Gone Gliding – Part One
If you’ve ever flown into Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) when the winds are howling out of the west, you know that the approach and landing can be…sporty. In fact, it sometimes gets so turbulent that the mainline jets head for Sacramento International Airport (SMF), leaving RNO to Alaska Airlines’ Bombardier Q400 turboprops, which can use RNO’s short crosswind runway. I'll happily fly into RNO from SEA on the AS Q400s on those bouncy days. The bumps can mean that conditions are great for soaring. Yes - I’m a glider pilot, and the region around Reno is world-famous for those who love to fly without an engine.