Glider Pilot Question

[jai6638]

I contacted a glider club in New Jersey and they told me that on average, I would need 35 instructional flights and 35 solo flights?

Is this an accurate estimate or is this on the higher side?

Thanks much.

P.S: I have logged 70 hours in a Piper Warrior if that makes any difference but do not have a PPL ( because I'm 16 )

[ppljames]

What do you actually wat to get though.

[Mike Cross]

One presumes he wants an FAA Gliding Licence
Private Pilot-Glider
After solo, student pilots may qualify as a Private Pilot-Glider provided they:
Are at least 16 years of age; and
Have logged at least 10 hours of flight time in a glider and that flight time must include at least 20 total glider flights, and
Have 2 hours of solo flight time in a glider, and
Have passed the FAA written examination; and
Have passed the flight exam with a FAA Examiner.
It's in FAR61 (http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgFAR.nsf)
It's somewhat different in the UK. Who said everything's easier in the US?
Mike

[chrisN]

It depends on too many things to say for sure.

For New Jersey, presumably it refers to obtaining a USA glider pilot's licence. I would have thought it possible for a 16-year old with no previous flying experience, 35 instructional flights (assuming aerotow, which most USA operations use) and 35 solo flights to achieve an ICAO-level licence level for flying, with ground school etc. to cover air law and other requirements - but I know nothing of specific USA licence requirements so somebody else may help more on that score. IF the foregoing is true, you could also expect your previous flying experience to help, provided it was good experience and not picking up any bad habits, or habits not helpful to gliding (like non-use of the rudder in coordinating turns).

If you want to glide in the UK, it is a different ball game, at present. Forget licences - there is no CAA-issued UK gliding licence. Starting from scratch, 35 instructional flights, if all aerotow giving 12-20 minutes per flight, are usually more than enough for an apt 16-year old with no previous flying experience to go solo. If all are winch launches (typically 3-5 minutes each short flight) they may just about suffice to solo to civilian club standards. (Air cadets used to, and may still for all I know, go solo after 20 launches on a much more limited basis.)

After solo, UK glider pilots progress through certificates and badges, not (yet, generally) to a licence. To get to Bronze plus cross country endorsement, about equivalent to a PPL licence level but without having yet done a cross-country flight, another 35 flights (if all aerotow) including some 2-seater flights for further training, sounds about right. If all winch, it is not enough - Bronze needs typically 50 solo winch launches if done that way, plus the further training flights.

Have a look at http://www.gliding.co.uk/index.htm if you want more on UK gliding, and have not yet seen it.

Chris N.

[SKYYACHT]

I was told by an old gliding hand years ago, that if you double your age, that will give you an idea of how many launches you will need prior to be signed off solo... (Not signed off checks, just solo in the circuit). That assumed no prior flying experience. Your 70 hours powered should help, but your circuits will need some serious contraction!

Cheers

[jai6638]

I apologize for not making it clear. I want to pursue a FAA private gliding license and the airport I'm looking at is in New Jersey, USA.

From what you guys have written, it seems that the 35 instructional and 35 solo flights are accurate and may vary slightly depending on my skill level.

I was told by an old gliding hand years ago, that if you double your age, that will give you an idea of how many launches you will need prior to be signed off solo... (Not signed off checks, just solo in the circuit). That assumed no prior flying experience.

Interesting!

Thanks much :)

[ProfChrisReed]

The 2 x age launches might be a bit pessimistic for older pilots. I started gliding aged 40 and took 75 launches (mainly winch) to solo. If I'd trained entirely on aerotow I think there would have been fewer launches.

However, it was then another 7 years to complete a 300 km flight!

I suspect we all agree that the most important thing when learning to fly is flying frequently - if you only fly one day a month learning gliders, you might never go solo.

[The problem I found as an older trainee is that work gets in the way of flying, thus the 7 years]

[jai6638]

I will probably be flying over the summer and hence will try to fly approx thrice a week.

[Pronto]

A little late to be contributing here, but I've looked out my glider logbook and can say that I began training for a glider pilot's certificate at the age of 24, with no flying experience other than two air experience flights, both in gliders.

After a total of 42 flights (including the two air experience flights and two sorties in an SLMG for low-level launch failure training), I was sent solo. I had a total of 11 hours, 8 minutes, and had taken just over 6 months. This included two six week lay-offs, due to bad weather, lack of funds and general idleness.

I took the Bronze C (short for Certificate) handling test just four months later, having flown a total of 22 hours, 26 minutes. This included a total of 23 solo flights plus further dual training (75 flights in total).

All of my glider flying training (save the SLMG flights) were 2000' aerotows, and flown in the south of England.

More recently, I flew at a club in the English midlands where the club owner was also a gliding instructor with a nearby gliding club. He reckoned to be able to get me back solo in a glider in about ten launches. Whether that was simply because I was already qualified to Bronze C standard, or because he thought he was able to convert any pilot into a glider pilot in that short a time is another question, and one for others to answer.

Best wishes for your glider training.

P