Glider Flying

nkoenig

nkoenig

New Member
Anybody know anything about flying a glider? There is a Gliderport close to me and I was thinking about checking it out. How safe or dangerous is it, and most importantly how much fun is it?
 
Yep, I have about 250 hours in gliders, and fly in races every once in a while.

Its a ton of fun (especially once you start flying cross country and/or racing) and very very safe.

You can go to www.ssa.org to find out more.
 
nkoenig said:
How safe or dangerous is it, and most importantly how much fun is it?
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I only have a few flights under my belt and i am working towards my certificate, but I can tell you that every time I have left the glider airport, I am smiling uncontrollably.



So yeah, it is fun.
 
That's how I got into flying. I started out in Gliders flying in Germany, where it's really big. It's fun and it is real flying! I was just over in Germany a few months ago and went up a few times...

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Thats the way i started.

I never got as far as Trace, but i solo'd a few hours and it defiantly made me a much better student pilot when i transitioned to power, now i use those skills whenever i fly!
 
I thought I knew how to use the rudder until I started flying gliders. I love the challenge of finding rising air and using all your skill to keep the glider aloft as long as you can. On my longest flight I got a tow to 1000' and disconnected from the tow plane, then proceeded to fly for 3 more hours before my bladder finally made me land. I added a glider rating to my certificate in 4 days of training. To me, flying gliders is like therapy. I love it!!
 
It's gonna be interesting to learn how a glider works. I'm looking forward to learning about it.
 
Over 600 hours of glider time. Mostly cross country and competition flying. It's how I started too. Keep at it and you'll really develop your stick and rudder skills as well as a good knowledge of micrometeorology. No doubt it's a lot of fun (unless you're about 800' AGL, 200+ miles from where you want to be and all the other gliders you're competing against seem to be still in the air at 10,000' :sarcasm:)
 
How I started as well. I've seen in general less accidents with gliders, and while power pilot friends keep dying, I haven't lost any friends in glider accidents.

Depending on the airport you're going to, if its a club or a business, soaring often sports a friendly social atmosphere for good times on the ground as well.
 
Lance F said:
No doubt it's a lot of fun (unless you're about 800' AGL, 200+ miles from where you want to be and all the other gliders you're competing against seem to be still in the air at 10,000' :sarcasm:)
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That is a wonderful feeling... :whatever: :sarcasm:

Now a really really cool feeling, is being in a loose formation of 6 gliders 5 miles out diving for the line into the low sun! :laff:
 
Out of curiosity how much $$ do you spend on an average flight. At a local soaring club its $70 a tow to 3,000 (including everything) which could either be cheap or expensive depending on the thermals.
 
Adler said:
Out of curiosity how much $$ do you spend on an average flight. At a local soaring club its $70 a tow to 3,000 (including everything) which could either be cheap or expensive depending on the thermals.
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That sounds about right for a commercial FBO type operation, but a club should be a little bit cheaper than that per flight. Of course, in a club there are dues to pay each month too.

Your right, a $30 and 2,000 foot tow, in my glider, and I am gone on a 6 hour flight, ends up being a pretty cheap way to build total time, and possibly a lot of cross country time if I end up landing more than 50 miles away. :rolleyes:
 
tlewis95 said:
Your right, a $30 and 2,000 foot tow, in my glider, and I am gone on a 6 hour flight, ends up being a pretty cheap way to build total time, and possibly a lot of cross country time if I end up landing more than 50 miles away. :rolleyes:
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Glider time doesn't apply for total time requirements, does it?
 
DeltaAVL said:
Glider time doesn't apply for total time requirements, does it?
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Of course it can. Which is why in the experience requirements for some licenses have "airplane" time listed specifically instead of just total time.

But I can include it in total time when talking to potential employers.
 
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