'Ideal conditions': Pilots flock to Horsham Flying Week

Horsham Flying Week takes place each year in February and regularly draws more than thirty gliders.

Horsham Flying Club president Michael Sudholz is delighted with how the competition has gone so far.

"It's been brilliant, for the last 10 days we've had ideal gliding conditions," Sudholz said.

It's the 56th year of the contest being held at Horsham Aerodrome.

"We've never missed a competition. We've had it every year for 56 years at this site," Sudholz said.

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"We've got pilots here that have been here up to 52 of those competitions, and we've got those where it's only their second competition."

During the event pilots have to fly to certain locations within a set timeframe to earn points.

"The courses that we send them on can range from two hours to five hours," Sudholz said.

"They're travelling between 300 to 700 kilometres some days, but we've had excellent weather."

The gliders on display can range from 15 metres to 18 metres and above, and can range from $20,000 to a few hundred thousand.

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"We've got the entry level machines all the way up to the latest and greatest; the Formula Ones of gliding."

Gliders are launched by an airplane and are towed 2500 feet into the sky before being released.

Rising air currents, known as thermals, help gliders to rise in the air.

Sometimes pilots can be joined by a friend in a thermal.

"We've actually been up in thermals and eagles and hawks have actually joined us," he said.

"You can see the colour of the feathers around their eyes; it's quite amazing when that happens... you probably got the best thermal around because they know where all the good ones are."

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"They quite comfortable flying with us; they're quite relaxed."

The competition is preceded with a training week, where new pilots can be taken up by a different experienced pilot each day.

Sudholz said the Wimmera was a perfect place to learn gliding, as if a glider gets into any trouble they can be safely landed in a paddock.

"It happens to everyone - eventually you can't make the weather do what you wanted to do.

"Eventually some of the more experienced pilots get caught out and end up in a paddock too.

"There's no issues about landing out there, it's quite a safe option."

The competition could only run with the support of the volunteers behind the scenes, Mr Sudholz said.

Horsham Flying Week finishes on Saturday, January 12.

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