Originally Posted by
planecrazy.eu
Thanks for that, from reading that pdf it seems like any old person can just go up in a glider and fly. I am shocked after all the requirements needed to fly a powered aircraft and the lack of requirements to just soar.
So does this mean a glider is easy to fly compared to a powered aircraft?
And does this mean a glider is somehow harder to crash or loose control?
Yes gliders are easier to fly - they don't have an engine to worry about for one thing. But don't underestimate the skill required to soar, and especially to soar cross-country
For one thing you need to read the sky, stay with the lift, follow the energy and to navigate and flight plan in the air - all at the same time.
Navigation on a powered aircraft is hard enough, but that is just a question of pointing yourself in the direction of your destination. A cross-country glider pilot has to do that and calculate how to do this whilst moving miles off of the planned tracks.
We do more field landings than a power pilot will ever do, and every landing has to be to a higher standard han a power pilot, who has the option to go round.
To get to Silver C level you will need to show the ability to soar, to gain height, to stay airborne for over 5 hours and to do a cross-country of 50k (more in reality). The Bronze C is designed to prepare you for your first cross-country and that doesn't come quickly either.
At the end of this, you will be a more accurate and experienced pilot than any new PPL, but it only counts 10 hours against the PPL. I would rather have a glider pilot +PPL in my group than any 60hr PPL trained at any flight school I know.