And none is more than a short drive from downtown Orlando. Sailplaning Just 20 minutes west of Disney World, at Seminole Lake Gliderport on Highway 33, I tried my hand at sailplaning. As the pilot eased into the front compartment of a Grob G103, I climbed into the cramped rear compartment. Slowly, the Piper rolled forward. The tow rope tightened, our Grob began to move and we were skipping across the grass at 70 mph, then lifted up and away.
Thermals are columns of heated air rising above certain ground areas.
The trick to staying airborne is to find a thermal and take advantage of its lift. I yanked the tow release lever and the rope fell away. The tow plane veered left, leaving us with miles of airspace to ourselves high above Central Florida's patchwork quilt of green. Our sailplane flew soundlessly, a great white bird among the clouds. We swooped through the sky.