Expat Retirement with soaring?

Fox Sierra wrote on 1/28/2021 12:01 PM:
On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 4:17:53 PM UTC-5, Jeff Bures wrote:
Hi all,

First post here (at least in 20 years).

I'm a US citizen with private power and sailplane ratings. I'm contemplating retirement in a few years. One possible plan is to spend several years of it as an expat somewhere the cost of living is less than the USA. Parts of Europe, Asia, Central or South America are options.

These years should include lots of recreational (not competition) soaring.. I'm curious about different locations with good soaring. I don't want to be the strange American with the weird airplane, but rather live where soaring is known and I could make some friends. Would people make some suggestions please?

I'm also interested in knowing how difficult it is for a visiting pilot to buy, register, and fly a sailplane locally. Are the requirements different if I become a resident? I've read that my USA certificate is valid in many countries if I'm passing through, but as a resident I might need to take additional tests (possibly in the local language). Is this true?

Are there any Expat Pilots out there?

Thanks for any advice!
Hi Jeff,

I have flown in Argentina, Namibia, Poland and France.

Among these, I would encourage you to consider Argentina for its low-cost of living in US$ and a very active gliding scene.
The country has wonderful food, warm people, really strong gliding clubs with amenities (swimming pools, tennis courts, camping, etc.), good weather and very good Regional and National gliding championships. Many different locations to fly. Namibia has none of the above, except low cost of living and a relatively short season with European gliders shipped down there each year from November through January. Europe is Europe...what can I say...

Fernando Silva

I know English (American, actually :^) ) and can read a menu in German. Would I be able to
function in Argentina?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

On Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 3:01:29 PM UTC-5, Fox Sierra wrote:
On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 4:17:53 PM UTC-5, Jeff Bures wrote:
Hi all,

First post here (at least in 20 years).

I'm a US citizen with private power and sailplane ratings. I'm contemplating retirement in a few years. One possible plan is to spend several years of it as an expat somewhere the cost of living is less than the USA. Parts of Europe, Asia, Central or South America are options.

These years should include lots of recreational (not competition) soaring. I'm curious about different locations with good soaring. I don't want to be the strange American with the weird airplane, but rather live where soaring is known and I could make some friends. Would people make some suggestions please?

I'm also interested in knowing how difficult it is for a visiting pilot to buy, register, and fly a sailplane locally. Are the requirements different if I become a resident? I've read that my USA certificate is valid in many countries if I'm passing through, but as a resident I might need to take additional tests (possibly in the local language). Is this true?

Are there any Expat Pilots out there?

Thanks for any advice!
Hi Jeff,

I have flown in Argentina, Namibia, Poland and France.

Among these, I would encourage you to consider Argentina for its low-cost of living in US$ and a very active gliding scene.
The country has wonderful food, warm people, really strong gliding clubs with amenities (swimming pools, tennis courts, camping, etc.), good weather and very good Regional and National gliding championships. Many different locations to fly. Namibia has none of the above, except low cost of living and a relatively short season with European gliders shipped down there each year from November through January. Europe is Europe...what can I say...

Fernando Silva
I totally agree, look at the US State Dept Travel Advisory and it gives you a pretty good idea as to what is going on. Argentina would be my first choice.

And don't forget, there is some guy promoting Vero Beach, Florida. There are parts of Florida that are economical, safe and has other things to do.

Rakel wrote on 1/28/2021 6:58 PM:
And don't forget, there is some guy promoting Vero Beach, Florida. There are parts of Florida that are economical, safe and has other things to do.

But the OP was looking for soaring in retirement! Florida can be nice, but I wouldn't go there
for long-term soaring, because I'd miss the mountains too much.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

On Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 9:58:47 PM UTC-5, Rakel wrote:
And don't forget, there is some guy promoting Vero Beach, Florida. There are parts of Florida that are economical, safe and has other things to do.

Yes Rakel, Vero Beach is a great place to retire, but year around soaring is so so. The fall and spring brings good soaring weather and at times the summer can be very interesting if you get up early and scoot home to avoid the thunderstorms. I guess the best retirement would be on the 3 or 4 month plan that one could travel to three or four great spots and reside there through the soaring season. Australia, the Western part near Perth, Argentina, South of Buenos Aires, Somewhere out west in the US, probably NM or UT. Rounding out the year in Vero Beach would be the icing on the cake. My honorable mention sites would be Spain, somewhere near Zaragoza, Africa, only the South, and NZ. I spent a lot of time in Spain, working there and I would often look at the sky and wish I had my sailplane there to enjoy those beautiful cloud streets. Well, I guess I better get to sleep so I can dream some more , although I must get up again at 5.30 so I can get online and once again try to get an appointment for a COVID shot, I think I have a better chance of winning Powerball !

On Friday, January 29, 2021 at 1:49:21 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 9:58:47 PM UTC-5, Rakel wrote:
And don't forget, there is some guy promoting Vero Beach, Florida. There are parts of Florida that are economical, safe and has other things to do..
Yes Rakel, Vero Beach is a great place to retire, but year around soaring is so so. The fall and spring brings good soaring weather and at times the summer can be very interesting if you get up early and scoot home to avoid the thunderstorms. I guess the best retirement would be on the 3 or 4 month plan that one could travel to three or four great spots and reside there through the soaring season. Australia, the Western part near Perth, Argentina, South of Buenos Aires, Somewhere out west in the US, probably NM or UT. Rounding out the year in Vero Beach would be the icing on the cake. My honorable mention sites would be Spain, somewhere near Zaragoza, Africa, only the South, and NZ. I spent a lot of time in Spain, working there and I would often look at the sky and wish I had my sailplane there to enjoy those beautiful cloud streets. Well, I guess I better get to sleep so I can dream some more , although I must get up again at 5.30 so I can get online and once again try to get an appointment for a COVID shot, I think I have a better chance of winning Powerball !

Bureacracy is/was ridiculous in Argentina not many years ago, don't think much has changed. Don't expect to wander in solo and get the same kind of greased-skids treatment as WGC competitors. Let us know what you learn!

On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 4:17:53 PM UTC-5, Jeff Bures wrote:
Hi all,

First post here (at least in 20 years).

I'm a US citizen with private power and sailplane ratings. I'm contemplating retirement in a few years. One possible plan is to spend several years of it as an expat somewhere the cost of living is less than the USA. Parts of Europe, Asia, Central or South America are options.

These years should include lots of recreational (not competition) soaring.. I'm curious about different locations with good soaring. I don't want to be the strange American with the weird airplane, but rather live where soaring is known and I could make some friends. Would people make some suggestions please?

I'm also interested in knowing how difficult it is for a visiting pilot to buy, register, and fly a sailplane locally. Are the requirements different if I become a resident? I've read that my USA certificate is valid in many countries if I'm passing through, but as a resident I might need to take additional tests (possibly in the local language). Is this true?

Are there any Expat Pilots out there?

Thanks for any advice!
It would be smart to consider Australia as an option. Multiple excellent soaring sites. Great people and culture.
UH

About Argentina:

Yes, great places to fly:
Bariloche, Chos malal, Mendoza, Jachal if you like the mountains.
Flatlands soaring is good too at south west of Buenos Aires province ( i strongly recommend not living in buenos aires city).
Very cheap to live if your income is in USD.

Bureaucracy is better than it was in 2012. More if you are planing to be here for a while.
Bring your own bird, it is way cheaper, you can sell it to a local when you return and everybody will be happy.
Lots of foreings come with their own glider to fly the Andes.

Like Hank said, you should look for Australia and maybe New Zeland, same language, great soaring places.

Jeff Bures wrote on 1/27/2021 1:17 PM:
Hi all,

First post here (at least in 20 years).

I'm a US citizen with private power and sailplane ratings. I'm contemplating retirement in a few years. One possible plan is to spend several years of it as an expat somewhere the cost of living is less than the USA. Parts of Europe, Asia, Central or South America are options.

These years should include lots of recreational (not competition) soaring. I'm curious about different locations with good soaring. I don't want to be the strange American with the weird airplane, but rather live where soaring is known and I could make some friends. Would people make some suggestions please?

I'm also interested in knowing how difficult it is for a visiting pilot to buy, register, and fly a sailplane locally. Are the requirements different if I become a resident? I've read that my USA certificate is valid in many countries if I'm passing through, but as a resident I might need to take additional tests (possibly in the local language). Is this true?

Are there any Expat Pilots out there?

Thanks for any advice!

How about deferring the choice for a few years while you fly in Australia, New Zealand,
Argentina, Namibia, Europe, even places in the US that you may not have visited?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

On Friday, January 29, 2021 at 2:25:16 PM UTC-8, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Jeff Bures wrote on 1/27/2021 1:17 PM:
Hi all,

First post here (at least in 20 years).

I'm a US citizen with private power and sailplane ratings. I'm contemplating retirement in a few years. One possible plan is to spend several years of it as an expat somewhere the cost of living is less than the USA. Parts of Europe, Asia, Central or South America are options.

These years should include lots of recreational (not competition) soaring. I'm curious about different locations with good soaring. I don't want to be the strange American with the weird airplane, but rather live where soaring is known and I could make some friends. Would people make some suggestions please?

I'm also interested in knowing how difficult it is for a visiting pilot to buy, register, and fly a sailplane locally. Are the requirements different if I become a resident? I've read that my USA certificate is valid in many countries if I'm passing through, but as a resident I might need to take additional tests (possibly in the local language). Is this true?

Are there any Expat Pilots out there?

Thanks for any advice!

How about deferring the choice for a few years while you fly in Australia, New Zealand,
Argentina, Namibia, Europe, even places in the US that you may not have visited?
--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

Before you go check out the cost of gliders in the country you are considering. All have much higher duties than we have here (which are zero thanks to Boeing). In some it approaches 100%. The same goes for cars. This could really put a huge dent into COL savings. The alternative is to come back to the US during soaring season and live in an RV.

Tom