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Old June 29th 20, 11:32 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Rakel
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Posts: 21
Default Returning to soaring after long time away...best BFR/refresherstudy material?

I am another glider pilot who has returned to soaring after many years of not flying. In my situation I had a 35 year absence from flying due to work and family obligations were more important. Now that I am retired, I have all the time I need to resume soaring flight.

The first thing I did was to locate my old logbook and paper license. Even though an FAA license is good for life, you need to get a current plastic FAA license because nobody accepts the old paper licenses any more. I don't care if Orville Wright signed your original license, you need a new license card.

The next thing I did was to go to a local commercial glider port and take lessons just like any newby pilot. My main focus was to fly safely and discover where I needed to improve. My biggest issues were current airspace rules and situational awareness.

Airspace rule are online now and there are Utube videos that do a decent job of going over the new rules.

Situational awareness was an issue for be because I had not flown in so many years. I had lost the pilots perspective from the cockpit.

My other flying skills were ok at best, except for coordinated flight. I needed to work on this and after a number of flights focusing on this issue, I was flying again. Well, at least I didn't skid my turn to final at low altitude and I kept my nose down and airspeed up.

After I number of lessons, my CFI-G signed my logbook and I bought an older fiberglass sailplane that needed a little work, but is a solid and easy to fly glider. Today, I can usually be found at my local gliderport on almost every soarable flying day.