled to go flying. As a quadriplegic my mates lifted me from my wheelchair into the front seat of the glider. After strapping my legs out of the way a powerful P75 tow plane quickly dragged us skyward to a height of 3000 feet. The turbulence behind the P75 makes for a bumpy ride.

Graham lifted into in the glider

The pilot behind me happened to be my sisters doctor. Really handy if we crash. With a loud bang, not the kind of sound you want to hear in a plane, the towline is released from the nose of our glider. I had to ask if we moving. As stupid as it sounds for a few seconds you actually seem to be standing still. All goes quiet and you hang there suspended mid air above the world. A 360° view if you don’t have a metal plate and screws holding your neck together.

Gliding along admiring the scenery we found a thermal updraft — a column of hot air rising from the ground — usually over rocky or dry burnt ground.

Bill loaded ready to go gliding

It’s amazing how much lift these thermals can generate. We spiraled upward returning to 3000 feet in a matter of minutes. “Now we can have some fun. You know these things can do loop the loops, barrel rolls, and shandels?” Doc said. That prompted the second stupid thing I asked, “What’s a shandel?”

Tipping the nose we dove reaching 45 knots, the eerie noise of turbulence rushed over the canopy. Pulling back hard on the stick we flew skyward again. Just before stalling he spun us around on the tip of one wing and repeated the maneuver several times. “Okay forget the barrel rolls.” I murmured.

Bill in the glider.. at the controls!

The aerobatics had moved my legs obstructing proper operation of the glider tail rudder. Coming in to land Doc was banging this lever into my knee as you can see they are dual controls. “We’re coming in to fast, move your leg!” He shouts. I nervously laughed, “Doc, I’m a quadriplegic remember?” With one good whack he was able to make my leg spasm and the lever slid over my knee, we came to a stop in time no problem. If I go gliding again I’ll book flights for our helpers. Serene or thrilling it’s your call and a really cool way for people with a spinal cord injury to leave their wheelchair behind and experience what it’s like to fly like a bird.

Where: The Caboolture Glider Club, Caboolture Aerodrome, QLD. Australia.
Cost: $65 from 2000 ft 10 min, $95 from 3000 ft 20 min, $115 over 3000 ft 30-40 min.
Rating: ***** Heaps of fun, are weather dependent.