Category: Cultural Films
Pilot: Rolf Schulze
Aerial Cinematography: Patty Mooney, filming from the cockpit point of view
Ground Cinematography: Mark Schulze
Format: Documentary short
Year Produced: 1985
Color
About the Film
Soaring in a Sailplane offers an immersive look at unpowered flight through the combined perspectives of pilot, cockpit camera, and ground-based cinematography. Pilot Rolf Schulze guides the sailplane through a series of tows, ascents, turns, and landings, while Patty Mooney films from inside the cockpit with a VHS camera and Mark Schulze documents the aircraft from the runway and surrounding terrain.
The film moves fluidly between the intimacy of flight and the broader sense of place, capturing sailplane aviation as both a technical practice and a meditative experience shaped by weather, terrain, and human skill.
What You See
The film combines cockpit point-of-view footage with ground-based cinematography, capturing the sailplane and tow plane through takeoffs, extended glides, full 360-degree turns, inverted flight, and smooth landings against mountain landscapes. Viewers see close runway details, underbelly and aerial perspectives, wide shots that reveal scale and terrain, and carefully tracked moments where both aircraft move together through open sky.
Perspective and Style
Filmed under real flight conditions, the camera work is active and responsive, using pans, tilts, zooms, and selective doublers to follow aircraft in motion. The cockpit footage conveys proximity and immersion, while the ground-based shots provide clarity, scale, and spatial context. The result is an observational film shaped by timing, patience, and real-time decision making rather than staged maneuvers.
Historical Context
Soaring in a Sailplane was filmed in 1985 and is among the earliest works produced by New & Unique Videos. Created during the early years of consumer VHS distribution, the film stands as a rare early example of sailplane flight documented specifically for home video audiences, at a time when very few such titles existed.
Its production reflects the exploratory spirit that defined New & Unique Videos from the beginning, combining emerging video technology with hands-on aviation documentation to preserve a specialized flying culture.
Cultural Significance
Sailplane flying represents one of the purest forms of aviation, relying on human skill, weather awareness, and restraint rather than engines. By documenting sailplane flight from both air and ground, the film preserves a practice rooted in precision, trust, and respect for natural forces.
The film appeals to aviation enthusiasts, educators, and viewers drawn to landscape, motion, and the quiet discipline of unpowered flight.
Availability
Available through New & Unique Videos for streaming, educational use, and licensing.
For access and inquiries, please contact us directly.
Soundtrack
The original soundtrack from Soaring in a Sailplane is available separately on Bandcamp, offering listeners an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the film through sound alone. The music reflects the rhythm and restraint of sailplane flight, complementing the visuals with a sense of openness, motion, and calm that mirrors the experience of gliding through air and landscape. The soundtrack can be found at New & Unique Videos’ Bandcamp page.