I gotta say I was always skeptical about flying these and didn't really believe what everyone here says about them. But since we have one of the coolest places to fly gliders in the country (PHDH) I decided to give it a whirl....ya I'm hooked. I give props to all of you guys/gals out there that fly formation as just stickin behind the tow plane was an unexpected challenge at first. I'll let you guys know how things progress.
1st glider lesson
- Thread starter double_d
- Start date
greaper007
Well-Known Member
Nice, I'm in a place that I won't be able to fly for recreation for a very long time. Any idea how much a glider rating would cost for an experienced pilot (CFII MEI ATP)? I know that you can pick up gliders for relatively cheap.
They say typically the transition runs between 1500-2500 depending on how long it takes you to grasp the "no engine" concept. Might be cheaper elsewhere as things here typically run on the high end..whether it's deodorant or glider lessons.
greaper007
Well-Known Member
Nice, thanks for the info. That's probably spot on for this area of the country also (northeast).
Just a quick update...
I have filled 1 and a half logbook pages flying approx once a week for a blistering 5 hours of flight time. I can verify what everyone has ever said about gliders...they are rudder flying machines.
...the SGS-233 is a bear. You feel every air movement on the controls, it stalls like a baby, and is really hard to spin
...ridge soaring rocks when the ridge is working and sucks when it isn't...30 kts straight off the ocean and we could have literally stayed up there all day...took a combination of slipping, dive breaks, and patience to get her down
...tows are expensive
...I will never need to worry about crosswind landing practice out here
...slipping the full pattern isn't easy
...I found out that I'm naturally heavy on the left rudder due to me driving a standard tranny :dunno:
...learning to soar at HDH is worth every penny just for the scenery
...I want to own an L-19
So ya, those are my thoughts so far. Learning how to soar has been a ton more fun and challenging than fartin around in a 150. I should solo in about a week or so and hopefully be a newly certified PPL-G sometime next month.
I have filled 1 and a half logbook pages flying approx once a week for a blistering 5 hours of flight time. I can verify what everyone has ever said about gliders...they are rudder flying machines.
...the SGS-233 is a bear. You feel every air movement on the controls, it stalls like a baby, and is really hard to spin
...ridge soaring rocks when the ridge is working and sucks when it isn't...30 kts straight off the ocean and we could have literally stayed up there all day...took a combination of slipping, dive breaks, and patience to get her down
...tows are expensive
...I will never need to worry about crosswind landing practice out here
...slipping the full pattern isn't easy
...I found out that I'm naturally heavy on the left rudder due to me driving a standard tranny :dunno:
...learning to soar at HDH is worth every penny just for the scenery
...I want to own an L-19
So ya, those are my thoughts so far. Learning how to soar has been a ton more fun and challenging than fartin around in a 150. I should solo in about a week or so and hopefully be a newly certified PPL-G sometime next month.
germb747
Well-Known Member
I'd like to learn how to fly a glider too, preferable around the San Antonio area. I hear there's a soaring operation northwest of here, but you have to join the club, etc. Anyone know about how much time it takes (days/weeks) to get it done if you devote full time to the add-on rating?
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
Light sport or private shouldn't take more than a few days. The biggest issue you will face is availability of instructors/gliders/tow planes at a club. A commercial operation can easily have it done in 3 or 4 days, albeit at a somewhat higher cost.
With a club, if you can cut a deal with a tow pilot and instructor to come out on a day or two when the club is usually closed, you can probably be done a lot faster.
Plan on about 20 to 30 flights, the two big skills you are learning would be flying in tow, and landing. Landing will be easier if you already have some taildragger time (gliders are essentially all taildraggers, and only make wheel landings).
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
I checked into a local glider school (it's actually nearer San Antonio than to me...maybe about an hour from where I am) and looked into things.
What was interesting was the way they charge for a tow. Glider rental and instruction aside, they charge around $54 for a tow to 3,000 feet.
Thinking seriously about it. They told me adding the glider to my PPL would cost somewhere between $650-$1500.
What was interesting was the way they charge for a tow. Glider rental and instruction aside, they charge around $54 for a tow to 3,000 feet.
Thinking seriously about it. They told me adding the glider to my PPL would cost somewhere between $650-$1500.
germb747
Well-Known Member
Which place did you check out? I did a quick internet search; one glider school in the area prices a glider add-on at approx $2700. That's too much. $1500, I'll at least talk to them.
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
It's the San Antonio Club out of Boerne.
Go here, and look at the link on the lower left of the page for the San Antonio Soaring Society.
Talked to one of their instructors yesterday. Seemed like a good guy.
I'm learning from a commercial operation here in Hawaii. They quote $2600 for the transition. My guess would be a savings of at least $1k if you hooked up with a club there in TX as opposed to a comm op. A lot of the clubs that I have seen even offer free instruction. I'm having to pay by the hour for both flight and ground here but I have no other choice. Either way, you need to give it a try. Find a place with a winch (Houston has one) and tell them you want your intro flight with a winch launch. You'll be hooked.
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
It apparently depends on what you're trying to do and how much TT you already have. I don't have the current regs in front of me, but my 2008 FAR/AIM - 61.109, section F (Glider Rating), paragraphs 1 and 2 indicate that if you have at least 40 hours of time in heavier-than-air aircraft then you need 3 training flights and 10 solo flights, as opposed to 3 and 20.
And it counts toward your BFR.
Also, if you join the club in SA you get the glider at half-price on the hourly. I did the math, and at BARE MINIMUM it would be about $650 for a 100+-hour PPL to do it. I'd probably budget more, though, because you want to fly more after getting the ticket, and I don't think that includes the cost of the tow.
For me, rental rate is the least of my worries. Even on good lift days, I only end up logging about an hour of flight time ($39). However, that hour of flight time usually consists of AT LEAST 2-3 tows to various altitudes depending on what we are working on that day (boxing the wake, pattern work, simulated rope breaks, etc...)
So at $39/hr for the glider, 3 tows to 2000' at $50 ea, and $55/hr for the instruction my general outing costs $245. Say it takes you 3 days like this to solo ($735) and then the min of 10 solo flights each with a tow to 2000' for 2.5 hours ($600) and the checkride ($400). Thats a total of $1735 bare mins at the operation out here.
The one thing that you have to remember is flying these things is a bit different than your average day C150 (as I have found out) and there is still a learning curve. I'm not saying it can't be done, but I would have to say that 3 training flights to solo is uncommon. That's why $2000-$2500 is a good estimate for the add-on IMHO.
Club flying has advantages as tows seem to be cheaper, free instruction, and lower rental rates. They also have disadvantages like monthly dues, only operating a few days a week, and instructor availability. Either way, don't let the cost deter you from giving soaring a try. There's no need to rush the add-on.