TsAGI Employee Wins Russian Gliding Cup
14 August 2024
Gliding is not just a leisure activity—it is a type of sport improving pilot skills, tactical thinking, and, often, is a way to analyze aircraft aerodynamics. Gliding is actively developed at TsAGI (a part of NRC “Zhukovsky Institute”).
Yuri Yevdokimov, Deputy Head for R&T at TsAGI Research and Production Center, competed in Russian Gliding Club Cup. Organized by the Federation of Gliding Sport of Russia and the Federation of Gliding Sport of Novosibirsk Oblast, the competition was held at Novosibirsk Oblast Reshyoty Aeroclub—one of the few today’s sites open for flights—from July 20 to August 4.
Overall, 17 sportspeople from eight Russian regions competed in seven exercises in the competition. A glider has no engine, so its flight performance mostly depends on weather and pilot skillfulness, which is a core gliding challenge.
Gliders can stay in the air for many hours, covering hundreds of kilometers, and gaining altitude in ascending currents. But this requires good ‘soaring’ weather—cumulus clouds and thermal (ascending) currents.
‘Result largely depends on weather—and this time it was rather unfavorable and changeable, so the route length ranged from 100 to 150 km; sometimes a 200‑km distance could be covered. On some days, the real weather was completely different from the forecast, so the task was adjusted immediately before the start, and sometimes the exercises were cancelled after launching weather reconnaissance aircraft,’ said Yuri Yevdokimov.
In one of the seven exercises, Yuri Yevdokimov got the second place; in the overall team standings, he won a gold with Yuri Mishanin, his colleague from Ryazan Oblast.
The Reshyoty Aeroclub was founded by Vladimir Kochkin on February 11, 2013. Today, it is the place where different‑level competitions are held, including the Russian Championship, the Russian Cup, and the Siberian Federal District Championship. The Aeroclub’s activities involve aviation sports popularization and development, as well as youth and sports‑school training.