Thanks for the quick reply, Terry. As an ATP and instrument rated CFI,
I'm intimately familiar with the applicable IFR regs as they apply to
airplanes. Mr. Reesor specifically mentioned "glider" (not
motorglider) when he discussed both pilot and aircraft requirements to
fly in conditions less than VMC, and it is those regs that I'm looking
for.

However, while not quoting the regs, you may have partially addressed
the equipment requirements of the glider. My glider's operating manual
approves "cloud flying" if it is legal to do so in the country the
glider is being operated. But my glider's experimental airworthiness
certificate (limitations) prohibits any operation other than day, VFR.
So, perhaps the equipment requirements would be specified by the FAA
when they issue an airworthiness certificate for a glider that is
approved for IFR flight. I don't know.

In any case, I'm still interested in any regs that require gyros for
gliders operating under IFR, and I have yet to find anywhere where it
mentions that a glider pilot is required to have an instrument rating
in a single-engine airplane to fly a glider under IFR. The original
two questions remain: Which regs require

1. a pilot to be instrument rated in single-engine airplanes and also
have a glider rating ... to fly a glider in clouds, and

2. gliders flying on instruments are required to have a full gyro
panel.

Judgment issues aside, Mr. Reesor appears to be quoting regs. As far
as this thread is concerned, I would like to know what is legal; not
necessarily safe, or smart!

Chris Fleming, F2
El Paso, Texas



Terry wrote:

Visual Flight Rule (VFR) weather minimums are described in 14CFR
91.155. If the weather in your location does not meet those minimums,
you must be operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and comply
with all the requirements of the IFR section of part 91.

For the equipment requirements, 91.205 describes the requirements for
POWERED aircraft, which does not apply to pure gliders but will to what
we call motorgliders. In order to operate under IFR your aircraft must
be authorized by its type certificate to do so. This will be noted in
your flight manual. Without that, operations under IFR would be in
violation of 91.9(a) which requires you to fly in accordance with your
ship's manual.

The certification requirments are described in 14CFR Part 61. In order
to operated under IFR, you need an instrument rating (61.3(e)). You
would also need to meet the recency of experience requirements listed
in 61.57(c) in order to fly IFR.

Long and short, don't do it. There is way too much to hang you with if
you do it. Never mind the implication for us all if God forbid another
airplane operating on a clearance hits you.