Private Pilot Glider Rating Requirements

[John]

If a glider student has 40+ hours aeronautical experience prior to
taking instruction in gliders what are the requirements for Private
Pilot Glider Rating?

[Mark James Boyd]

61.109(f)(2)

With 40+ hrs heavier than air, one needs

3 hours in a glider including
10 solo flights and 3 dual flights (minimum)

Pretty minimal, eh? Then again, flying a 2-33 is pretty
simple after flying powered planes. If you can
learn aerotow, and then learn to land flat and use
spoilers, you can get a glider rating.

Soaring (finding and keeping lift) is another matter...

[Andre Volant]

Your message is read all over the World so you should be more specific
about location where.
In US I think 10 solo flights (including 10 landings?)plus written and
flight tests, could be just a couple of flights on 95'Microsoft Flight
Simulator in New Jersey :). Go to Google and type what you are looking
for.
Hey, this is very interesting subject, how about it? There are
different requirements in every country, let's see, they may even
correlate with glider accident data.
I think it should be a crime not to teach glider pilot how to get out
from a spin. But this is a different subject.

Andre

(John) wrote in message >...
> If a glider student has 40+ hours aeronautical experience prior to
> taking instruction in gliders what are the requirements for Private
> Pilot Glider Rating?

[Liam Finley]

(John) wrote in message >...
> If a glider student has 40+ hours aeronautical experience prior to
> taking instruction in gliders what are the requirements for Private
> Pilot Glider Rating?

For applicants who have logged at least 40 hours of flight time as a
pilot;
at least 3 hours of flight time in a glider, including;
10 training flights; and,
10 solo flights; and
3 training flights in preparation for the practical test.
Simply put, the applicant must have logged at least 3 hours in gliders
and made at least 20 flights.

http://www.ssa.org/Flying/PilotReq.asp

[Mark James Boyd]

In article >,
Liam Finley > wrote:
(John) wrote in message >...
>> If a glider student has 40+ hours aeronautical experience prior to
>> taking instruction in gliders what are the requirements for Private
>> Pilot Glider Rating?
>
>For applicants who have logged at least 40 hours of flight time as a
>pilot;
>at least 3 hours of flight time in a glider, including;
>10 training flights; and,
>10 solo flights; and
>3 training flights in preparation for the practical test.
>Simply put, the applicant must have logged at least 3 hours in gliders
>and made at least 20 flights.
>
>http://www.ssa.org/Flying/PilotReq.asp

http://www.risingup.com/fars/info/part61-109-FAR.shtml

seems to match my paper copy. Splitting hairs here, but this US
requirement says 40+ hours in "heavier-than-air" not time as a pilot.
All you cluster balloon LTA pilots are outa luck here :P

61.109(f)(2) makes no mention of "10 training flights." I have
no idea where the SSA came up with this. I think it's just plain wrong.
But this is minor, since most students will take 10+ training flights
anyway...

[BTIZ]

Mark... your FAR61.109(f)(2) reference specifies at sub para (i)
"at least 10 solo flights" along with the required training hours and flight
check prep flights.

This was written differently in previous versions of the FARs (go back more
than a few years) and was re-written to clarify the intent.

BT

"Mark James Boyd" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Liam Finley > wrote:
> (John) wrote in message
>...
> >> If a glider student has 40+ hours aeronautical experience prior to
> >> taking instruction in gliders what are the requirements for Private
> >> Pilot Glider Rating?
> >
> >For applicants who have logged at least 40 hours of flight time as a
> >pilot;
> >at least 3 hours of flight time in a glider, including;
> >10 training flights; and,
> >10 solo flights; and
> >3 training flights in preparation for the practical test.
> >Simply put, the applicant must have logged at least 3 hours in gliders
> >and made at least 20 flights.
> >
> >http://www.ssa.org/Flying/PilotReq.asp
>
> http://www.risingup.com/fars/info/part61-109-FAR.shtml
>
> seems to match my paper copy. Splitting hairs here, but this US
> requirement says 40+ hours in "heavier-than-air" not time as a pilot.
> All you cluster balloon LTA pilots are outa luck here :P
>
> 61.109(f)(2) makes no mention of "10 training flights." I have
> no idea where the SSA came up with this. I think it's just plain wrong.
> But this is minor, since most students will take 10+ training flights
> anyway...

[John]

My origial question was pertaining to US regs. Sorry I forget the
power of the net. Now for the kicker... Can these minimums apply to
a glider student whose 40+ hours are dual only in a powered aircraft?
That is a 15 year old student who cannot solo a powered airplane but
has many hours logged as dual in a Cessna 140? Also can a private
pilot written test (powered) apply to a glider check ride requirement?

> > >For applicants who have logged at least 40 hours of flight time as a
> > >pilot;
> > >at least 3 hours of flight time in a glider, including;
> > >10 training flights; and,
> > >10 solo flights; and
> > >3 training flights in preparation for the practical test.
> > >Simply put, the applicant must have logged at least 3 hours in gliders
> > >and made at least 20 flights.

[Judy Ruprecht]

At 13:30 20 August 2003, John wrote:
>Can these minimums apply to a (15-year-old) glider
>student whose 40+ >hours are dual only in a powered
>aircraft (logged in a Cessna 140)?

Yes, assuming the flight time was properly logged per
FAR 61.51(a)-(c). The larger issue is whether any applicant's
proficiency upon fulfillment of minimum experience
requirements is sufficient to warrant a CFI endorsement
to take the practical test. (Note also that there are
no miminum experience requirements in order to solo
a glider - again, it's a matter of proficiency.)

>Also can a private pilot written test (powered) apply
>to a glider >check ride requirement?

Nope. Per FAR 61.63(b)(5), the aspiring private glider
rated pilot would have to hold a private rating in
airplanes, rotorcraft, powered lift or airships in
order to skip the glider written.

Judy

[BTIZ]

good question.. it states "40hrs flight time as a PILOT", it does not
specify Pilot in Command time (which would mean Solo or after achieving the
power rating). I did a search in the 14CFR Part61 file and they did not
specifically address that issue.

This is a question for the FSDO or local DE for their "legal"
interpretation.

As to the written test requirement. There are specific tests for PP-Glider
and PP-Airplane. I do know that if you have a PP-Airplane rating, you do not
need to retake the PP-Glider test. But if you have a PP-Glider rating, you
do need to take the PP-Airplane written when earning your AIRPLANE
certificate.

I believe (after a remembered conversation with a DE) that a PP-Airplane
written can be used to the glider practical, but will need to be "retaken"
when it comes time for the practical in the airplane.

But why rely on us and lead the poor student astray.. ask your local DE for
his interpretation, or call the local FSDO. They will "brainstorm" and call
you back with an answer they have to stand behind, and so will "fail safe"
to the more stringent requirement.

good luck
BT

"John" > wrote in message
om...
> My origial question was pertaining to US regs. Sorry I forget the
> power of the net. Now for the kicker... Can these minimums apply to
> a glider student whose 40+ hours are dual only in a powered aircraft?
> That is a 15 year old student who cannot solo a powered airplane but
> has many hours logged as dual in a Cessna 140? Also can a private
> pilot written test (powered) apply to a glider check ride requirement?
>
> > > >For applicants who have logged at least 40 hours of flight time as a
> > > >pilot;
> > > >at least 3 hours of flight time in a glider, including;
> > > >10 training flights; and,
> > > >10 solo flights; and
> > > >3 training flights in preparation for the practical test.
> > > >Simply put, the applicant must have logged at least 3 hours in
gliders
> > > >and made at least 20 flights.