Called AOPA last Thursday - and nope, none of their financing partners can do gliders at present. They claim that if more people start requesting it, they may be able to make it happen; but not immediately.

Sad, really - and IMHO one more reason the sport isn't growing here. A person looking for a hobby can finance a boat, an RV, a snowmobile, a motorcycle, or an airplane on MUCH friendlier terms than a glider. So that limits the pool of private owners to fanatics like me or older folks who've had time to build up a lot of home equity or other large financial resources.

And this doesn't just impact buyers. It also makes it harder for every one out there that has a sailplane and hopes to sell it someday.

--Noel