Touring the USA with glider

On a whim I said to my long suffering wife that I would like to tour the
USA with my glider, see the sights and enjoy the soaring. Surprisingly she
said that she would come with me!

I have a time budget of 2-3 years but modest financial resources. So
gents...where and what time of year? If I could construct a tour that
starts in up state NY went South down the Appalachians then W to the
Sierras then N up the Rockies and back to the East coast that would seem
sensible. I guess I could ship to anywhere on the East Coast and go from
there.

Advice on itinerary, welcoming clubs (with aero tow), great soaring, good
things to see, places to stay etc. by email would be great.

Thanks in advance
Jim

BTW I am very happy to help run HDT task days / weeks / competitions along
the way if you would like.

On Saturday, December 26, 2015 at 7:45:06 AM UTC-5, Jim White wrote:
On a whim I said to my long suffering wife that I would like to tour the
USA with my glider, see the sights and enjoy the soaring. Surprisingly she
said that she would come with me!

I have a time budget of 2-3 years but modest financial resources. So
gents...where and what time of year? If I could construct a tour that
starts in up state NY went South down the Appalachians then W to the
Sierras then N up the Rockies and back to the East coast that would seem
sensible. I guess I could ship to anywhere on the East Coast and go from
there.

Advice on itinerary, welcoming clubs (with aero tow), great soaring, good
things to see, places to stay etc. by email would be great.

Thanks in advance
Jim

BTW I am very happy to help run HDT task days / weeks / competitions along
the way if you would like.

You should probably start in Franconia, NH, from there fly to Sugerbush, VT then down to Springfield VT and then turn west to upstate NY.

Ship your glider via RORO to a port near Providance, RI (about Euro 2k + insurance). That is where we ship our gliders from factories in EU for East Coast destinations. I shipped two gliders from Europe without any issues and the third one is on the way.

I am sure you will find many helping hands as people here are very nice, contrary to what you might expect by reading RAS . Enjoy great soaring and great country.

Andrzej

At 13:24 26 December 2015, Andrzej Kobus wrote:
On Saturday, December 26, 2015 at 7:45:06 AM UTC-5,
Jim White wrote:
On a whim I said to my long suffering wife that I would
like to tour the
USA with my glider, see the sights and enjoy the
soaring. Surprisingly
she
said that she would come with me!

I have a time budget of 2-3 years but modest financial
resources. So
gents...where and what time of year? If I could
construct a tour that
starts in up state NY went South down the Appalachians
then W to the
Sierras then N up the Rockies and back to the East coast
that would seem
sensible. I guess I could ship to anywhere on the East
Coast and go from
there.

Advice on itinerary, welcoming clubs (with aero tow),
great soaring, good

things to see, places to stay etc. by email would be
great.

Thanks in advance
Jim

BTW I am very happy to help run HDT task days / weeks
/ competitions
along
the way if you would like.

You should probably start in Franconia, NH, from there fly
to Sugerbush, VT
then down to Springfield VT and then turn west to upstate
NY.

Ship your glider via RORO to a port near Providance, RI
(about Euro 2k +
insurance). That is where we ship our gliders from factories
in EU for East
Coast destinations. I shipped two gliders from Europe
without any issues
and the third one is on the way.

I am sure you will find many helping hands as people here
are very nice,
contrary to what you might expect by reading RAS .
Enjoy great soaring
and great country.

Andrzej

Just recounted this thread to my wife: her response: "Jolly
good, off you go!"

First get a self-launching glider. Otherwise you severely limit what days you can fly on. Most clubs only operate on weekends and the best weather is not always on a weekend as you know. Secondly you will save thousands in towing fees over the course of 2 to 3 years. Thirdly, this tour will not require 2 to 3 years when you can fly from almost any airfield you can drive to..

I understand that Jim doesn't believe in the technology required for this
recommendation...

At 16:14 26 December 2015, Soartech wrote:
First get a self-launching glider. Otherwise you severely limit what days
y=
ou can fly on. Most clubs only operate on weekends and the best weather
is
=
not always on a weekend as you know. Secondly you will save thousands in
to=
wing fees over the course of 2 to 3 years. Thirdly, this tour will not
requ=
ire 2 to 3 years when you can fly from almost any airfield you can drive
to=
..

Gav, I have nothing against engines per se. They just have no place in
gliding competition.

At 21:24 26 December 2015, Gav Goudie wrote:
I understand that Jim doesn't believe in the technology required for this

recommendation...

At 16:14 26 December 2015, Soartech wrote:
First get a self-launching glider. Otherwise you severely limit what
days
y=
ou can fly on. Most clubs only operate on weekends and the best weathe
is
=
not always on a weekend as you know. Secondly you will save thousands in
to=
wing fees over the course of 2 to 3 years. Thirdly, this tour will not
requ=
ire 2 to 3 years when you can fly from almost any airfield you can drive
to=
..

It would however appear that they do Jim!
Anyway, have you been round the corner yet for the LAPL / SEP groundschool

notes...?

GG

At 23:25 27 December 2015, Jim White wrote:
Gav, I have nothing against engines per se. They just have no place i
gliding competition.

At 21:24 26 December 2015, Gav Goudie wrote:
I understand that Jim doesn't believe in the technology required for thi

recommendation...

At 16:14 26 December 2015, Soartech wrote:
First get a self-launching glider. Otherwise you severely limit wha
days
y=
ou can fly on. Most clubs only operate on weekends and the best weathe
is
=
not always on a weekend as you know. Secondly you will save thousands
in
to=
wing fees over the course of 2 to 3 years. Thirdly, this tour will not
requ=
ire 2 to 3 years when you can fly from almost any airfield you can
drive
to=
..

Yes most clubs only operate on the weekends. There are many commercial operations that operated most days of the week. I think EU has more clubs and less commercial operations if that is correct? I also think that commercial operations have more camping opportunities and/or a room to rent.

The SSA website has most all clubs and commercial operations listed on this google map:
http://www.ssa.org/WhereToFlyMap.asp

I have not been, but Carolina Soaring Association is a club in Spartanburg, SC and has a great winch I hear. I think some clubs in PA have winches as well. Many commercial sites have tow planes.

The climate is varied in the US and soaring is better in different parts of the country at different times of the year. Well, some may be good almost all the time, but I have not been all over neither. Florida is good in winter and early spring. Really hot during the rest of the year. Seminole Lake Gliderport in Fl, is a commercial site and has some accommodations, pool, and camping hook ups. You may consider renting an RV which will give you more options and a semi permanent residence.

I live in Eastern NC where soaring is limited but I have a spare room if you would like to get out of the RV for a couple days, or you are just passing by on the way south.

Anyway, I think I would start North around mid summer, drive south to Florida for mid winter, then head to west coast via south route stopping in TX, AZ, NV, CA by end of winter to early spring. Then head to Washington state for early summer, then head across the northern US stopping in PA and then back to port of entry to ship glider back. That is just saying 1 yr but you could stay longer is some places but the key would be to miss the mid summer in some places and mid winter in others.

I spent 6 months in 2013 touring the USA across spring, summer and autumn. My itinerary worked pretty well, although I bought the glider and RV over there (FL) and shipped the glider back to Australia at the end of the trip (from CA).

The RV meant that my partner and I could combine the gliding holiday with a more ' normal' holiday, visit loads of National Parks and other attractions, as well as spending time at the best flying sites and timing it with comps as well.

I started in April in FL, flying Seminole, then moved on up the Appalachians, flying Knoxville City TN and Mid Atlantic Soaring PA before attending the first comp at Mifflin PA. Great ridge soaring. Then it was up to Ionia Michigan (in hindsight, the weather in this part of the US is too unreliable and I would happily exclude from a future itinerary). After that, across to Ephrata WA (would have been great to fly in Montana but time did not allow). Ephrata is a fabulous spot. Then down to Montague CA (another fabulous site, with Mt Shasta giving me my Diamond Height), and across to Lake Tahoe and Air Sailing NV. After that we headed east again to Ely NV and Parowan UT (both brilliant) before heading across to Uvalde TX for the end of the Worlds. Then west again to fly at Marfa (highly recommended) before finishing off at Warner Springs gliderport prior to shipping the glider home and selling the RV in September.

Overall a fabulous trip with a good mix of flying and sightseeing. I would focus on the west and mountains - the flying in the east is much more European and patchy. It would be a tough trip to do without support - I don't think I would be brave enough to attempt even with a motorglider.

flOn Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 9:37:47 AM UTC+11, Casey Cox wrote:
Yes most clubs only operate on the weekends. There are many commercial operations that operated most days of the week. I think EU has more clubs and less commercial operations if that is correct? I also think that commercial operations have more camping opportunities and/or a room to rent.

The SSA website has most all clubs and commercial operations listed on this google map:
http://www.ssa.org/WhereToFlyMap.asp

I have not been, but Carolina Soaring Association is a club in Spartanburg, SC and has a great winch I hear. I think some clubs in PA have winches as well. Many commercial sites have tow planes.

The climate is varied in the US and soaring is better in different parts of the country at different times of the year. Well, some may be good almost all the time, but I have not been all over neither. Florida is good in winter and early spring. Really hot during the rest of the year. Seminole Lake Gliderport in Fl, is a commercial site and has some accommodations, pool, and camping hook ups. You may consider renting an RV which will give you more options and a semi permanent residence.

I live in Eastern NC where soaring is limited but I have a spare room if you would like to get out of the RV for a couple days, or you are just passing by on the way south.

Anyway, I think I would start North around mid summer, drive south to Florida for mid winter, then head to west coast via south route stopping in TX, AZ, NV, CA by end of winter to early spring. Then head to Washington state for early summer, then head across the northern US stopping in PA and then back to port of entry to ship glider back. That is just saying 1 yr but you could stay longer is some places but the key would be to miss the mid summer in some places and mid winter in others.

One great way to do this and not worry about tows, ground crew, and so forth, is to follow the US race season around. Go to ssa.org then racing and racing calendar. Starting with the seniors in florida, there is usually a 6 month schedule that follows the best weather around the country.

John Cochrane