Private Pilot, Glider Rating

Turbo

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77FOX
I apologize if this post lies in the wrong place.

61.109 Private pilots * For private pilot glider with less than 40 hours in power:
Minimum 10 hours and 20 flights in gliders. 2 hours solo including minimum of 10 flights in the areas of operation of FAR 61.107(b) (6). 3 training flights with an instructor within 60 days preceding the practical test.
* If candidate has more than 40 hours in power:
Minimum 3 hours and 10 solo flights in areas of operation of FAR 61.107 (b) (6) and 3 training flights with an instructor within 60 days preceding the practical test.


So, I have a couple of questions and I know a lot of you bright glider pilots can help me with this :yes:

I would qualify for the "more than 40 hours in power". How difficult is it to knock out the 3 hours and 10 solo flights? I understand with towing charges, aircraft rental, dual instruction, and so on that it must become rather expensive, right?
I live in Kentucky, and have found a flight club that offers glider training, rental, towing, etc.

But am open for options because I'm hoping to make this as cheap as possible.

I'm also currently working on my IR, so I wont be able to purse gliders for a while, but it's something I definitely want to do in the near future.

I absolutely love gliders, but have never gotten the chance to fly in one.

Thank you!
 
You could do it in a weekend if you wanted to. It's great flying experience.
 
Takes 10-30 flights to solo usually depending on how quick you pick it up. Usually mastering the aerotow is the tent pole. Getting the flight hours is usually never a problem. It takes an afternoon to get the 10 solo flights.
 
I've never had a proficient power pilot take more than 5 flights to solo. The 10 solo flights can be knocked out quickly, the big problem is coordinating and scheduling. If you can get everyone onboard and cooperating, it's possible to do it in a weekend, however realistically it usually takes two or three.
 
Depending on the club's setup, the cost can be a lot cheaper than powered aircraft or merely somewhat cheaper. If it's a non-profit club, the cost shouldn't be too bad, and it's quite possible that you can get hooked on it.

As far as knocking it out, it's possible to do it in a weekend, but I'd give it two weekends just for fun. You might want to read "Transition to Gliders." I think this was written by Knauff, but I'm too lazy to look it up.

Good luck!
 
Depending on the club's setup, the cost can be a lot cheaper than powered aircraft or merely somewhat cheaper. If it's a non-profit club, the cost shouldn't be too bad, and it's quite possible that you can get hooked on it.

As far as knocking it out, it's possible to do it in a weekend, but I'd give it two weekends just for fun. You might want to read "Transition to Gliders." I think this was written by Knauff, but I'm too lazy to look it up.

Good luck!

Thank you, I will definitely look it up and see if I can't find myself a copy.
 
It can be done quickly, there are commercial operations that can do it in a week, weather permitting. Lose a day or two to high winds or rain, and you'll need more time. It's just enough to get through a check ride, normally with a DPE on staff.

Plan on studying every night to prepare for the oral. There was an article in AOPA or flying mag a few years ago on the process.

I've known "proficient" pilots that could not fly formation on the end of a 200ft rope, and once off tow did not know what their feet were for. So much for proficient, yes these we're pilots flying every week. Wheels up, yaw damper on, feet on floor pilots.

In a club organization, flying only weekends with other students getting equal time inthe glider, plan 4-5 months to meet all of the dual and solo requirements.
 
I got my glider add on after about 15 years away from flying. I did it flying pretty much one day a week and it took me a few months. It took me a little while to get the hang of the aerotow, but after that it was not much more to get to the checkride. I went with a commercial op, and I only had the ten required solo flights when I did it. Yes, you can do ten solo flights in an afternoon, if they're all pattern sleds rides, but what's the fun in that? I have no experience with clubs, but I've heard horror stories of training that drags on forever. I'm sure they're all different though.
 
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Depends on if you are stick and rudder pilot or a gps pilot.

If you are a stick and rudder guy it should be pretty quick, if youre more of a systems guy it could take a bit.
 
I've never had a proficient power pilot take more than 5 flights to solo. The 10 solo flights can be knocked out quickly, the big problem is coordinating and scheduling. If you can get everyone onboard and cooperating, it's possible to do it in a weekend, however realistically it usually takes two or three.

I've seen very few "proficient" pilots that can safely land a glider in a 10-15 knt crosswind with only 5 flights, landings. Or fly on tow through 4-6 knot thermals and stay in position.

Can you get through all the pre-solo maneuvers and EPs to solo standards in 5 flights?
 
I've seen very few "proficient" pilots that can safely land a glider in a 10-15 knt crosswind with only 5 flights, landings. Or fly on tow through 4-6 knot thermals and stay in position.

Can you get through all the pre-solo maneuvers and EPs to solo standards in 5 flights?
I did it in 3. Same as the new types question someone recently asked it is only hard for people because they think it will be hard. Or their instructors thought it should be hard and it was, for them. So they have to make sure it is hard for everyone else. The ego wouldn't have it any other way.
 
I soloed in 5 flights, but the 1st two were about 5 hours with a very experienced glider pilot, then next 3 where sled rides with an instructor. My Solo was a one hour flight where I clmbed to cloud base at 11,000ft and then realized I had 9 more solo flights to do so pulled the spoilers and headed back to the airport.

Didn't hurt that the 10 hours before the glider time were take offs and landings in a J-4.

Brian
 
I did it in 3. Same as the new types question someone recently asked it is only hard for people because they think it will be hard. Or their instructors thought it should be hard and it was, for them. So they have to make sure it is hard for everyone else. The ego wouldn't have it any other way.
It took me 3 flights as well. Like I said, I've never had a proficient power pilot take more than 5 flights to solo. It isn't difficult, they let 14 year-olds kids solo.
 
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You might want to read "Transition to Gliders." I think this was written by Knauff, but I'm too lazy to look it up.

Good luck!

I picked up a used copy off of Amazon. It is even "pre Highlighted" for me! :rolleyes:

I'm working on towing for them, but cannot work on the gliding until I loose some weight!

Thanks!
 
Hi there, after some hours on a c172, I game up with something completely new: gliding!
It's way less expensive than powered flight, which is one of the main reasons I switched over.
This Sunday I'll have my first lesson. We don't use aerotow, but winch launch. We also begin on the ask13 or ask21.
Has anybody got any tips or tricks for me?

Alan.
 
Have fun! Not much beats the exhiliration of a good winch launch. Good luck getting the smile off your face
 
Hi there, after some hours on a c172, I game up with something completely new: gliding!
It's way less expensive than powered flight, which is one of the main reasons I switched over.
This Sunday I'll have my first lesson. We don't use aerotow, but winch launch. We also begin on the ask13 or ask21.
Has anybody got any tips or tricks for me?

Alan.

Winch tows can be very cost effective. But soaring with aero tows has been some of the most expensive flying I've done (on a per hour basis.)
 
Last week in paid a friend $30 for a tow. 6.5 hrs later I landed 525 miles away. Pretty cheap flying but the gas in the car for the 1400 mile round trip hurt a little!
 
Yes. Good way to do it.
Yes, there's good reason why it counts as a flight review... a PPA will wind up re-visiting all the primary stuff with a fresh perspective during the training (including weather, pattern and runway ops, pilotage, and off-the-cuff performance estimates).
Then there will be a formal oral exam (covering more than just flying the glider), and at least two hops with an examiner. I've done the tailwheel add-on and the glider rating as flight reviews, and the glider thing was definitely more of a proper review for me.
 
Last week in paid a friend $30 for a tow. 6.5 hrs later I landed 525 miles away. Pretty cheap flying but the gas in the car for the 1400 mile round trip hurt a little!
Yeah, it only pays if it's an out-and-back, LOL.
 
I have over the years about 4000 hours, most in taildraggers. I consider myself proficient in most I've owned including a Stearman, champ, a couple of 140 cessnas, Taylorcrafts, cubs etc. that is unless I watch a friend with many many hours in gliders land his stinson 108 or his taylorcraft or his Luscombe in gusty crosswinds. It really humbles me to watch him ! Never a slip up, beautiful wing low, sometimes on one wheel, smooooth landings, sometimes 3 point, sometimes wheel landings. If he bounces once, just a slight bounce he announces that it was a lousy landing. He's around 76 yrs. a real pro. I wish I'd taken glider lessons when younger. I think it makes one a better pilot to be sure.
 
I did it in 3. Same as the new types question someone recently asked it is only hard for people because they think it will be hard. Or their instructors thought it should be hard and it was, for them. So they have to make sure it is hard for everyone else. The ego wouldn't have it any other way.

I was released for solo in 3 flights. But as an instructor looking back at that I realize just how many items were not covered that should have been.

Sure, I'm a good stick and most active pilots are, but to demonstrate - do all the required pre solo items in three flights is a lot.
 
Hi there, after some hours on a c172, I game up with something completely new: gliding!
It's way less expensive than powered flight, which is one of the main reasons I switched over.
This Sunday I'll have my first lesson. We don't use aerotow, but winch launch. We also begin on the ask13 or ask21.
Has anybody got any tips or tricks for me?

Alan.

Have fun! Where are you soaring?
 
I was released for solo in 3 flights. But as an instructor looking back at that I realize just how many items were not covered that should have been.

Sure, I'm a good stick and most active pilots are, but to demonstrate - do all the required pre solo items in three flights is a lot.

I soloed 5 flights, 2 flights with a local pilot totaling about 3 hours, with me flying 95% of it.

I then did 3 flight with a CFI. On my 1st Solo I Thermalled up to 11,000 feet which was cloud base and then realized I had 9 more solo flights to do so pulled the spoilers and headed back to the airport.

But then I had just finished a check out in a J-4 Cub before working on my glider rating.

Brian
 
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