Gliding

[sheesh123]

I have recently just gone solo and really enjoying it however i want to start gliding as well as i hear it is really good as well. Do people think i should continue with the PPL and complete it or do gliding instead... Would you suggest doing both?

[Saab Dastard]

Definitely do both - as long as you can afford the time and money! :ok:

SD

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Gliding:

(1) Every landing a forced landing.

(2) Spend an entire weekend hanging around the airfield for ten minutes in the air.

(3) Even more sensitive to weather (ie even more weather cancellations) than powered flight.

Powered:

(1) Costs more. Just a bit.

(2) Noisier, if you like the idea of silent flight.

But, with powered flight you just turn up, fly your hour and go home, and you can (sometimes) fly in weather that keeps gliders on the ground.

You pays your money and you takes your choice. No reason not to do both, if you've got lots of time and lots of money.

[DX Wombat]

This (http://www.aerobatics.org.uk/sites07/reglashamteammatch07.htm) should be a VERY interesting event. Why not go along to watch, or, better still go and help? Unfortunately I can't be there as I have a prior engagement. :(

[robin]

At your age, you would have to start prioritising things a bit.

You are early in your powered flying career. Although gliding is great and will certainly increase your skills it is not that cheap, and (potentially) will distract time and money.

Of course, if you have shedloads of money, then do both, but aviation will take all the money and time you can throw at it. It is a well-known adage that if you want to end up with a small fortune, then start off with a large one, and fly.

Doing both gliding and powered flying just accelerates the process.

[RatherBeFlying]

I took up gliders after soloing in power before I completed my PPL.

In retrospect, I feel it would have been more efficient to have completed my PPL before stepping into gliding as there are different mindsets involved, i.e certain power habits will get you into trouble in gliders while certain glider habits will get you into trouble in power.

But if you have the time and money, there's nothing wrong with visiting the local glider clubs to get acquainted and taking the odd glider flight.

Just remember that there's often a big price difference between intro rates and member rates. Some clubs offer a 5 flight membership or suchlike as a step before taking out a full membership.

[Arclite01]

Learn to glide first and then power fly I think.

Arc

[IFMU]

Some of what Gertrude the Wombat says is true, but overall I don't think it quite hits the mark. You will do a fair amount of short flights while training, but that is not the whole story. Not every landing ends up being a forced landing, often my landings are because I'm tired or need to use the little boys room.

Soaring can be cheap. Last Saturday for a $17 USD tow I flew my L33 around for 2.3 hours. That's cheap. Of course add in my hull insurance costs, monthly club dues, it is not quite as cheap as the $7.40/hour. But still not bad.

Soaring is very weather dependent. You can fly in all sorts of weather, but you need the good soaring weather to have those kind of flights. Maybe GTW has only experienced gliders in the wrong kind of weather. Maybe that's the norm in the UK. I don't know.

If flying was the language of man, soaring would be its poetry.

Some folks do big x-c flights in gliders. 50, 100, 1000km. Cross country is a challenge in a glider, not like pointing your propeller in some direction and droning away. If you fly for the challenge this is good.

I think RatherBeFlying has good advice, I would concentrate on power first, or at least pick one to concentrate on and stick with it. Some diehard glider guys think gliders first is the way to go, as Arclite01 says. And, if you are to end up like them, there is some advantage to starting in gliders. But I don't think it is a huge penalty in learning in power first, then going to gliders. Makes an easy transition to gliders, in the US it is a very easy transition to a glider rating. Takes longer to learn the art of soaring, in some respects a lifetime.

-- IFMU

[Mark1234]

Couldn't agree more. For pure flying, gliding is far better IMHO, and the whole weekend, 10 minutes is a little unfair! Once you get the hang of it, and pick the days 3-5hr flights are quite normal, can travel decent distances, suprisingly quickly. And glider aeros are great!

On the other hand, spamcans have a certain convenience factor, and going places is somewhat easier.

But then I'm biassed - been gliding for 2 years, currently mid PPL.

[IFMU]

While on topic, a couple of other glider notes:

You never have to worry about engine failure in a glider.

If you are a power pilot first, it opens up the opportunities to become a tow pilot for your glider club later, assuming you collect the right experience. Then if hanging at the glider club becomes your thing, there are lots of opportunities to fly. And, glider club members generally look on tow pilots with favor, even if they are of the sort that disdain all other forms of powered flight!

-- IFMU

[RatherBeFlying]

My soaring bill so far this year is about $2800 (club + national membership, glider block time, tows) for about 60 hours.

Renting a Citabria gets close to $200/hr these days in Canada.
I'll disagree with IFMU's You never have to worry about engine failure in a glider It can be very inconvenient if the towplane engine quits or the rope breaks, or the winch has a problem:uhoh:

Actually gliders are pretty much solar powered. When the lift quits, you'd better be close enough to the field or you will shortly be doing your very first outlanding like I did;)

[Dan Winterland]

I started gliding before power and all I can say is do both and enjoy. Gliding will improve your power flying, I'm not sure if it works the other way round however. You airmanship and handling skills will improve, and gliding is a far more socialbe occupation that power flying. Gliding takes up a lot of time. At your age, you probably have that time and will get the most out of it.

[IFMU]

I'll disagree with IFMU's
You never have to worry about engine failure in a glider
I have to admit, I'm spoiled. Up on the hill I only need enough speed to clear the guardrail, then I have a good 800' to get to the emergency field down below. Well within the gliding range of even the pawnee. But only needing 200' to turn back for a rope break in a glider surely makes it less worrisome than an engine failure at the same spot, for a less forgiving departure path.

Plus, when I tow, I've always got the glider in mind. If the PA25 engine quits, there are parts of the tow where I'll end up in the emergency field, but the glider will always make it back. I won't put them in a bad spot. I find that true of most tow pilots.

I can't comment on the winch launch, I've never had the opportunity. It seems sportier to me, I've seen a couple.

-- IFMU

[effortless]

I can't comment on the winch launch, I've never had the opportunity. It seems sportier to me, I've seen a couple.

Pure bare knuckle stuff chap. In my youth, I went down the runway in fastish a/cs (JP) but I never quite got the same adrenaline rush. The climb is spectacular and must match almost any aircraft flying to 500ft.

[sunday driver]

Well, Mrs Driver and I dumped our customary week self-catering for a (cheaper) week of gliding this year - Mrs D is ab initio and I'm IMC, so a bit diverse.
We averaged 7 flights a day each. Longest flight I had was just under the hour. Not a moment's inactivity for either of us the whole week.
We enjoyed this so much that I booked a day's one-to-one which gave me 13 flights, and we both booked a further week during August.
Plus points
VERY sociable - you actually get to TALK to a wide range of experienced people
Very good for you - lots of exercise and fresh air :8
Very good for your flying skills
Flying safe and close to other aircraft :)
Forced into explicit looking-out :=
Remembering what your feet are for :rolleyes:
Every circuit is a practise for EFATO :cool:
Spin entry and recovery from surprisingly low heights :eek:
A different perspective on weather :{
Gliding is surprisingly technical these days - The current UK distance record stands at 1200 km in ten and a half hours, and the airframes make the average powered aircraft look like a product of Noah's workshop.
Self-launching - fold-away motors - solar power. Mark my words, in this greener world, we powered flyers need to keep an eye firmly on what's cooking in the gliding fraternity.
SD

[gpn01]

It depends what you want to achieve, how much time and money you have and why youwant to fly. If you have lots of money and very little time, stick with power flying. If you want a more sociable environment, where you are a member of a Club, rather than just using the airfield as a means to an end, then come glding. If you want to use aviation as a way of travelling from A to B then power flying is much, much, better. If you enjoy the challenge of using the weather conditions to help you with your flight and can cope with making changes to your plan every few minutes, go gliding. If you want to fly and achieve the buzz of keeping to a particular height, speed and heading +/- 2% by using instruments, then go power flying (but please keep a good lookout for the rest of us). If you fancy the idea of deadreckoning, constant heading changes, using lines of energy to help and not having to talk to ATC, then go gliding.

You'll also find that different gliding clubs operate in different ways too. If you go to a small club, run by members at weekends, the you'll sometimes spend much of your time helping out on the ground and perhaps not do much flying. The more professional Clubs (by which I mean they have a paid fulltime staff) offer a much beter Value for Time proposition (including bookable training).

Dependign upon where you live, go and check out the flying clubs and glidign clubs and see which gives the most buzz. f you have lots of free time, money and inclination then do both!

[sheesh123]

Well money would not be a concern as a years membership is £40, launch fee is £4.50 and soaring fee is £0.10 for 10 minutes. The only concern i have is the time and if it will have any problems with power flying. Most people have said it helps but some say its better to stay with power flying.

[Saab Dastard]

sheesh123,

One "concern" that I have noted with power flying after much gliding has been an occasional tendency to try to "rescue" a poor approach rather than simply go around.

But then flying a glider really makes you use the rudder pedals, which is of great benefit in a SEP.

PPL training gave me a heck of a lot more structured NAV, met. and R/T training than gliding ever did - and all these things are useful in gliding.

SD

[shortstripper]

I started as a glider pilot and unless something horrible happens :uhoh: I'll go back to gliding when my kids are grown or when I retire. It is pure flying for flying's sake. Not to go anywhere, not to keep to time schedules ect ect .... it's ALL about flying .... priceless!!! :ok:

[SkyHawk-N]

Gliders? wouldn't touch them with a barge pole! :E

[XL319]

I enjoyed gliding, however getting to bronze standard was hard, in terms of time and perseverence.

Only downside which I didnt like was the waiting around for a 30 min flight etc, Rain is a problem for gliders too, so weather is a little bit more or a problem than powered.

[BackPacker]

a years membership is £40, launch fee is £4.50 and soaring fee is £0.10 for 10 minutes

I can understand the membership and launch fees. But what is the (ridiculously low) soaring fee used for? I can't see it used as a deterrent not to stay up there too long, but I also can't see a revenue stream of, let's say, 10 quid over a whole weekend per airframe, being used towards anything like 100-hour/annual checks, depreciation, maintenance, hangarage and so forth.

Just curiosity from a powered pilot. Or you can even call it envy.

[IFMU]

Those seem like good prices. Soaring at my club is pretty cheap, IMHO, about $240/year dues. Each tow costs $17 to 2K', and the rental fees go from $6 to $12 per hour.
Most annuals cost about $100 on a glider. It helps that there is no engine. And, in a club there are often volunteer IA's to do the work and inspections.
Sometimes a club will have a commercial ride operation that helps to subsidize the maintenance. Our operation also subsidizes a junior program quite extensively, until they solo each flight costs them $3. A good investment in the youth both for the good of society, and the long term health of the club. We have former junior members ranging in age from 19 to 80.
A commercial glider operation is much more expensive. However, it can be a much more efficient way to knock out the ratings. Depends if you are in a hurry or not. Helps to take advantage of the social aspects of the club and make friends with the instructors.
-- IFMU

[Pegpilot]

Sheesh

I notice you're based in London, and would point out that some the rates being quoted by our Murcan friends are a little on the light side. Expect to pay somewhere between £200 and £400 for membership of UK clubs, £5-£8 for a winch launch, 25p-50p per minute glider rental, and typically £25 to 2000 feet aerotow. You'll find the big clubs near London are at the top end of cost scale, but do have good fleets and facilities.

I struggled in the early stages of my gliding career - never a natural, but now enjoy the luxury of having my own glider and being able to b*gger off for 3-6 hours at a time on the good cross country days, family permitting. Long cross-countries are completely absorbing and a great challenge. Check out the clickable map at gliding.co.uk for directions to websites of most UK clubs.

I've just never been able to understand why the gliding fraternity usually requires an instructor rating to fly passengers, so you have the odd situation where a 45 hour PPL can take pax whereas a 500 hour non-instructor in gliding cannot. I had to take a BGA Basic Instructor rating to be granted the privilege of flying my kids and friends, but worth the effort and expense, particularly as it ironed out 10 years' worth of ingrained bad habits from solo flying !

Regards

Pegpilot

[Mark1234]

Pegpilot: FYI, that is a club thing - a BI rating is not REQUIRED, the BGA requirements are 50hrs, and aproval of the CFI. Unfortunately it seems that getting the aproval of the CFI may require a BI rating in some cases :}

[gpn01]

I've just never been able to understand why the gliding fraternity usually requires an instructor rating to fly passengers"
followed by...
"I had to take a BGA Basic Instructor rating to be granted the privilege of flying my kids and friends, but worth the effort and expense, particularly as it ironed out 10 years' worth of ingrained bad habits from solo flying ! "
'Nuff said ?
Don't know how it works in the Power World, but UK Gliding Instructors also go through continuity checks (three and five year cycles) as part of a review to ensure they're maintaining their instructional and flying skills. Additionally they must do a minimum 20 hrs and 30 launches in previous 12 months, of which 5 hrs or 25 launches should be instructing and 10 hrs or 50 launches should be solo. i.e. they're pretty current! Oh, the other reason why you need to be an instructor is because we don't do passenger carrying flights - all flights, when the second seat is occupied by a non-pilot, are considered to be of an instructional/training nature.

[Crash one]

The PPL will teach you to get up round & down safely & to navigate through controlled airspace etc, with "sufficient" attention to emergency procedures ref engine failures etc.
Gliding will teach you to "fly" acurately / efficiently as possible, your main comunication system is a lookout, you will always be aware of the next landing site in case the lift stops, your ability to "get somewhere" will depend on your skill, not a tank full of fuel.
When you then fly power all this will help considerably.
I was gliding 20 yrs ago & at that time started power, went solo after 3hrs. I then stopped, started again last year, took 14hrs to solo 60+ hrs to NPPL. I am now struggling to land a Chipmunk. If I had kept up the gliding I don't think I would have a problem.
So my advice FWIW, glide first, then power so at least when the fan stops you are well used to it & will not **** yourself at the silence, & you will be a better "pilot".

[Mark1234]

Oh, the other reason why you need to be an instructor is because we don't do passenger carrying flights - all flights, when the second seat is occupied by a non-pilot, are considered to be of an instructional/training nature.

Actually, not quite correct. All *PAYING* passengers fit in that category. There is no such thing as a paying 'joyflight' in the UK. I believe that is simply because that would then be a commercial operation, and commercial licensing, airworthiness and certification would be required. By making it an instructional flight, that is sidestepped.

If I want to take my friend, family, girl I met in the pub, etc, along with me, and they don't pay it's not an instructional flight.

Incidentally, the same is true in the power world - if passengers pay anything above an equal share of the cost, it's for reward, and you need to have a commercial license etc.

Again, the *legal* requirement is 50hrs P1, plus CFI approval (according to a year and a bit old copy of the BGA Laws and Rules book. That's not so much more onerous than PPL requirements.

Clubs may choose to mandate BI for that approval - there may be many reasons; perhaps safety related, perhaps to ensure an adequate pool of BI's to fly trial instructional flights. :E There may also be insurance reasons (minimums) why you can't just take your mates up in a club 2 seater.

Where I (used to) fly in the UK did change that policy from more restrictive to the 50/approval regime.

Anyhow, gliding will give you an extra dimension to power flying, just one bit of advice earned from experience.. when doing PFL's don't tell your instructor his precious cessna glides 'like a homesick brick'.. he may be offended :rolleyes:

[Saab Dastard]

Mark1234,

Interesting information about taking passengers - does the CFI approval part apply only to club gliders, or does it also apply to privately owned gliders?

Thanks

SD

[ProfChrisReed]

Interesting information about taking passengers - does the CFI approval part apply only to club gliders, or does it also apply to privately owned gliders?

The general rule at gliding clubs is that you can't launch (club glider or your own glider) without the approval of the CFI, usually delegated to the instructor of the day. Thus what the rule is, and what gliders it applies to, depends on the CFI.

At my previous club the rule was that only instructors could fly with non-solo pilots, both in club aircraft and in their own aircraft. Some clubs will differentiate, so that who flies with you in your own two-seater (if current etc.) is up to you. Others will allows anyone who meets the BGA minima and the CFI's approval of their flying skills to take non-pilots in club gliders.

The problem the CFI has in allowing non-instructors to do this is in deciding which of the club pilots are capable of taking passengers safely, bearing in mind that the responsibility for flying safety at the club falls primarily on the CFI. The esaiest route is to limit this to instructors because they've all achieved an externally-assessed standard. Avoiding internal conflicts is important at a gliding club - if some members spend their time complaining about unfairness, there is a real danger of the club taking sides and falling apart!

[Sedbergh]

For clarity amongst our non-gliding brothers, a very high percentage of privately owned gliders are single seaters. A very high percentage of the two seaters are owned by the gliding clubs.
The reasons tend to be
a) price of a 2 seater is higher than the equivalent performance single seater
b) insurance costs are close to double for 2 seaters because of the 2nd seat liability
b) rigging and derigging 2 seaters is much heavier than singles - club-owned aircraft are generally kept rigged in the hangar, private gliders are generally stored derigged in their trailers
So if you want to fly wife/girlfriend etc etc it usually implies using a club-owned glider and following club rules on who can or can't.
I agree entirely that doing a BGA basic instructor course does an awful lot of good for your flying and a Half Cat rating even more.
Our club uses the "instructors only" rule for club 2 seaters. There are a few vociferous non-instructors who consider this unfair but at least one of them I wouldn't trust with flying my mother in law.:uhoh:

If a non-instructor wanted to bring a 2 seater onto our site, he would need permission from the CFI. This would not be granted except to pilots of known ability.

[Saab Dastard]

Chris Reed and Sedbergh,

Thanks for the information - it seems so obvious and reasonable once you have explained it!

I wouldn't trust with flying my mother in law. - nice to see a man who gets on with his MIL!

SD

[IFMU]

I've just never been able to understand why the gliding fraternity usually requires an instructor rating to fly passengers

This seems dismal. Is soaring really that hard, that only an instructor can give rides?

Here in the US, many of us earn the private rating in a Schweizer 2-33. Easy to fly glider, very strong, very forgiving, very safe. Both clubs I've been in have higher performance 2-place gliders, like a Grob 103, ASK21, even a duo discus. To fly the higher performance gliders, our club rules require a certain minimum level of experience, and a checkout from an instructor. The instructor does the duty of screening out the people not competent to fly the machines. Indeed, this job starts before the high performance checkout. After all, the instructors solo the students, recommend them for checkrides.

At my club we have a pool of commercial glider pilots for taking paid glider rides. Usually we don't waste instructors on this task, as instructors are harder to come by, and should be instructing. Some of our commercial pilots are teenagers. Darn good pilots too. Some of them are old guys with 1000's of hours, but no instructor rating. But boy can they fly.

The funny thing about an instructor rating is that it doesn't necessarily mean you are a good pilot. Most of them are very good. But I have seen a couple instructors with more money than skills, and the CFIG was just another trophy for them, and not a hard one to get if you already have a power CFI. One of these instructors went downwind in a 2-33 with a student. Did I mention 2-33's are strong, safe gliders? Even when putting them into the trees? Well, they are.

The instructor requirement for taking passengers makes no sense to me.

-- IFMU

[shortstripper]

IFMU,

It's quite different here in the UK as there are is no formal glider pilots licence. This means that gliding in this country for years has been self regulating, which has worked very well, but does leave a lot to the descretion of the club CFI. You don't need an instructor rating to take passengers, just 50 hrs solo and the CFI's approval. However, as somebody else stated, many CFI's use the instructor rating as a yard stick. This saves a lot of hassle in sorting the good from the bad as the CFI can simply say "At this club, only instructors can take up passengers".

Interestingly it was possible up until very recently (and I think it's only the mandatory insurance that stops this now), you could own a glider, keep it at your own home strip and fly it quite legally without a licence or a certificate of airworthyness! (take passengers too I presume?) It sounds crazy, but when I looked into it a few years ago this was the case. Of course you'd have the problems of launching, but if you had a mate with a suitable tug, then you were legal :D

Much has changed since I flew gliders, with EASA now taking over, and the BGA loosing it's self regulatory roll. I'm not sure what the rules are now, so don't assume what I've said still applies!!!

SS

[Sedbergh]

So in the USA you have commercial glider pilots who are not instructors but it's "easy" to get a CFIG rating (certified flying instructor, glider ???) if you've got a power CFI (certified flying instructor???) rating?
Very strange. It ain't like that in the UK.
CFI in the UK means Chief Flying Instructor, and his word goes. No arguments. You've got to get past him before you go anywhere near an instructor course.

[IFMU]

So in the USA you have commercial glider pilots who are not instructors but it's "easy" to get a CFIG rating (certified flying instructor, glider ???) if you've got a power CFI (certified flying instructor???) rating?
Very strange. It ain't like that in the UK.
Sedbergh,
Let me try and translate from my local American dialect. "Easy" translates to no written exam required. Before you get to the easy step of adding on a glider commercial or instructor rating, you first have to get the power commercial or instructor rating. Which requires instruction, aeronautical experience, a signoff to take the written exam from an instructor, pass the exam, get an instructor recommendation for the checkride, and pass the checkride which consists of both an oral exam, where the examiner can ask you about anything and you demonstrate your academic knowledge, then the flight part of the checkride where you demonstrate your ability. So, a commercial power guy who wants to add a commercial glider rating already has down most of the hard academics, but has to learn the soaring ones to pass the oral exam. Same thing with the CFI rating. And, I submit that the flying part is not that hard, to be able to fly on tow, do some thermaling, fly to commercial standards, land, etc. I also am a staunch believer that to be good at soaring takes a lot longer. And, I think you need to spend the time to become good at soaring before you can become an effective glider CFI. Personally, I didn't rush to get my glider commecial rating, because I felt I still had a lot to learn. I will probably go for it next year. But I'll do the power commercial first, becaus then I won't have to take another written exam to get the glider commercial. If I had the glider commercial, I would have to take a written to get the power commercial.
I would also agree that although it's easy to go from power to glider, it doesn't necesarily make sense. But in some ways it does, because that first commercial rating, or that first CFI rating, there is a lot of work and experience that goes into it.
CFI = certified flight instructor
CFIG = certified flight instructor, glider

I'm curious, maybe one of you guys can tell me what it takes to be a glider instructor in the UK. I find the differences interesting. But, I bet that US and UK licensing differences aside, I bet in a pub we would still have plenty in common and a lot to talk about, just like my soaring buddies here stateside.

-- IFMU

[Mark1234]

I believe the US system is very different - anecdotally I'm told it's one license, i.e. you can get a gliding 'endorsement' on your PPL etc.

Chris Reed and Sedbergh have summed the practical state up nicely. However, I do think it's rather sad for gliding.

While I don't have an arguament with some rating/qualification above standard solo to fly passengers, the instructor rating involves a significant amount of time, is external to the club (requires leave, not done at my convenience), and is targetted at teaching someone. It also means I'm going to get stuck on a rota flying trial lessons: All because I want to take a mate for a flight occasionally. Not really worth the agro.

To contrast, having moved to aus, I got signed off to fly passengers in a day: some pre-reading about passenger handling, a handfull of backseat flights to prove I could fly ok from the other end of the cockpit, some Q&A / passenger awareness, and a signature in my logbook.

I've always thought it's one of the great shames of gliding that I can't share it / introduce friends to the experience.

[IFMU]

There is one license in the US, with different ratings. Each rating requires a checkride with an FAA designated examiner. An endorsement is something that an instructor can give you, like a tailwheel endorsement for a power pilot or a motorglider endorsement for a glider pilot.

I have given many rides to friends and family over the years. That is one of the benefits of a club, having access to two seaters for this purpose. The commercial operations I've flown at also have two seaters to rent, and they let anybody qualified and checked out with their instructor take passengers.

-- IFMU

[shortstripper]

CFI = certified flight instructor
CFIG = certified flight instructor, glider

Aha! That bit was handy as it makes more sense now. Here in the UK we have various "grades" of flying instructors for both power and gliding, but the main difference is that power flying is licenced and gliding is not. Just in case there is confusion, in the UK CFI for both power and gliding = Chief flying instructor (aka God). There is only one per club. The CFI of a gliding club has overall responsibility for safety and will be considered culpable in a serious accident even if he/she wasn't involved directly. As stated, you do not need an instructor rating to fly passengers but you do need the CFI's permission. With his/her head on the block it's a big responsibility that most are not happy to take lightly. It is therefore easier to only allow instructors to take passengers, as in an accident, the CFI can argue that the instructor was at least trained to take passengers. It is a shame that more do not allow qualified pilots to take passengers. However, self regulation in UK gliding has kept costs down and allowed a very good system to be developed by those who understand gliding the best (glider pilots themselves). All may change with EASA which may or may not be a good thing. I personally believe in the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", but polititions don't often think that way, so I guess it will all change soon. The one positive thing about the change though, is there will most likely be a formal glider pilots licence. That will move responsibilty away from the CFI and onto the licenced pilot, which will formally allow passengers to be flown.
SS

[JBGA]

Seen a few comments regarding having to stand around all day to get a flight at a gliding club and thought I'd point out that the social atmosphere on the airfield is the main reason I stuck with gliding. I'm yet to find a power club that has the same kind of friendly comradery that exists in the gliding community.
Admittedly I do get jealous of a colleague of mine who leaves work at lunchtime on a Friday afternoon and by 2pm he has taken off in his Microlight from a grass strip near his home, you could never do that in gliding, but who is he going to enjoy a beer with in the bar at the end of the day?

Someone once said 'Gliding is flying for free with the atmosphere as your fuel and your intellect as your engine'. That just about sums it up really. Every flilght has a purpose and is a challenge. And imagine the sense of satisfaction when you land after flying for 4 hours round a 500km course (That's 125 km/h by the way) in an aeroplane with just the atmosphere and your intellect to power it.

[gpn01]

"I do get jealous of a colleague of mine who leaves work at lunchtime on a Friday afternoon and by 2pm "

...There's plenty of members at our gliding Club who do exactly that. We fly a site to the West of London. If you'd like details let me know.

[IFMU]

Admittedly I do get jealous of a colleague of mine who leaves work at lunchtime on a Friday afternoon and by 2pm he has taken off in his Microlight from a grass strip near his home, you could never do that in gliding
It helps if you have the right setup. My club is a 10 minute ride from work. My L33 is metal, it is tied out. I can usually be in the air about an hour after leaving work. Still takes time to preflight, push the ship down to the launch point, get water & batteries set up, wait my turn for the tow, etc.

-- IFMU

[er340790]

Do both. As often as you can. Then get your seaplane rating. Happiness guaranteed.

[Lucy Lastic]

....and bankruptcy