On 2/11/2012 7:52 PM, Alan wrote:
Now this *is* part of a pretty good answer to the claims that new pilots
should learn to fly gliders before power. Clearly, it is not so, as the casual
attitude of the gliding community towards busting clearance minimums from
clouds, not knowing how to set their altimeters legally, etc., is a demonstration
that pilots should start with power with a good instructor, so by the "principle
of primacy" they would learn the proper habits first, and retain them.

Gliding instruction does not include a casual attitude to cloud
clearances, anymore than power instruction includes scud running. Both
of those usually happen after the pilot is licensed.

"Primacy" usually applies to reflexive reactions to aircraft attitude,
not conscious decisions over several minutes or longer, as climbing to
cloud base or scud running involve.

My observations as a glider instructor indicate it's easier to teach
people to fly a glider in this order, with the easiest first:

1) hang glider pilots
2) very low time power pilots (barely soloed)
3) people with no piloting experience
4) experienced GA power pilots (I'm excluding groups like aerobatic pilots)

The power pilots may eventually be very good glider pilots, but the "law
of primacy" was very obviously interfering with their glider airmanship.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)