Flying a glider with a motor

[RobertGary1]

While I’m commercial in airplanes and gliders I had been missing the 61.31 endorsement to fly gliders with engines. That changed today. Got my sign off. It’s as if the person who designed this motor had never seen and aircraft engine before. Spent some time in the shop looking at torn down motors before we flew.

i now have almost every endorsement of 61.31. Missing night vision goggles.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

The Wankel has been the engine of the future since the 1950's.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Cool!

 

[Zeldman]

Isn't a glider with an engine sometimes called an airplane.??


(I know the difference, just givin' ya a hard time...)

 

[Dry Creek]

Isn't a glider with an engine sometimes called an airplane.??


(I know the difference, just givin' ya a hard time...)

Maybe the question should be: "Isn't a glider with a working engine called an airplane since an airplane with a non-working engine becomes a glider"?

 

[Oldmanb777]

Wait a minute,, a glider is towed aloft and glides back to the ground, a sail plane has the ability to remain aloft indefinitely by using the wind currents. That was drummed into me when I was 14. So what's this motor thing you talk about? ;-)

 

[MauleSkinner]

Wait a minute,, a glider is towed aloft and glides back to the ground, a sail plane has the ability to remain aloft indefinitely by using the wind currents. That was drummed into me when I was 14. So what's this motor thing you talk about? ;-)

It’s what tows the glider aloft.

 

[SkyDog58]

It’s funny that as a pilot with both airplane and glider (aero tow) ratings, I can’t fly a motor glider without an additional endorsement.

 

[MauleSkinner]

It’s funny that as a pilot with both airplane and glider (aero tow) ratings, I can’t fly a motor glider without an additional endorsement.

At least it’s just an endorsement now…it used to be a checkride.

 

[Dry Creek]

It’s funny that as a pilot with both airplane and glider (aero tow) ratings, I can’t fly a motor glider without an additional endorsement.

Since that engine is considered a "maintainer", does it still have the same endorsement requirements as a self-launching glider? I guess maybe all "motor gliders" require an endorsement.

There is an outfit in Florida that advertises their program to get you certificated in 10 hours for a motor glider. I guess that it helps when you're affiliated with Pipistrel US.

I really would love to own a Pipistrel Sinus EW!

 

[Lindberg]

Wait a minute,, a glider is towed aloft and glides back to the ground, a sail plane has the ability to remain aloft indefinitely by using the wind currents. That was drummed into me when I was 14. So what's this motor thing you talk about? ;-)

By using wind currents?

 

[MauleSkinner]

Since that engine is considered a "maintainer", does it still have the same endorsement requirements as a self-launching glider? I guess maybe all "motor gliders" require an endorsement.

That’s an interesting question. The reg does specify “self launching”, so I guess it would come down to what the manufacturer says you can do with the engine.