Special ride for student-pilot Cache in DG-1000

For the last few months Cache has been receiving glider-flight instruction from our instructors in the Schweizer 2-32 that is also used for the commercial rides.  This week no instructor was available so I was privileged to have Cache fly with me in my glider club's state-of-the-art sailplane, the DG-1000:

 
After I did the take-off, I let Cache fly on tow where he performed an excellent box-the-wake training-maneuver as we flew out to the hills east of Hollister.  His flying while on tow showed me he had the "Right Stuff" stick and rudder skills to handle the glider after we released from the towplane.  Sure enough he found some thermals and circled in them to twice allow us to climb 1000' during our 2-hour flight.  While he was flying he pointed out the location of his home south of Hollister:

 
Before we flew we took the opportunity to get a nice picture of Cache next to one of the two P-51 Mustangs parked on the ramp:

 Too few kids get to experience what Cache did yesterday!  He is very lucky to have a mother who gives him the opportunity to explore his youthful passion, brings him to the airport weekly and allows us to expose him aviation.