On Monday, December 31, 2012 5:06:12 AM UTC-7, Rtr wrote:
I'm an ASEL pilot and I'm really interested in gliding.



1.) Looks like theres a lot of way to enjoy gliding, such as cross-country, racing, giving instructing/rides, aerobatics, carving around in the mountains (ridge/wave), and your common playing-around-in-the-house-thermals. As far as cool things to go do in a glider, am I missing anything? Anything cool I could be looking up on YouTube while I wait for winter to run it's course?

Do a Youtube searchs for winch launching, windenstart, lierstart, and extreme gliding.


2.) Once you've got a glider rating, what additional requirements and training are required to be able to go out and safely perform simple aerobatics? I'm not talking about heading out for some inverted flat spins as soon I'm rated, but I really would like to have the ability to go out and perform some basic maneuvers. Do clubs typically allow aerobatics?

Many gliders are rated semi-aerobatic; loops, spins, and chandelles. Rolls, inverted flight, and tail slides are limited to a smaller sub-set. Many trainers are semi-aerobatic. Training in aerobatics is a must and is a great aid in learning recovery from unusual attitudes.


3.) Please correct me if I'm wrong: Glide ratio is the primary concern in racing and cross-country flying, where minimum sink is the larger concern if you're just hanging around locally and trying to stay aloft. In the latter case, in flatland, will there be a lot of days where you just can't find enough lift to maintain altitude? When that happens, are the more skilled guys able to stay up a lot longer? I guess what I'm wondering is if a pilot can expect to have soarable days more often as he gains experience in the sport.

As is often said, the wing's the thing. Some will further state that there's no substitute for span. Quite true, but there are other consideration. 15m span sailplanes are usually light and nimble in control forces and response. They core nicely in tight, strong, bumpy thermals. I know pilots that prefer this in the mountain west. However, there can also be large gaps which may be much easier to cross 18m, 20m, or 25m wings. The 18m class has been very popular due to combining the nimbleness with L/D's = 50:1. More importantly will be the development of your 'bird brain' that evolves with study and experience. Others call it the 'soaring disease'. I recall a British Airways 747 pilot that raced a wonderful ASW-22b, including some amazing cloud flying (by examination of his GPS traces), who, on a non-contest day, threw a hang-glider on top of his car and headed for a launch zone. I called out to him "You just can't get enough". His reply, "not in this life time." To me, it remains amazing and exciting that we can learn to fly these machines as we do.


4.) Seems like FLARM is a pretty big deal in Europe, but it doesn't appear to get much use in the US. Do U.S. gliders just skip having traffic information in the cockpit, or do they use something like PCAS? Transponders aren't all that common in gliders, correct?

PowerFLARM is new to the US and still evolving. Transponders are in common use in some of the intense/soaring and traffic areas. At a seminar last winter the question to 100 glider pilots in the audience was asked 'how many use transponders?'. More than half of the hands went up. A national glider code of 1202 was assigned within the past year.


5.) Will employers typically give you credit for your time in gliders when it comes to meeting airplane hiring minimums or, if not included, is glider time at least looked upon favorably by employers? It won't affect whether or not I pursue gliding, I'm just curious.

I recently asked this question of a Delta pilot and CFI-G because of the news that Congress was going to mandate 1500 hours minimum for scheduled carriers. (750 for military and 1000 for 4-year aviation program graduates). He said all glider time would count. This is another reason that youth should be encouraged, if they have the interest, to be introduced to gliding at an early age. The UK has recently adopted what the US has allowed for many years, solo in gliders at 14.


I think that's about it for now. Sorry for the long post!

Some links you may find interesting
http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pi...roficient.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=jtS_Zy7Cidg
http://www.aflyer.com/1003_f_cheapthrills.html
http://www.aflyer.com/1109_f_soaringaboveobstacles.html

Okay, time to get some real stick time.