View Single Post
  #11  
Old November 17th 17, 12:07 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Advice on returning to Soaring after over 20 years


As someone who just did the same after 30-year hiatus, here's some stats.

13 flights over 2 months to solo.
28 flights over 6 months to PPL (including 3 check rides).
TT about 14h for re-training.

This in a club setting, but I'm fairly confident this could've been condensed to a couple of weeks with money and time in a commercial setting. Previous experience was all-glass in Finland (about 70 hours over 3 years), all winch. Re-training was all aerotow in L-23/2-33/1-23.

The biggest thing for me was to get myself back to doing what I knew I should be doing (coordination. etc). The other aspects other people keep mentioning, like knowledge to fly safely was all re-learnt since previous area was flatlands with plenty of places to land safely and current area is pretty much the opposite (Northern New England). I've yet to venture more than 5 miles away whereas I had done some XC 30 years ago.

Regarding 2-seaters, I don't think it matters. While 2-33 isn't the nicest/prettiest/best performing 2-seater out there, it does the job just fine and actually makes planning more important since you might not make the runway you thought you would in strong winds/sink. The only downside to 2-33 with my weight (200lbs) is that it's really hard to do spin entries. I doubt if my current club had the Puchacz/Janus C would've made a difference.

Doing main gear landings vs. fully held off landings was also a bit of a difference, but you shouldn't have that issue.