R Buck, thanks for the post. It also brought back many good old memories. That movie was one of the major influencers when I was a 14 year old kid learning in the 2-22. I felt I was in heaven the day I solo'd in the 1-26! 40 years later I ended up acquiring that self same 1-26 serial number 225 and am reworking all the badges.

As to low thermalling, I've made saves routinely from 200 ft. Its not the dangerous big deal that many make it out to be, and in the "old days" of flying low performance ships, its something of an essential skill needed if you intend to get anywhere xc. The issue is not "turns at low levels", its improper turns. I turn 8 to 14 hours a day, all day long at below 200 ft with an insainly high wing loading (2000 lbs of fertilizer) and I do it safely. Those that make arbitrary rules about thermalling are missing and stunting a natural progression of soaring education that should occur. Most that make these rules have never learned themselves.

Yes its a good starting place rule for new students. As a cfi-g I also discourage newby's and pilots with undeveloped airmanship from low saves. But at the same time we work and work and work on proper turning and recognizing "feeling" and knowing exactly what is happening in every portion of the turn, so when they find themselves in a "bind", they're not in a freak out sense of anxiety, they turn properly and either make a save or land out, neither of which is a big deal to the guy who is prepared.