Tony, you're evil...

Bill

Bill

Touchdown! Greaser!
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I just talked with Sarah at Chilhowee, and:

Three day PP to glider transition course, she prefers one to go three days in a row, weekdays preferable to get the best instructor face time (she'd be the instructor). Most people need about 10 dual, then 10 solo flights, and then they'd be ready for the checkride. The package is $1549, and includes the checkride fee. At the end of the three days, I'd be a certified glider pilot.

Really really tempting. I have the $$$'s, and butt loads of vacation time on the books.
 
do it Bill. Sarah is top notch, btw. I spent several meals visiting with her about CFIGing and running a glider operation during the SSA Convention. You will learn how to do things right, and be in the company of some of the best pilots in the world, seriously. I think she said that there were 3 or 4 pilots from Chilhowee going to World Championships this year. Not too shabby for a grass strip in Tennessee.
 
oh oh and then as soon as you get your private glider, you can get this nice 1-26 for practically nothing:
http://www.wingsandwheels.com/wantads1.htm
scroll to the bottom. 1-26 E with trailer for 8500. it performs only a tad worse than my glider, but as I said, in the ridge you can go a long ways with it. heck even in thermals on the right day you can get diamond distance (500 km).

Ill keep looking for you :)
 
Kaye said:
Obviously, you haven't picked up your Mooney yet....:rofl:
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Obviously, but I just called, and the tanks are now sealed, passed pressure test, and have sat for theee-four days with no leaks. The wings are now prepped for paint, and the painting should start post haste. the fuse and emp are already painted, just need the wings and belly.

There is hope yet for us to have the plane in time for Adam's BBQ.

Oh, and I'm still going to do the glider thing, maybe late spring.
 
Tony, you and I should talk up soaring at Gaston's. I know there are a lot of power pilots interested like Bill; they just need more information and perhaps a little push.
 
Bill when do you think the pick up will be? I am back down in the Sarasota area at the end of the month. I drive over from Ft. Lauderdale on the 26th.
 
What powers the instruments/radios in a glider? Is it all battery? Is there some kind of wind turbine like airliners have?
 
Lance F said:
Tony, you and I should talk up soaring at Gaston's. I know there are a lot of power pilots interested like Bill; they just need more information and perhaps a little push.
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I agree.

bqmassey said:
What powers the instruments/radios in a glider? Is it all battery? Is there some kind of wind turbine like airliners have?
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All battery. Many of the modern gliders with electric varios and glide computers, transponders and radios, plus god knows what, have very robust electrical systems. I just have a handheld and use its rechargable battery. RAT's are extra drag.
 
I see. So if you've got all the convection you want, it's possible for your flights to be limited by battery life?
 
bqmassey said:
I see. So if you've got all the convection you want, it's possible for your flights to be limited by battery life?
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well, the useable limit of all your electronics would be limited by battery life, but not necessarily the length of your flight. If my handheld dies on a XC flight, Im still going to keep going. Usually I dont land at an airport anyway after a XC flight so communication in air really isnt all that important. If I have a crew chasing me however it would be a bummer, but not something that would make me land short.

Us glider guys are careful to set up our systems to last much longer than our longest anticipated flight. and especially with modern electronics, the power draw is pretty low. 12V 10 amp-hr Gel Cell battery will run about anything I want for as long as I want.
 
I was never interested, at all, in glider flying. After hearing all of you on here talking about it I want to try it really, really bad!

Maybe someday.
 
bqmassey said:
I was never interested, at all, in glider flying. After hearing all of you on here talking about it I want to try it really, really bad!

Maybe someday.
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Good, come to Ames, anytime. We will get you doing some real flying. :)
 
tonycondon said:
do it Bill. Sarah is top notch, btw. I spent several meals visiting with her about CFIGing and running a glider operation during the SSA Convention. You will learn how to do things right, and be in the company of some of the best pilots in the world, seriously. I think she said that there were 3 or 4 pilots from Chilhowee going to World Championships this year. Not too shabby for a grass strip in Tennessee.
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Tony, what's the scoop with this Chilhowee? I was looking at Marfa and at Bermuda High, but the deal at Chilhowee is hundreds less! I'm a member of SSA, but just can't seem to get it going with instruction at the local club - this might be the way for me to go, I'm thinking.

On the other hand, someone has a Pietenpol fuselage, tailfeathers and ribs, plus wood for sale for not a bunch of money ... ;)
 
Ive flown at Marfa, and would highly recommend it. Burt is a trustee in the Soaring Safety Foundation, and was my examiner for my Commercial add on. Was the toughest 4 days of flying I've ever done, but Burt made it fun. He also taugh me how to tow. Learning from the guy who wrote the (only) book on the subject was valuable. Hes got a laundry list of accomplishments.

Nothing wrong with Chilhowee either. From my conversations with Sarah, and reports from others, her operation is top notch. It is a lot closer to you as well Tom, and if the price is cheaper then so be it.

Sadly it seems that often the most efficient way, in a time vs. money reference, to get your glider rating is to go to a commercial operator, get it done fast, and then use the local club for tows. volunteer CFIGs and towpilots just cant be well organized for truly effective training to take place.
 
smigaldi said:
Bill when do you think the pick up will be? I am back down in the Sarasota area at the end of the month. I drive over from Ft. Lauderdale on the 26th.
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Don't really know. Original plan was to have the mechanical work done by end of the week, paint next week, interior in the following week, pickup 1st week May?

We appear to be ahead of this latest revised schedule. :(
 
Bill Jennings said:
Obviously, but I just called, and the tanks are now sealed, passed pressure test, and have sat for theee-four days with no leaks. The wings are now prepped for paint, and the painting should start post haste. the fuse and emp are already painted, just need the wings and belly.

There is hope yet for us to have the plane in time for Adam's BBQ.

Oh, and I'm still going to do the glider thing, maybe late spring.
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What's the weekend of Adam's BBQ? I have to be in Philly May 20 for a baby shower, maybe I can make the wife go and go the airport instead . . .

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
Bill Jennings said:
Hopefully, Brent and I have our airplane by then, otherwise, :lightning:
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If you miss it then, the MMT will also feature barbecue, to help raise money for the PMC... Plus, I may be in Dayton, OH soon, which is much closer to you than Boston... :)

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
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astanley said:
If you miss it then, the MMT will also feature barbecue, to help raise money for the PMC... Plus, I may be in Dayton, OH soon, which is much closer to you than Boston... :)
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I haven't done an MMT in a number of years, and that is really my favorite event. If I don't do SF this year, I may iron butt on up for the MMT.
 
ah, then with that information google provided me with ...

Motorcycle Miracle Tour.

Ok, got it. Thanks!
 
etsisk said:
ah, then with that information google provided me with ...

Motorcycle Miracle Tour.

Ok, got it. Thanks!
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Not quite. MMT stands for the "Magical Mystery Tour"

The MMT is the hallowed August tradition of the New England Denizens of Doom (NEDoD, where Bill and I know each other from).

Each year, a member of the group, known as the Colonel, strings together a 300+ mile ride through the New England countryside - that is based on clues versus directions. At the start, each rider is given an envelope - each one is similar, but they all have variations - with clues on how to get there. A famous one is:

"You are a cannonball".

In this clue, you roll up to an intersection. Looking around, you see a cannon on a town monument (pretty common up here, actually), and it is pointing to the left. If you were a cannonball, you would travel to the left. So, you turn left.

The clues can get even more obtuse, but you get the gist.

In each envelope is another envelope, containing the final campsite and how to get there if you are hopelessly lost. It is a badge of honor to return to camp with the internal envelope intact, and getting there without following someone else :)

Here's last year's route sheet, with the "answers" on the side:

http://users.net1plus.com/holbrook/mmt05mhp.txt

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
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