Soaring
- Thread starter wzgrza
- Start date
granlistillo
Well-Known Member
Adm Engen died in a glider accident
Former Adminstrator of the FAA, Member NTSB, Test Pilot, Head of Piper aircraft, head of the national air and space museum, VADM and highly decorated Naval Aviator
http://arlingtoncemetery.net/ddengen.htm
Former Adminstrator of the FAA, Member NTSB, Test Pilot, Head of Piper aircraft, head of the national air and space museum, VADM and highly decorated Naval Aviator
http://arlingtoncemetery.net/ddengen.htm
gliderboy
Well-Known Member
Gliders are waaay safer than GA aircraft. Why? Well, no engine to blow up, no electrical system to fry, no radio to distract you, no flying in IMC, glide ratios of between 25 and 65 to 1, and incredible visibility from the cockpit. In other words, you have to try pretty hard, or be very unlucky/incompetent, to hurt yourself in a glider.
I started out in gliders before transitioning to power planes. Many gliderports also have ride operations. This means you can get paid while building time, either flying gliders or tow planes. Typical pay is $100 per day for glider pilots, $150 for tow pilots. And since most ride operations also offer aerobatic rides, you end up getting free aerobatic training. (Another skill that may save your hide someday.)
Today, when I hear of all these young people who put themselves $40~50,000 in debt to get their ratings I just shake my head. Thanks to gliders, and the many contacts I made there, I got my commercial SEL, MEL and instrument ratings for about 10K.
And as if the financial benefits weren't enough, soaring is some of the purest and most transcendental flying you will ever do.
I started out in gliders before transitioning to power planes. Many gliderports also have ride operations. This means you can get paid while building time, either flying gliders or tow planes. Typical pay is $100 per day for glider pilots, $150 for tow pilots. And since most ride operations also offer aerobatic rides, you end up getting free aerobatic training. (Another skill that may save your hide someday.)
Today, when I hear of all these young people who put themselves $40~50,000 in debt to get their ratings I just shake my head. Thanks to gliders, and the many contacts I made there, I got my commercial SEL, MEL and instrument ratings for about 10K.
And as if the financial benefits weren't enough, soaring is some of the purest and most transcendental flying you will ever do.
tlewis95
I drive planes
Very Safe!
All modern sailplane cockpits are designed like F1 Indy car cockpits, in that they are designed to take a hit. Most are of carbon and kevlar construction, and some even include a roll cage incase of a flip over, or a fence.
Glider accidents are still very rare. Pilots are always thinking about their energy and situational awareness, even more than in an airplanes. They land a lot slower (and lighter) than most GA aircraft, there is no fuel to explode, and they all have a 4 or 5 point seat-belt system.
They generally have more controllability than a GA aircraft, and can land in a much higher wind. Any time we have to stop flying because of the wind, it is because the towplane couldn't take it. A 30-knot crosswind, for example, is very easy to handle with pretty much any glider.
I have just in general, always felt more safe and secure in a glider, I am not exactly sure why.
There are also only 5 or 6 glider fatalities a year.
tlewis95
I drive planes
That too!
The operation I work for is giving me my Commercial glider and CFI in the spring for free, and the ride/CFI job includes all of the free personal tows in my own glider that I want, on the one of two weekend days that I am not working.
I should be towing for them by the end of the 2009 season as well.
Cessna414JJB
Unknown Member
That too!
The operation I work for is giving me my Commercial glider and CFI in the spring for free, and the ride/CFI job includes all of the free personal tows in my own glider that I want, on the one of two weekend days that I am not working.
I should be towing for them by the end of the 2009 season as well.
We need to connect. I would love to get my commercial glider addon.. why not do it through a JC referral?
Already contacted Germany to have my logbook reconstruced from the aircrafts logs & airfield records. Shouldn't be too hard... the KA7 I trained in is still flying...
granlistillo
Well-Known Member
Not one comment on Adm Engen? Wow! so much for reaching the peak of your profession... Where the heck is Tom Wolfe???
Orange Anchor
New Member
Used to be an old boy in CLT named Charley.. and I can't remember his last name. Was a judge at many soaring meets. You know him?
tlewis95
I drive planes
That has to be Charley Spratt!
He is the best "CD" (contest director) ever, but unfortunatly has been having some heath problems, and has not been able to do much with soaring the past few years...
USMCmech
Well-Known Member
Total time is total time. I had about 2.5 hours of glider time in my book when I started.
That said, some airlines will not count glider, hot air balloon, autogyro, or helicopter time.
tlewis95
I drive planes
:yeahthat:
Cross Country flights in a glider (as in, I land at least 50 miles away) would count too right?
Because if I fly 50 miles, and fly for 6 hours, and land 50 miles away, that is 6 hours of cross country, for the price of a 2000 foot tow. ($35)
Orange Anchor
New Member
That has to be Charley Spratt!
He is the best "CD" (contest director) ever, but unfortunatly has been having some heath problems, and has not been able to do much with soaring the past few years...
Yep.. that's the one. He had a crash pad in CLT for a while that I used. Interesting fellow and always good for a story.
Fellow named Singleton? Know him?
tlewis95
I drive planes
Ya, he does have a lot of great stories, and actually published a few of them in a book that I have laying around here somewhere.
Singleton definitely rings a bell, but I can't think of a first name or from where.
Orange Anchor
New Member
I think Billy is an FAA desginee' and I know he is retired airline. Worked with him and an exemplary fellow.
Nihon_Ni
Well-Known Member
Even if it didn't count for a particular airline, it's still valuable experience. It will make you a better pilot by having a variety of experience, and it will certainly count toward commercial & pt 135 mins.
After I got my glider rating I thought about my career path -- if I had it to do all over again I might just buy a $8000 glider and fly a couple hundred hours in it the first summer. Where I fly you can generally stay airborne all afternoon on a tow to 1000 ft. If I owned the glider, that would be $29 per flight plus a little for the annual, tie down and insurance. I can normally fly for as long as my bladder holds out. If I owned the glider I'd be flying for $10-20/hr. Even as a renter it only costs me $35 / hr for the glider and $29 for a tow. A 3 hrs flight comes out to $45/hr or about half the price of a C-172 at my local club. Even though I don't need to build time anymore, I still enjoy soaring as a hobby and am considering buying a glider in the future.
For me, soaring is like therapy. I suggest you don't get too concerned about time building and simply enjoy the experiences you are gaining. It's a journey, not a destination.
High_Alpha
Well-Known Member
I still want to get my glider rating. I had one ride in an S-33 when I was 13, but I've never lived anywhere where there was a club nearby. One of these days...