Gliding

[proctor]

Hi there,

I'm off to university next year, and am a bit worried about keeping current with my flying (I've recently got my PPL:) ). Clearly, I won't be awash with money.

It seems to me that gliding is a far more affordable way to fly, and it's something I've wanted to try for ages. My question is, how appropriate is gliding to keeping my hand as far as general flying goes? (The possibility of becoming a tug pilot is also at the back of my mind).

Any comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Proctor

[Humaround]

Definitely, try gliding. It's a relatively cheap form of flying (microlighting from a farmstrip would probably be cheaper) but huge fun, a real challenge and will definitely improve your flying skills. Many Uni's have Gliding Clubs which will reduce the price even further.

Tugging is a possibility, but you will probably need to be an experienced glider pilot on top of at least 50 taildragger hours.

[OpenCirrus619]

You could combine the 2 - get a TMG rating and find a gliding club with a Motor Glider. Hours flown on a TMG count towards SEP and, at around £50/hour, cost far less.

I would get to solo stage in a glider before going for the TMG rating. If you find a gliding club that does weekday courses you should be able to do that in a week for around £500.

Check out the BGA web-site (http://www.gliding.co.uk) - it has a map that'll help you find a club.

OC619

[kevmusic]

Every landing you make in a glider is a forced landing - focuses the mind somewhat! :ok: Humaround is right. It will make you a better pilot; end of story.

But gliding is expensive of time. For every hour you spend in the air, ten will be spent on the ground, learning ground handling, retrieval and winching. Fascinating but time-consuming. And although it's not flying per se, it's part and parcel of gliding.

Furthermore, you need to remain much more current to stay safe in gliders than in powered flying.

But it's great. Enjoy it. :)

[shortstripper]

I'd echo what the others have said ... It's well worth trying and will improve your flying without any doubt whatsoever!

SS

[rateone]

Proctor,

Support all the previous posts. As a veteran of two university gliding clubs I would certainly recommend investigating the opportunity when you arrive. Kevmusic is right, gliding is very time consuming but as a time rich/cash poor student that should work very well.

Glider pilots are a sociable crowd - something to do with all the help required for launching - so the social scene is usually pretty good. But,
gliding clubs (like other groups) can be somewhat cliquey so my advice is to persevere and to show willing. To a typical gliding club member there is nothing worse than a PPL holder pitching up for a flight, comparing gliders to powerflying (perhaps unfavourably) and making no attempt to join in with the ground chores - retrieving, log keeping, helping with launches, etc. Same goes for tugging. Tugging is a skilled (and somewhat dangerous) occupation and requires a good knowledge of gliding operations and soaring conditions. Look, Listen and Learn before raising the matter with the tugmaster.

Most clubs have an SLMG so you can keep your SEP hours up.

Have fun

"There was I in a ten knot thermal, everything off the clock but the maker's name and even that was in Polish"

[gpn01]

Might be useful to know where you'll be studying. In the UK there's quite a few university gliding clubs. Not sure how it works in France.

I don't think that gliding hours can be logged as flying time in your power logbook but I'm sure that TMG/SLMG time can be.

More importantly you'll be exposed to an area that uses aviation as sport and not transport. So if you like to be challenged by changing conditions involving constant re-assessments of the situation (including spacial, situational and weather), accept that you're operating in a see and be seen environment (which helps develop your lookout skills) and are confident about your judgement skills (glider pilots don't have the luxury of a 'go around' lever), then gliding could be for you. Add to the mix the opportunity for aerobatics and racing and having a bundle of fun with a bunch of (usually) sociable people.

Give it a go!

[MIKECR]

Not all clubs need you to be a glider pilot nor do they require you to have tailwheel(also remember that plenty clubs operate Robins or Rallye's etc) time to be a tuggy. Plenty clubs take on PPL holders with no gliding experience, just get yourself out there and ask around. A tuggy with gliding knowledge/background is a bonus but there are plenty tuggies I know who have never set foot in a glider before.

[Saab Dastard]

The only caveat I would mention wrt gliding for a PPL is that it can make you want to convert a poor approach in a motorised a/c into a landing (arrival), when you really ought to go around.

Obviously the option is not available in a glider!

Something to bear in mind.

SD

[shortstripper]

But you rarely get it wrong once you've learnt to glide :) Without trying to sound smug, also not "really" disputing what SB says, but I've never yet had to throw away an approach into a licenced airfield due to getting it wrong (the landings haven't always been perfect mind you :\ ) I have gone around a couple of times when going into strips ... but then you are pushing the limits and would expect to not always get it right. Any glider pilot worth his/her salt would go around in such circumstances, but the get-down-itis of a glider pilot is really a non-issue!

SS

PS. BTW, you can only count hours in a SLMG/TMG if you have a valid TMG rating on your SEP licence.

[proctor]

Thanks all for the useful replies.

My impression from what you've said is certainly a good one. I'm always keen to improve my judgement, and spending hours helping out in a flying environment certainly appeals! I'll try not to barge in as an arrogant PPL, Rateone, as I can imagine the frustration this could cause!

If all goes well in my A-levels (fingers crossed), I should be going to York, which does have a university club. Now I've just got to get my head down and revise :{ !

Cheers,

Proctor

[Yarpy]

proctor, I started gliding in my teens, became an instructor, got a PPL, became a tugpilot, joined the RAF and ended up as an airline captain.

The very best flying is in gliding. My Gliding Club had only a 2000 foot narrow grass strip. The undershoot was a main road with telephone cables on the approach and a nasty wind gradient in a strong north westerly. I was always grateful for starting out as a 'forced landing' pilot. Also I made some friends for life. It taught me that to fly, you have to be part of a community and be socially acceptable to your mates. We laughed a lot in the 1970's and has lots of simple fun. No computers, not much telly, no big brother, no drugs and empty countryside.

Most of all I remember the silence and beauty of the skies and the never ending challenge of sniffing out the next thermal.
Go gliding; its good for the soul.

[rateone]

Proctor,

Good luck with the studies and the gliding.

Like Yarpy I started gliding in my teens and progressed to a PPL, largely because I lacked the time to dedicate to gliding. I spent some time owning an SLMG as a sort of halfway house but I still might go back to gliding once the family is old enough and I have more time to spend. It is good for the soul.

[RatherBeFlying]

For the last year, my only go-arounds have been for other a/c still on the runway -- and it's not that long -- 1900'.

Gliders also teach you to pick landing spot, roll out trajectory and pull off point as there are often other gliders that have just come down and you have to design your own runway to miss everybody already down and then get out of the way of the chap behind you.

Taxi power to clear the runway is you pulling on the shoulder straps;)