Gliders
 

So I may have the opportunity to get my Glider license soon. It would be in a motor-glider, and I'm looking for input from any of you guys with experience.

I've downloaded the Glider PPL PTS, and will review it tomorrow- would you recommend doing the PPL or going right for the Commercial? What type of maneuvers can I expect, especially for the commercial glider? And what would you do to prepare? Thanks!

I went straight for commercial, just to have a "smooth certificate," i.e. all my ratings at the commercial level. Note that I have never flown a motorglider, so take this with a grain of salt...my glider training and subsequent glider time is all in "straight" gliders, aerotow only.

The difference (if you already have an airplane rating) is that you'll need 20 solo flights in a glider (10 for a private), you'll have to hold airspeed within 5 kts (instead of 10, I think) and you have to land with half the tolerance for where you stop (within 100 ft of a designated point.)

Only the first (20 solo flights) is a "real" deterrent, IMO, in that it takes 10 more tows. The tighter tolerance are easy to meet.

Steep turns, turning and straight stalls, unusual attitudes are the only maneuvers I recall. And simulated rope breaks are the only emergency. At 300 ft in my case, which is plenty to turn around and land in. In a medium performance glider, the challenge is losing altitude after even a 200' rope break!

To prepare, I submit the following:

- Read the FAA's Glider Flying Handbook. Yes, really. It's well done. It's free in PDF form online.

- While there is no knowledge test, the oral test will quiz your knowledge of glider stuff, so don't skip those chapters. Soaring weather, in particular, may be new to most airplane pilots.

- I found that it taxed my stick-and-rudder skills. Aerotow, in particular was hard to learn. If you're already skilled at formation flight, you'll have no trouble with aerotow, but I was all over the place for the first few tows.

- Ditto for boxing the wake...it took me 5 tries before I got it right. Slow, continuous motion is what they examiner will look for.

- Obviously, I had to learn to use rudder differently...motion rather than pressure, because the pressure is quite low.

- If you have access to an airplane you can practice in, get good at landing on the runway stripe of your choice. I found that in a glider I can hit the spot that I want much better than in an airplane, once I re-learned how to judge my glide well. Happily, flying gliders has improved the accuracy and smoothness of my landings in airplanes!

Have fun! This is a great rating to get...not too long, challenges your skills, and transfers to all your flying.

And remember to use your feet :-)

Thanks, great info there! Just what I was looking for.

Go for the CPL. Make sure you clear the area before doing a maneuver. Other than that, Bashi covered everything I can think of.

Did you get the ticket?
 

Did you get the glider rating? I only got the PPL a couple of years ago because I needed to complete training before moving overseas.

Looking to finish the CPL and CFIG add on soon. Slowly becoming a glider geek.

I have a CFI glider but haven't used it for many years. Is the "Self Launch" still an instructor endorsement or is it indicated on the FAA license now?

Launch mode (aerotow/ground launch/self-launch) is now a FAR 61.31 instructor endorsement.

It used to be indicated on the certificate.

Thanks! Now that you bring it up, I seem to recall having "aero tow" on my license but now it just says Glider.

Came across this thread and had a question. Currently a military pilot so my schedule is far from fixed. I don't think I will be home enough to reap the benefit of a club and the closest commercial outfit is an hour and a half away. I did get to go up to the Air Force Academy for two weeks and go through their glider program and solo in an L-23. Always wanted to get the glider rating and doing some poking around came across Arizona Soaring. Anyone heard anything about this outfit? I did all my ratings civilian and this would be the first "Accelerated" program I've done and kinda hesitant about getting the glider rating this way, but currently it looks like the best option if I take 1-2 weeks off of work.