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Gliders and gliders first, then planes and pilots. D.Vainienė says the long-standing glider base at Paluknys has naturally expanded, pilots have also been trained here.
It started in 13
“We saw that we also need pilots to pull the gliders into the air, we need to prepare them, we started preparing the pilots.” Ultralight aircraft have appeared, we can see that they are very popular in Lithuania: they are light, easy to fly with them, the requirements for both pilots and students are smaller than for amateur pilots, and they fly like larger aircraft. “More and more people are wanting to learn to fly an airplane,” said Dalia.
So the number of planes at the airfield is increasing, and the gliders are also sitting on planes next to the glider. Dalia herself is a glider, she started learning to plan at the age of thirteen in 1983. “It just struck us then. When others ask if they don’t spend so much time on sacrifice, they are even surprised: you don’t sacrifice anything, you live like this , it is not a sacrifice here, everything is of your own free will ”, he smiles.
Dalia admits that today she gets up off the ground far less often than she would like. However, there is no shortage of administrative work at the airfield, which the director has to focus on, so the slip remains second.
More and more people want to learn to fly an airplane, says Dalia.
Courses for 4 thousand. euros
Therefore, the number of people who want to ascend to heaven is growing in Lithuania. The opportunity to become a pilot, an ultralight aircraft or pilot, is more preferred. Gliders come a little less. There are about ten of them a year, and here are those who want to become pilots of ultralight aircraft, and twice as many.
“Ultralight aircraft pilot courses cost around 4 thousand euros. Some say it is not so horrible and the convenience is excellent. It is not necessary to have a plane, we rented them. Now Nida opened, immediately everyone knocked behind the plane and towards Nida, an hour and a half flight. And the cost of fuel, if calculated in hours, is similar to that of a car. I’m talking about a two-seater plane, if you fly with your family, you already need a bigger one, one four-seater. That’s probably why it’s becoming more popular “, – said D.Vainienė,
Julius Kalinskas photo / 15min / Paluknis aerodrome
According to Dalia, Lithuania really does have a number of airfields – around 20 are scattered across the country, so flying from one to the other is great entertainment. Communication with Polish neighbors is also possible.
“The pilots also make such tourist trips: they fly on the roads through Lithuanian airfields, then to the Masurian region, they are very close friends of their Polish colleagues. In Poland, they greatly fixed their airfields when the first EU support arrived, then the Poles spent a lot on transport, and the airfields, roads, arranged, as you see, that was the priority. Lithuania did not have those priorities, “Dalia smiles, although she certainly is not willing to complain.
Now Nida opened, immediately everyone hit behind the plane and towards Nida, an hour and a half flight. And the cost of fuel, if calculated in hours, is similar to that of a car.
Prospective pilots study aviation disciplines here. In winter, according to the manager, there are lectures on theory: meteorology, navigation, intelligible radio communication, a total of eight disciplines. And starting in the spring, flight training begins. Such a schedule applies to gliders, hobby pilots, and ultralight aircraft pilots. The latter can obtain a license in two months if they study intensively: they have the lowest medical requirements and the shortest program.
Slipping takes time
Gliding, according to Dalia, is cheaper, the glider program needs around 2,000. but it takes a long time: the glider arrives at the airfield in the morning and leaves only in the afternoon, and the student will have to fly only an hour or two, the athlete a little more.
Julius Kalinskas photo / 15min / Images taken from Paluknis airfield
“When you arrive, you must prepare the glider, wait for the air, then order the glider after the flight, such a team flight goes out; you will not get up yourself, someone has to disappoint you and bring you down.” You are an individualist on a plane. Inventors come to fly for an hour or two in the first hour, they can do it.
With gliding this is not the case, you spend more time at the airfield than you fly. Slipping is like a way of life, when a person comes, you have to be prepared for it. Often those who come to see how to watch and learn to fly are out of time. After all, there are so many activities, so if you already come and stay, then you really want to plan, without a motor, in the dark, “says the director of the Vilnius Aeroclub, which brings together a hundred gliders.
If you already come here and stay, then you really want to glide, motorless, in the dark.
D.Vainienė says that young people who had previously studied at the aeroclub received additional points upon entering the A. Gustaitis Aviation Institute, because a large part of them rotate there and choose the additional path. However, it was abolished about 5-7 years ago, so members of the aero club are trying to find ways to get it back, as promised, but so far this has not been done.
Tourists love Trakai
In addition to training, competitions – free flight competitions, Lithuanian championships take place at the airfield. The tourist flight is not the last place. As Dalia says, her airfield is in a very convenient location because it is so close to Trakai, over which every newcomer is very willing to fly.
Julius Kalinskas photo / 15min / Paluknis aerodrome
“The images there are very beautiful. We have tourists who come to us, we fly everyone over Trakai; there, as an image, we don’t even expect everything to be so compact, so beautiful. We have such a place, it is very popular for tourists to come see Trakai, “said the woman.
And of course, there aren’t many people who want to get married at the Paluknis airport, but another couple is coming. According to Dalia, some here are family and want to get married, others simply discover it as a beautiful place.
We have tourists coming to us, we fly everyone over Trakai, like a picture.
When asked how many people can fly per day, Dalia calculates that it all depends on how many people arrive at once and how much time they have. But around 60 people can actually fly in four hours. There are two four-seaters and 5-6 two-seaters on the airfield itself.
The cost of a flight of approximately one hour is about 150 euros. A small wheel around the aerodrome area, which lasts about 10 minutes, costs 45 euros per person. If you want to fly to Trakai, it will be around 75 euros, which is half an hour of the flight. In a larger plane for the entire crew a little over 100 euros. Dalia says the aeroclub also donates flights to those who transfer it to the so-called 2 percent. (now – 1.2 percent). That way, people transfer part of their taxes to the club, the money they desperately need, and get a flight. According to Dalia, she returns and brings friends.
And finally, a small personal impression. For the first time taking off in an ultralight plane, a little worried. I don’t know, neither because of the flight itself, nor because the surroundings of Paluknis, which open before my eyes, look incredibly green and beautiful from above. The pilot Ernest says that there is nothing to fear, in any case, we will always turn around and return. I was just in a hurry to go back, I didn’t want to; the feeling that a hand seemed to touch the sky was simply a twist.
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