Gliding in the US

I rececntly spent a short time in Breckenridge Co. and was not only amazed
at how good the sky looked for gliding but the total absence of gliding
facilities in the area.

It then got me thinking that as I travel alot in the US, how does a UK
pilot go about flying in the US?

Cheers
Rob

On Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:04:13 +0000, Rob Shepherd wrote:

I rececntly spent a short time in Breckenridge Co. and was not only
amazed at how good the sky looked for gliding but the total absence of
gliding facilities in the area.

It then got me thinking that as I travel alot in the US, how does a UK
pilot go about flying in the US?

You need a US license. I'm sure things have changed in the last several
years, but here's how I got mine in late 2001. Unfortunately it lapsed
with the change-over from paper to plastic licenses but that's another
story:
- I got hold of a British Glider Pilots License from the BGA
At the time I had a Silver C and that was about all.
- Bought the glider FARs from the Knauf's shop and studied them.
This is similar to our Rules & Regulations but bigger pages,
more of them and written in less clear language.
- Took it into the FSDO at IAD, where they issued a temporary license
grandfathered off my BGPL and said to go and do a BFR.
The BFR is like our annual check but you only do it every two years.
- Went to the gliderport at Boulder, CO and did the BFR.

That was it.

BTW, if you haven't got a BGPL and are likely to fly anywhere outside the
UK its worth having. With that and a copy of your medical it also works
like a charm in Germany and New Zealand, but I'm told it doesn't help in
France.

Of course the Great EASA Licensing Power Grab will change everything, but
it didn't cost a lot to get and is useful in the mean time as well as
being a convenient place to keep reciprocal club membership cards, etc.


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martin@ | Martin Gregorie
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