St Auban or ?

[Roy Clark, \B6\]

My better half wants to visit the South of France next year.

Any suggestions to sample some French soaring at St Auban or other
club/site?

Logbook wiil be over 1000 hours by that time.

[[email protected]]

Puimoisson in July:
http://www.puivolavoile.com/?lang=en

Wife loved the lavender fields, kids loved le Lac de St. Croix, Canyon du Verdon is just around the corner, gliding is awesome.

Andrej Kolar

On Thursday, December 13, 2012 6:43:33 AM UTC+1, Roy Clark, "B6" wrote:
> My better half wants to visit the South of France next year.
>
>
>
> Any suggestions to sample some French soaring at St Auban or other
>
> club/site?
>
>
>
> Logbook wiil be over 1000 hours by that time.

[Justin Craig[_3_]]

The flying in the Alps is stunning, albeit challenging.

There are three clubs close to Sisteron.

* St Auban
* Sisteron itself
* La Motte Du Care

I fly at La Motte which is a small club exceptionally well run by Christian
the CFI. They look after visitors very well and have small but very good
fleet. They operate winch only. The cost saving flying at La Motte is
significant.

Have you flown in mountains before? How flexable is your budget?

St Auban will be much higher cost, but they do have a large exceptional
fleet including Nimbus 4, Arcus, Duo, ASG 29, etc.

My budget is more limited, but i spend a reasonable amount of time down
there each year and find the "club" environment that La Motte has to offer
preferential to to the commercial operation at St Auban.

Flying at any of those three sites will be lovely, and frankly I don't
think you could make a wrong decision!

Enjoy you time in a beautiful part of the world!

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, December 13, 2012 1:34:27 AM UTC-8, Justin Craig wrote:
> The flying in the Alps is stunning, albeit challenging.
>
>
>
> There are three clubs close to Sisteron.
>
>
>
> * St Auban
>
> * Sisteron itself
>
> * La Motte Du Care
>
>
>
> I fly at La Motte which is a small club exceptionally well run by Christian
>
> the CFI. They look after visitors very well and have small but very good
>
> fleet. They operate winch only. The cost saving flying at La Motte is
>
> significant.
>
>
>
> Have you flown in mountains before? How flexable is your budget?
>
>
>
> St Auban will be much higher cost, but they do have a large exceptional
>
> fleet including Nimbus 4, Arcus, Duo, ASG 29, etc.
>
>
>
> My budget is more limited, but i spend a reasonable amount of time down
>
> there each year and find the "club" environment that La Motte has to offer
>
> preferential to to the commercial operation at St Auban.
>
>
>
> Flying at any of those three sites will be lovely, and frankly I don't
>
> think you could make a wrong decision!
>
>
>
> Enjoy you time in a beautiful part of the world!

Yes, yes, yes La Motte. There are gliderports with real scenery, no noisy towplane and go to wave off a string!

[Mike Oliver]

Any flying in the Alps is awesome!

If you are an experienced mountain pilot, familiar with winch launching
then I would agree with Justin that la Motte would be a great place to fly
from. (I must try it myself some time)

I have been flying from St Auban several weeks each year for the past 6
years.
It differs from clubs in that it is purely a mountain flying school They
have a number of highly experienced instructors some of whom have flown in
that area for the past 30+years- They KNOW the best places to fly! They
also have a fantastic fleet of single and 2 seat gliders. They are mainly
an aerotow organisation but did purchase winches 2 years ago which are
great if the wind is a northerly to get onto the nearest ridge

There is accommodation on site, it's not 5* but is better than most gliding
clubs offer. There is also a canteen on site which again is fairly basic.
From the airfield you can walk to the nearest shops for the essential which
you certainly can't do from La Motte.

I have always found the team there to be extremely friendly and helpful.
Full briefings are carried out daily usually in English and French.

You pays you money and make your choice!

Feel free to mail me directly for any further info. I'm booked in 8th of
July.

Mike

[Dave Nadler]

Hi Roy ! Cisteron is great, make sure to book a
Duo with instructor for full days well in advance.
You'll have a blast !
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

[Paul T[_4_]]

There is also Klaus's place at Serres to consider
www.quovadis-aero.com and there are lots of other french clubs in the Alps
try this link:-

http://ffvv.org/debutant-edito/annuaire-des-clubs?departement=13_83_06_04_05_84

and maybe
http://ffvv.org/debutant-edito/annuaire-des-clubs?departement=74_73_38_26_07_42_69_01

On personal eperience I would avoid the CENTRE SAVOYARD VOL A VOILE ALPIN
at CHALLES LES EAUX though.

[Peter von Tresckow]

OK, I have a seperate question. What kind of paperwork is neccessary to go
flying in France and/or Germany (I have a US Glider Cert), and how difficult
is it to get the appropriate documents?

Thanks

Pete
"Paul T" > wrote in message
.com...
> There is also Klaus's place at Serres to consider
> www.quovadis-aero.com and there are lots of other french clubs in the
> Alps
> try this link:-
>
> http://ffvv.org/debutant-edito/annuaire-des-clubs?departement=13_83_06_04_05_84
>
> and maybe
> http://ffvv.org/debutant-edito/annuaire-des-clubs?departement=74_73_38_26_07_42_69_01
>
> On personal eperience I would avoid the CENTRE SAVOYARD VOL A VOILE ALPIN
> at CHALLES LES EAUX though.
>

[François Hersen]

Why not to visit La Montagne Noire with the great experience in towing by
car! see;
http://youtu.be/ctGEC5oIgIs

François




"Roy Clark, "B6"" a écrit dans le message de groupe de discussion :
...

My better half wants to visit the South of France next year.

Any suggestions to sample some French soaring at St Auban or other
club/site?

Logbook wiil be over 1000 hours by that time.

[StaPo]

Some of my friends were very satisfied in Gap Tallard, link is
http://www.martinkroke-gaptallard.com/ealpensegelflug.htm

[Martin Gregorie[_5_]]

On Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:17:36 -0800, Charlie Papa wrote:

> Here is the text of an account of my viist to St. Auban, which I wrote a
> few years ago for Gliding Interntional;
>
Great write-up! Thanks to posting it.

I've saved a copy for future reference. Maybe in 2014!


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[Roy Clark, \B6\]

Thanks to CP and everyone who shared their experiences and suggestions.
Now the planning for the trip begins.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and, as Herr Weber (of DG) always says,
Always Happy Landings!

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, December 13, 2012 10:42:00 PM UTC-6, Roy Clark, "B6" wrote:
> Thanks to CP and everyone who shared their experiences and suggestions.
>
> Now the planning for the trip begins.
>
>
>
> Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and, as Herr Weber (of DG) always says,
>
> Always Happy Landings!

So glad you quoted Friedel Weber, thanks Roy! He is much beloved in the LS/DG community (or is he?).
Another suggestion that hasn't been mentioned above is Barcelonette in the high French Alps. You are right in the high mountains with skiing opportunities into spring and immediate access to the 'Parcours' and the glacier landscape to the North. Very professional operators when I visited for 2 weeks but that was 12 years ago.

[[email protected]]

I have been flying at various sites in Southern France (by the way, Challes-les-Eaux is not part of Southern France...), and maybe some 1500h out of La Motte du Caire. La Motte is a little paradise; however, during July/August it becomes rather crowded. It's a small airfield, and the limit of 25 gliders is rater generous...

For personal reasons, I now fly out of Fayence which is about 20 km north of the Mediterrean Sea (it's close to St-Raphael and about 45 min from Nice airport).
For familiy, that would be the ideal place with beaches close by (both fresh and salt water). Access to the mountains is fairly easy (the house ridge is about 1800m elevation), and in the evening you can fly straight into the field from a point 150 km to the north...
Rather big operation, many international visitors, round the year operation, reasonable fleet from 15m to 25m.

[akiley]

On Friday, December 14, 2012 3:13:26 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> I have been flying at various sites in Southern France (by the way, Challes-les-Eaux is not part of Southern France...), and maybe some 1500h out of La Motte du Caire. La Motte is a little paradise; however, during July/August it becomes rather crowded. It's a small airfield, and the limit of 25 gliders is rater generous...
>
>
>
> For personal reasons, I now fly out of Fayence which is about 20 km north of the Mediterrean Sea (it's close to St-Raphael and about 45 min from Nice airport).
>
> For familiy, that would be the ideal place with beaches close by (both fresh and salt water). Access to the mountains is fairly easy (the house ridge is about 1800m elevation), and in the evening you can fly straight into the field from a point 150 km to the north...
>
> Rather big operation, many international visitors, round the year operation, reasonable fleet from 15m to 25m.

Anyone know which places might be best for someone how only speaks English? My wife is fluent in German, but that's probably not going to help me, nor will the handful of French songs I learned in grade school. ... Aaron

[Andreas Maurer]

On Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:51:20 -0800 (PST), akiley
> wrote:


>Anyone know which places might be best for someone how only speaks English? My wife is fluent in German, but that's probably not going to help me, nor will the handful of French songs I learned in grade school. ... Aaron

Don't worry - nowadays nearly all French people more or less speak
English, the younger ones are usually close to perfect.

And half of the people you are going to meet on any given airport in
the French Alps are Germans, so I guarantee that you are not going to
have problems with the language there. :)

Andreas,
more or less fluent in German, English and French. <vbg>

[Mike Oliver]

I'm going to saySt Auban again. English speakers in the office, quite a few
instructors who speak reasonable English, Briefings in English every day.
What more could you want?

Am biased?- Yes I think it's a great place although admittedly not the
cheapest.

Mike




At 03:46 15 December 2012, Andreas Maurer wrote:
>On Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:51:20 -0800 (PST), akiley
> wrote:
>
>
>>Anyone know which places might be best for someone how only speaks
>English? My wife is fluent in German, but that's probably not going to
>help me, nor will the handful of French songs I learned in grade school.
>... Aaron
>

[akiley]

On Saturday, December 15, 2012 3:46:33 AM UTC-5, Mike Oliver wrote:
> I'm going to saySt Auban again. English speakers in the office, quite a few
>
> instructors who speak reasonable English, Briefings in English every day.
>
> What more could you want?
>
>
>
> Am biased?- Yes I think it's a great place although admittedly not the
>
> cheapest.
>
>
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 03:46 15 December 2012, Andreas Maurer wrote:
>
> >On Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:51:20 -0800 (PST), akiley
>
> > wrote:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >>Anyone know which places might be best for someone how only speaks
>
> >English? My wife is fluent in German, but that's probably not going to
>
> >help me, nor will the handful of French songs I learned in grade school.
>
> >... Aaron
>
> >

I wonder what the chances are of being able to solo? For example, I visit for 2 weeks, get an equivalent French pilots license in advance. (if that's how it works and IF it works) Also, I'm a relatively low time glider pilot having flown gliders for 3 seasons and 135 hours. But all in high performance inc some flapped ships. (ASW27) Some mountain/wave, some ridge in Minden and Williams. Also 600 power hours instrument multi. (like that will help)

I noticed you need 250 hours to rent a Duo at Soar Omarama. ... Aaron

[Mike Oliver]

To the best of my knowledge solo flying shouldn't be a problem providing
the instructors are happy with your flying. I have known pilots with more
hours than you who have not been allowed to solo and was told it was due to
their flying not being accurate enough. I have also know pilots with less
hours who have gone solo.

I suggest sending an e-mail to in late january asking what
paperwork you would need should get you the answer you want.

You can always mail me direct for any further info.

Mike



>
>I wonder what the chances are of being able to solo? For example, I
visit
>=
>for 2 weeks, get an equivalent French pilots license in advance. (if
>that's=
> how it works and IF it works) Also, I'm a relatively low time glider
>pilo=
>t having flown gliders for 3 seasons and 135 hours. But all in high
>perfor=
>mance inc some flapped ships. (ASW27) Some mountain/wave, some ridge in
>Min=
>den and Williams. Also 600 power hours instrument multi. (like that will
>h=
>elp)=20
>
>I noticed you need 250 hours to rent a Duo at Soar Omarama. ... Aaron
>

[akiley]

Before this thread scolls into oblivion, I just wanted to add a few notes:

I've been trying to figure out ways to learn more about airspace and procedures for a first attempt at soaring in the Provence area. As a non French speaking US citizen, I found this article very helpful. http://www.stauban..8m.com/index.html Is this Pappa Kilo's article?

A second item I discovered is SkyDemon, http://www.skydemon.aero/ , an aviation app that works on several platforms including the iPad and PC. It's an app like WingX, Foreflight, Garmin Pilot, except it also includes Europe. You can try this app free for a month (no affiliation) and with it you see all the European charts, detailed airport diagrams, airspace, NOTAMS, weather. You can measure distances, look at terrain, simulate flights and such. It's sort of difficult and expensive to order paper versions of all this material, so SkyDemon is worth a try out. ...Aaron