Glider schools - opinions (US)

Chris K wrote in message ...
I am fortunate to have a lot of time-off piled up.
Lately I have been thinking about a soaring vacation.
I have narrowed down my choices to 'Soar Minden' in
Nevada and 'Estrella Soaring' in Arizona (a little
concerned about July heat in phx). Has anybody had
any experience with the above schools? Can you recommend
others (preferably South West)? I am a commercial
power pilot looking for a transition type of training.
Would one week be enough (including the checkride)?

To add to what's already been said, I add my vote for Soar Minden. I
did my training there in 1994 and loved it. Great flying, great
scenery, great people. High Country Soaring, also at Minden, is
another good possibility.

Soar Truckee was also mentioned by other posters and it is a great
location. But the last time I was there (2 years ago), they didn't
have any glass rental ships. I needed a BFR and we did it in a 2-33.
So I'd check on what they have available. An advantage of Truckee
(assuming they have ships!) is the bunk house. Bring a sleeping bag
and your "hotel" costs $10 a night -- at least that was the freight in
1995. I had a sleeping pad as well and slept under the stars on the
lawn most nights. Fantastic! Truckee is a much more challenging
airport than Minden and might not be as good to learn at. There's
lots of farmland around Minden if a landout becomes necessary, whereas
Truckee is basically surrounded by mountains. Also the usual glider
runway (19) has a cliff at the approach end. OK, it doesn't look like
a cliff, but the several glider -- and one fatal tow plane --
accidents in the last decade speak to the danger. When I got my club
checkout (BASA) at Truckee, Emil Kissel was kind enough to drive me
down to the base of the hill and had me look up. On approach it looks
like a gentle slope, but when you look up, it looks like a cliff.

Hope this helps.

Martin