Alps Schematic

This copyright schematic of the French Alps is a purely illustrative representation of the kind of information that glider pilots mark on the topographic air charts to help plan their route through the Alps. It accompanies an article by William Malpas, Getting Going in the Alps, in the December 2005 - January 2006 S&G. It may be downloaded for personal use only.

Les Enfants du Paradis

William Malpas first wrote for S&G about Alpine flying in 1975. This is that first article, which we are providing free for S&G readers' personal use only, along with his three later articles (below), which remain the definitive English-language guide to the subject. These back up his latest article on the subject, describing what he's learnt about the needs of newcomers to the Alps, which appears in the December 2005-January 2006 S&G.

Originally appeared in S&G December-January 1976

Low-Down on the Alps - Part 1

William Malpas, in the first of his three-part series, Low-Down on the Alps, gives advice and information on exploiting this soaring paradise. This copyright article first appeared in the April-May 1988 S&G and may be downloaded for S&G readers' personal use only.

Originally appeared in S&G April-May 1988

Low-Down on the Alps - Part 2

William Malpas, who lives in France and spends much of the season mountain flying, continues his advice to British pilots who are taking gliding holidays in the Alps. This copyright article first appeared in the April-May 1989 S&G and may be downloaded for S&G readers' personal use only.

Originally appeared in S&G April-May 1989

Low-Down on the Alps - Part 3

William Malpas collaborates with Jean-Renaud Faliu and Jacques Noel for the third article in this series on mountain flying, this time concentrating on safety when gliding in the Alps. This copyright article first appeared in the December 1989-January 1990 S&G and may be downloaded for S&G readers' personal use only.

Originally appeared in S&G December-January 1990

How to join thermals

National Coach, Simon Adlard, explains why and how to get your thermal entry right.

Originally appeared in S&G June-July 2002

Exploiting opposing airmasses

In the third article in his series about soaring in the mountains, Gavin Wills offers advice on using lift that can materialise when all else fails. The other two articles in the series can be found in the October/November 2001 and December/January 2002 issues.

Originally appeared in S&G February-March 2002

Two K-8s take on the Juniors

Andrew Bates and Guy Hall, from Edinburgh University GC, went south to challenge the hotshot boy racers - in K-8s...

Originally appeared in S&G December-January 2002

Your club's met on the net

Alex Latty describes the weather station that helps your early-morning worries about what weather conditions are like at your gliding club.

Originally appeared in S&G August-September 2001

Searching the sky

In this, the third of Jay Rebbeck's four part series on cross-country flying, Jay explains how to pick the racing line. The other three articles can be found in the December/January, February/March and June/July 2002 issues.

Originally appeared in S&G April-May 2001