I'm thinking of getting a pilot license, or at least taking enough
training to solo. I've wanted to do it for a long time. I've started
reading various plane and pilot oriented magazines (AOPA, EAA, and
SSA), though to be honest a lot of it goes over my head - something
that I assume will be corrected by training.

The choice is between glider and sports pilot, and I'm leaning towards
glider. I took a scenic ride at the Williams Soaring Center a few
weeks ago; it was fun, and the people there were very nice (I talked
to several employees and a student). In general gliders are better
looking than small power planes, and I have already have a slight
hearing loss, so avoiding noisy engines would be a good thing. Also,
I like the idea of not having a big panel of dials and gauges to
watch.

I live in Sacramento, California, and the flight schools for either
type of license are at least an hour away, so there's no advantage in
convenience one way or the other, and there's not a huge cost
difference.

A few questions:

1) There aren't many places listed on the SSA learn-to-fly page
(http://www.ssa.org/sport/map/map.html), but I know there are other
places nearby to go gliding (in Napa, for example). Is it just a
question of finding a tow plane, or are there restrictions on where
gliders are allowed to take off?

2) Related to that, where are gliders allowed to fly?

I know that ultralights are restricted to unpopulated areas, and
there's a complicated set of flight zones for power aircraft, but I
haven't seen a list of restrictions for gliders.

3) Only during the day, correct?

4) What does insurance cost for a student pilot? What makes the cost
vary?

5) Will winter be a good time to learn, a bad time to learn, or does
it not matter? Last winter was unusually cold, but the temperature
here is normally between the low 40's and the mid 60's during the day
in winter. Are some things easier to learn in winter and others
easier in summer?

6) Are glider pilot licenses valid in other countries, or only in the
US?

7) Why is the Electraflyer-X a light sports plane while an Antares is
a glider? Is it just the intent of the manufacturer that decides
whether a plane with a motor is a powered glider or a powered plane?




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Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt.