Sailplane Rating

Danos

Danos

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
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668
Location
New York City
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i And I Survive
I'm seriously considering getting a sailplane rating in 2012. It seems like a cheaper way to make me a better stick and try something new. Does anyone have any suggestions for the NYC/Long Island area? I looked online, but I'd trust a recommendation more. Thanks
 
http://southsidesoaring.com/South_Side_Soaring/Home.html

I am a member... a small, active club with a decent towplane (150-hp Citabria) and two good gliders (a 2-33 and a 1-26). Three seasons for me now; got my ("add-on") PP-G during the second. It is challenging, inexpensive, social and team-oriented, and yes, very good for the most basic pilot skills (including the way you think about everything). I will return to power flying one of these days, but I'm definitely hooked on soaring.

The club's not really an "on demand" type of operation... calendar time needed to finish the PP-G may vary. You join the club with a deposit that buys you a share of the gliders, pay nominal dues, pay nominal tow fees, and instruction is free. We have two excellent instructors, both also power pilots... one of them a very seasoned glider instructor, the other a new glider CFI but a long-term CFII-rated power instructor. Part of the reason it took me more than one season was the fact that we only had one instructor, who works and has family obligations, but the new guy is retired and is available more often.

Our typical flying season is April to November, and we fly at least once a week (usually Sunday). But it can be arranged to get a tow just about any time. But on a long summer Sunday, even with other students flying the trainer, you can bang out a few short hops, and move along pretty quickly.


Right now we only have two members working on their tickets, out of about 8 actively flying members. Most of the other members own an interesting variety of power planes, and they are pretty good about sharing them. ;)
 
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There is a soaring(gliding) club at Brookhaven. Nice bunch of guys but be warned it is mostly gliding, the soaring sucks triple donkey balls on the island(lift suppressed by proximity to the ocean.) Wurtsboro has a commercial operation seems OK, Valley Soaring is a great club in Middletown, NY(or thereabouts.)
I was living on LI and did mine here it was run by the Schweizer factory at the time and is now run by the warbird museum, not sure how it has changed. Prices are still outstanding and you can be done in a week.
Which brings me to the important info section: It will take at least a summer of slogging to add your glider rating at a club, places like I linked above can do it in a week. I subscribe to the get the glider rating in a week, then join a club and learn to soar plan. Others think you should suffer(and learn) over time by running wings and shagging ropes for the rest of us.
 
It's nice that the Elmira Soaring School is using a picture of our 2-33 on their web page. It has not been back east since it left the factory in 1974.

Must not get much blue sky at Elmira to get pictures like that.

Elmira is a long way to go for the OP. but for a 1 week course it would be worthwhile.

I'm not a fan of the one week add-on. You'll learn the check ride PTS, but not learn to soar. Learning any new aspect of aviation and aircraft will add to your skill set, but learning to soar and read the sky to go cross country will make a bigger difference.

I have seen (flown with) graduates of one week add-on ratings that must have completed their course of training in calm conditions. They could not handle western desert tow conditions in thermal turbulence.
 
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I really want to get a glider rating add-on too! Looks like fun and "cheap".
 
Danos said:
Thanks for the help here guys!
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No prob. Whatever you decide- "quickie" rating or a club- come on down this season and I'll give you a ride, on my tab. If you're lucky, it'll be a day with good thermals.
 
rottydaddy said:
No prob. Whatever you decide- "quickie" rating or a club- come on down this season and I'll give you a ride, on my tab. If you're lucky, it'll be a day with good thermals.
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Sounds great!!
 
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