No gliding for Steingar

steingar

steingar

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steingar
Tried to go gliding today, but it didn't work out. I wanted to fly for part of the day, but not all day, as I had chores to do at the house. Flew the Freebird to Marion (MNN). Helped them get a few gliders (don't ask me what kind) from their hangar to their staging area, helped out with what I could. However, a few hours later I still hadn't gone anywhere, and it was time to be getting back. So I took off and went home. 1.2 hours in the Freebird, first time I'd flown since 6Y9. Good landings both ways, despite still crosswinds.

This is not meant as a complaint in any way, shape, or form. They were a really nice bunch, and I would recommend the club to anyone. However, if I'm going to take all day flying, I'm flying to see friends and family, or way away for an adventure. I've got lots of places to go, and lots of folks to visit.

My thought had been that I do many flights to a local restaurant on a nearby strip, just to keep current and keep the rust off. Perhaps instead I would join this glider club, and rather than go out for food not good for me (but yummy) I would learn to fly gliders, and increase my pilot skills. However, from the looks of things that will not happen, thus I am a bit bummed. No fault of anyone whatsoever, just how it is.

At least I can't say I didn't try.
 
Well heck, you need a commercial operation so you can schedule and fly when ready. Glider clubs can be a bummer if you don't have time to waste. Lets hook you up with an operator within easy flying distance.
 
The real problem is that you have to be away all day. That is a problem.
 
I wouldn't give up quite so easily... maybe hint to whoever your contact is in the club that you'd have a lot more interest in the club if you got a ride next time...:rolleyes:

Don't know about clubs other than my own, but I'm surprised you weren't given priority. I'll happily give up a flight for a newbie, and the rest of us feel the same way. But then again, we don't have many active members, and we generally assume we'll be there all day, so it's not likely one of us won't fly on a given day. Regardless, though, it seems odd to not give a newcomer a quick taste, to encourage them to come back and maybe sign up.




While it's true that gliding isn't really about going places, and the ratio of flight time/hanging out time isn't usually very good, if you can spare one full day a week, or even every two weeks, there are worse things you can do with your day than hang out at the airport and maybe do some flying. :D
And soaring is a sport, so you can still eat all that junk and not feel bad about it. :D

Another thought: once you get established with a club and have soloed, it should be possible to schedule a quick flight when it's just you and the tow pilot. It's not impossible to do it with only two people- including launching without a wing runner.
 
Even guys who were just there for solo flights were there for awhile. Hey, there's a lot to do. I meant it when I said I wasn't trying to be critical. The two-place gliders were last to come out for whatever reason, and by the time they got going my time was up. It looked like they were giving what priority they could. I don't know how many hours it takes to solo, but I can tell its going to be that many wasted days. I don't have them. I wish I could just hang out at the airport all day; I can think of nowhere better to be. Perhaps in my retirement.
 
Many, but not all, glider clubs have a high social component so that scheduling issues that don't work for you are not really an issue with those pilots. They enjoy the time on the ground together nearly as much as the time in the air. Have to search elsewhere, but it's there. Or, get a self-launch and soar away.
 
jnmeade said:
Many, but not all, glider clubs have a high social component so that scheduling issues that don't work for you are not really an issue with those pilots. They enjoy the time on the ground together nearly as much as the time in the air. Have to search elsewhere, but it's there. Or, get a self-launch and soar away.
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Great bunch of guys, and I had no trouble shooting the breeze waiting around. Just don't have that kind of time to waste. Don't have the money to waste buying a motorglider; if I did I'd get a faster more capable aircraft.
 
Since you are already power rated, Solo won't take very long. Typically if you can spend 3 or 4 full days at a location that can keep you flying a good portion of the time you can get your glider rating in the 3 or 4 full days. You would probably solo on the 1st or 2nd day. As mentioned clubs vary in how well they can do this, but same may be true with commercial operators. commerical operators will typically be better at keeping you flying, but will cost significantly more.

Soaring is ment to be at least an 1/2 day affair. When you consider that my average flight time is near 4 hours per flight then you have got to figure it is going to take 5 or 6 hours per day for set up (20 min), Flying, tear down(20 min) and a beer.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
You are kidding, right? I'm going to spend the better part of a week (and Odin knows how much money) to learn to fly gliders? Heck, if I'm going to have an aviation getaway I'll go learn to fly IFR, which is probably how I'll wind up doing it when the time comes.

I do appreciate the insight though, and it does reinforce my initial observations.
 
Yeah, it can take up a full day.

One of the tricks for glider students is to schedule flights early in the day - before the thermals start up. Most of your flights will be pattern tows, you don't need thermals. You might be the only student, so you can get 3 or more flights in pretty easily. Later in the afternoon, the soaring conditions will pick up and the rest of the club will be out wanting to fly. That system has worked for me.
 
Take a vacation at a commercial operation 3-4 days for a private add-on. Then go back and fly for fun at the local club.
 
lol getting the isntrument rating will take a lot longer than a week and a lot more money than doing a glider add on.
 
tonycondon said:
lol getting the isntrument rating will take a lot longer than a week and a lot more money than doing a glider add on.
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And be a somewhat more useful. But thanks for the thoughts guys, seriously. Like I said, it just isn't something that fits in to the parameters I was originally considering.
 
steingar said:
And be a somewhat more useful. But thanks for the thoughts guys, seriously. Like I said, it just isn't something that fits in to the parameters I was originally considering.
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Well no one ever said a glider rating is useful. It's just flying around for the heck of it, and it does take a bit of a time commitment. that said it isn't for everyone.
 
Instrument rating definitely helps your pilot skills from a technical standpoint. It takes quite a rigid mindset to fly an ILS to minimums. Soaring on the other hand is a bit more artistic style of flying. Well flown, though, both styles of flying involve similar high levels of precision that tend to give us pilots great satisfaction in a job well done. As far as usefullness that all depends on your mission and purpose for flight and it sounds like you are more interested in transportation in the free bird right now that enjoying an afternoon flight IN the air instead of THROUGH the air. Not a darn thing wrong with that. Powered aircraft are great for semi reliable transportation around the country. I love them for that.

There are two activities that I currently do, aviation wise, when I am feeling up for a challenge. When the weather is low, I go shoot approaches. Not much beats the feeling of accomplishment of breaking out of the clouds just above minimums with the needles centered and everything where it is supposed to be.

But when the weather is good, I go fly my glider. Every flight is an opportunity to fly higher, faster, further than the flight I did previously, or than the other guys who are up flying. I find it's a great way to push myself and get better and better at my flying.
 
steingar said:
Tried to go gliding today, but it didn't work out. I wanted to fly for part of the day, but not all day, as I had chores to do at the house. Flew the Freebird to Marion (MNN). Helped them get a few gliders (don't ask me what kind) from their hangar to their staging area, helped out with what I could. However, a few hours later I still hadn't gone anywhere, and it was time to be getting back. So I took off and went home. 1.2 hours in the Freebird, first time I'd flown since 6Y9. Good landings both ways, despite still crosswinds.

This is not meant as a complaint in any way, shape, or form. They were a really nice bunch, and I would recommend the club to anyone. However, if I'm going to take all day flying, I'm flying to see friends and family, or way away for an adventure. I've got lots of places to go, and lots of folks to visit.

My thought had been that I do many flights to a local restaurant on a nearby strip, just to keep current and keep the rust off. Perhaps instead I would join this glider club, and rather than go out for food not good for me (but yummy) I would learn to fly gliders, and increase my pilot skills. However, from the looks of things that will not happen, thus I am a bit bummed. No fault of anyone whatsoever, just how it is.

At least I can't say I didn't try.
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You did join the club right.. paid all the fees?
We maintain a list with the daily flight operations officer (FOO), first come first show, first on the list. But they don't write your name down on the list to fly if you don't tell them.
 
steingar said:
Great bunch of guys, and I had no trouble shooting the breeze waiting around. Just don't have that kind of time to waste. Don't have the money to waste buying a motorglider; if I did I'd get a faster more capable aircraft.
Click to expand...

You need to get together with your designated club instructor and tell him your time is limited. You really want to do this, can show early in the day for training flights when the lift has not started so as to not take time away from those wanting longer flights with lift.
 
BillTIZ said:
You did join the club right.. paid all the fees?
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Are you nuts? To get one flight to see what its like? Did you buy an airplane for your first flight?

BillTIZ said:
You need to get together with your designated club instructor and tell him your time is limited. You really want to do this, can show early in the day for training flights when the lift has not started so as to not take time away from those wanting longer flights with lift.
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I was one of the first people there that day. Don't know what else I can do. Didn't even know there was such a thing as a designated instructor.
 
BillTIZ said:
You need to get together with your designated club instructor and tell him your time is limited. You really want to do this, can show early in the day for training flights when the lift has not started so as to not take time away from those wanting longer flights with lift.
Click to expand...

I don't see any part of this that was Steingar's fault. I do see a lot of similarities in what he is telling to what I found at the local soaring club in Houston though - it was made perfectly clear to me during a preliminary phone conversation that they'd love an extra hand for a day and that an introductory flight might happen if they got around to it. NO THANKS! It was made real clear that they'd like to have more volunteer help, but more glider pilots they didn't care about.
 
rsleeds said:
I don't see any part of this that was Steingar's fault. I do see a lot of similarities in what he is telling to what I found at the local soaring club in Houston though - it was made perfectly clear to me during a preliminary phone conversation that they'd love an extra hand for a day and that an introductory flight might happen if they got around to it. NO THANKS! It was made real clear that they'd like to have more volunteer help, but more glider pilots they didn't care about.
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In all fairness, it was not as bad as what you describe. They did make what appeared to be a good faith effort for me, and I have zero complaints about the operation. I just didn't have all day to wait around.
 
Too bad about that. Our unwritten club policy on priorities is that demo flights (like what you wanted) go first, students next, and everyone else afterward.

edit: Oh, yeah, and no strings attached on the demo flights (other than the cost of the tow/glider and a lot of times we just eat that anyway, or somebody else picks up the tab for a friend or guest), no expectations of sweat equity.

I think they should have gotten you in first.
 
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Matthew said:
Too bad about that. Our unwritten club policy on priorities is that demo flights (like what you wanted) go first, students next, and everyone else afterward.

edit: Oh, yeah, and no strings attached on the demo flights (other than the cost of the tow/glider and a lot of times we just eat that anyway, or somebody else picks up the tab for a friend or guest), no expectations of sweat equity.

I think they should have gotten you in first.
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They did send a student up before me, so I suppose I could have asked for more.
 
Gliders aren't for everybody - but I don't like it when stuff happens to turn somebody off before they have a chance to try it.
 
Not so much turned off, just bummed I didn't get to go. I'll probably try another day when I have time to burn. When that will be is questionable.
 
They thought he might be involved in education, so he got
"Glider 101." They knew he'd spend most of his time at the glider-port just standing around, so figured he should find out early-on if he was suited for it. Now he knows.
 
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