Prangster,
I can't answer your question directly, but I thought I would share with you my outlook on life and I am sure you might remember similarities with gliding.
Firstly I can't think of anything more boring than flying alone. I have just passed my PPL and now have 1.5 hrs after the test. 1 hour with a friend and 0.5 hours solo. It's a long story but I had to have a checkout after passing my test due to a/c u/s issues, and not knowing what was involved I couldn't invite a friend along for the checkout, otherwise that 0.5 hours would not have been solo.
I had done a lot of gliding when I was younger like you and what do you do. Spend the whole day on the airfield, eventually get up in the air, fly around in circles and land again (hopefully at the same airfield
). Learning to fly for the PPL was a little like that. I asked myself several times why I was doing it since it cost me nearly £10K, but I pursued it because it was a challenge.
Now what I am going to do with it now that I have it. Drive 1 hour to my club, take off, fly around in circles and land again
all on my own! I don't think so. For me it's about sharing an experience with someone, and appreciating the freedom that flying gives together, whether that person is a non pilot or pilot.
If I ever fly solo, for me that would be a truly wasted flight. A bit like a party for one.
So ask yourself why you want do to it? If you are anything like me you won't want to fly solo, so it's only a question that you are not PIC and your friend /instructor has to be a pilot.
Good luck.