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Yes, but not for the faint of heart or thin of wallet. Some other aspects of soaring for which "experimental" is an understatement include:
- Dynamic soaring. Taking advantage of wind shear (a sudden change in wind speed over a short distance), pilots can "steal" enough energy to stay aloft. Requires optimum conditions and maneuvers of the type guaranteed to test the integrity of the aircraft. A little-known and very rare form of soaring indeed.
- Ride the Polar Vortex. For the ultimate thrill, readers are advised to contact the Perlan Project and hitch a ride. This group, originally led by Steve Fossett, is attempting to use a global phenomenon known as the Polar Vortex to fly a glider to 100,000(!) feet. This is well above the operational limits of even the famed U2 and SR-71, and, if successful, would qualify the humble glider as the highest continuous-flying aircraft in the world.