Gliding towards NPPL? (and other things)

[tobster911]

Hi,
I asked a question a while ago about counting gliding hours towards an NPPL, and I seem to remember that the answer was:
If I had a BGA glider pilots license, I could do my NPPL with a minimum of 10 hours, of which one must be solo;
and if I wanted a proper PPL, I could count 10 in a hundred gliding hours towards my PPL?

Just wanting to confirm these were correct, and if so, how do I get a BGA glider pilots license? Are they the badges? (i.e Bronze, silver, gold, diamond, platinum) or is it a completely different thing all together?

Any help muchly appreciated on the subject, as I do a bit of gliding at the moment, and am wondering whether it's definitely worthwhile to continue?

And, whilst on the subject, does anybody know what the requirements are (in ft.) to get the badges mentioned above?

And, one last thing. I have 5.5 hours SSEP. If I get my Glider Pilots License, then I need 10 hours flying... can i count my previous flying experience (the 5.5 hours) or will I have to do another 10 hours?

Thank you all, sorry it's such a lot :)
T

[glider12000]

GPL is Bronze + Cross Country Endorsement.

[Prop swinger]

The bronze badge is a BGA-only glider pilot qualification, requirements here (http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/bronze-badge.htm). Add on the cross country endorsement & you can apply for a BGA Glider Pilot's Licence. (http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/licensing/faqs.htm)

Silver & gold badges & diamonds are international merit awards given to pilots who have flown the qualifying flights (http://www.fai.org/igc-our-sport/badges-and-diplomas).

Your previous training should be allowed to count, I would get the logbook endorsed by the CFI at the school.

[Humaround]

Any help muchly appreciated on the subject, as I do a bit of gliding at the moment, and am wondering whether it's definitely worthwhile to continue?

Definitely worth continuing to fly gliders, if you enjoy it. It will make you a much better power pilot when the time comes.

However, you should regard the Gliding - NPPL hours as very much a minimum. It will probably take you many more hours of dual instruction to get to the level of skill required to complete the Solo flights and pass the Skills test.

Ask me how I know...:O

[tobster911]

So, I get my bronze badge and cross country endorsement (50km?) or (500km? or something like that?) then all I NEED is 4.5 more hours, but, it will probably be more than that for me.
Thank you

[cats_five]

If you can do a 500 km flight in a glider you are a skilled XC pilot!

The place you are gliding at can explain what the XC endorsement involves, but it's about making sure you have had the necessary training before getting out of glide range rather than doing actual XC flying. That comes with your Silver badge, for which you have to do a 5-hour flight, do a height gain of at least 1,000m, and do an XC flight of at least 50 km. These could all be done in one flight (some do) or in 2 or 3 flights.

But you don't need Silver for the BGA's GPL.

[Flying_Anorak]

I've just got myself an NPPL SSEA from a GPL and I did it in about 12 hours, but then I have been gliding for 22+ years, I am an As-Cat Gliding Instructor with just under 1,000hrs.

Thoroughly recommend it and it definitely gives you the best training and the best of both worlds, BUT it does make you realise how expensive a fan on the front makes flying!