Gliding.... waste of time or good news??

[gimpboy]

As a fellow wannabe, I would like to share my fantastic experiences of GLIDING... yes no engine!!!!!

I feel that this form of aviation has long been overlooked as a serious flying activity.

Having been a regular glider pilot for over 4 years, I would like to sound the horn on this sport as an excellent way to work on your manual flying skills. Indeed I would say that gliding has improved MY powered flying three fold.

Its real cheap... average £4/flight, making it a really good way to stay airborne if like me you are broke!!!!

I would be interested to hear what the other PPRUNEers had to say on this subject.... do you think gliding is an old mans sport or is making a useful contribution to flying in general???

Answers on a reply!!!

[This message has been edited by gimpboy (edited 24 February 2001).]

[KBaB]

Im 17 years old and have just started gliding and I really enjoy it. I don’t think that it is ‘an old mans sport’. I think the opposite; that it is a great way for people like me, broke students who save all their money for drink, to learn something about flying.

May also come in useful when you’re up for sponsorship, ‘if all the engines go on this thing, Im your man’ http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

KBaB

[landedoutagain]

gliding is definitley good news. although the hours count for nothing ( i have 600 'useless' ones!) it certainly helps judgement on approach, and will generally improve your lookout. oh, and have also done plenty of genuine forced landings, which is also useful experience.
i dont think anyone who does go gliding would be negative about it though! where do you guys fly? £4 a flight is well cheap!

and we tend to have a better understanding of the weather too...

[This message has been edited by landedoutagain (edited 24 February 2001).]

[Superfly]

from my experience gliding is everything but a waste of time. I used to fly gliders when I was in France and I can tell you that half the members of my club where airline pilots seeking for some "fun" in comparison with their relatively boring day to day task of "pressing buttons" ....
Gliding brought me a great skills with "moving the stick properly" >> keep this ball/string in the center !!!!!!
I found out that learning how to fly rather complex machines such as constant speed prop - multi engine aircrafts was not that difficult as I had already natural reflexes/habits (basic handling) with flying an aircraft.

[008]

What you kids want to do is start motor-gliding. Hours are valid towards licenses and it transforms between a glider and a conventional aircraft.

Also if you work at a Volunteer Gliding School, the RAF will pay for all your flying and transport costs.

Look into it!

[smallfish]

Under JAR FCL-1 you can count 10% of your gliding hours up to a maximum of 10 hours towards a JAR PPL. For JAR CPL/ATPL up to 30 hours can be counted towards license issue. Its all good stuff!

[KBaB]

Dont you think you should just treat gliding as gliding, and powered flight as powered flight?

(take it as face value)

KBaB

p.s. £4 per flight? Wheres that? i usually pay £15 for a air tow and around 17p per min in the air. Winch is about £4 and 17p per min in the air.

[This message has been edited by KBaB (edited 25 February 2001).]

[smallfish]

My earlier post was simply information for those who might be interested ie. anyone who glides and is also training as a commercial pilot. I glide and fly power, usually from the same airfield and often on the same day. I love them both and don't tend to differentiate between the two. Its all good stuff as I said before. :)

[Wig Wag]

I started gliding as a teenager and now, aged 40, Captain a Boeing 737.

Gliding is an excellent way to start flying in my view. Not least because it shows commitment due to the amount of time it takes to get a launch. You have to be part of an aviation community too. This is important as getting on with folk is essential.

Even today I keep an airlfield in mind should I suffer a double hush. We practice it in the SIM occasionally. Keeping that judgment alive is important to me.

With gliding you get to know an aircrafts envelope well. You have the freedom to experiment with an aircraft in your own time thus becoming comfortable in the air.

The last time I flew a glider I soared an ASW20 to 8000 feet in a wave bar in the midlands. I don't glide these days; its too time consuming and airline rosters are to tight.

Its probably the best flying to be had though. I'm glad I didn't waste my money on beer.

[This message has been edited by Wig Wag (edited 25 February 2001).]

[ioan_jones]

I'm 16 and started gliding 2 years ago with the 'work' experience as school. I was hooked straight away, although it can be a bit expensive sometimes for a broke student like me. I think it does teach a lot about the weather (since if u dont do up u go down) and gives experience in some of the more basic parts of flying. If i couldnt glide, i couldnt fly due to the everlasting lack of funds, so it really has been great.

Where do u get to fly for £4 though? I pay £70 membership every year, and about £7 to £8 per flight (aerotow), and being a student, I get the flights half price.

[gimpboy]

In answer to your questions on £4/flight, I fly with the Cotswold GC @ Aston Down. I am part of the Univeristy GC that operates with them and we have an agreement to charge £4/flight (£3 to Cotswold GC) (winch by the way in case anyone was getting excited!!) Soaring fees are 25p/min after 10 mins. and we charge the students £12/year to join.

As many of you have said - gliding teaches you fantastic manual flying skills and I love it to bits! In fact I have just got back from a days flying - the first thermals I have felt since Sept.!!

Roll on summer :)

[MAVERICK 1]

Why does anyone want to fly?

Answer 1:
Because you love it!

Answer 2:
Because you want to go down the pub try and pull a girl by saying
"Hello, I'm a pilot fancy a sh*g"

I think 90% of people that want to fly will say answer 1.

To those sad individuels that answer 2 there is no room for posers in flying.

On that note any type of flying should be because you enjoy it. As far as being useful for an airline career I think it is.
Any understanding of flying you have will be useful.

It helped me and I still love to do it when i get the chance. Th main problem with gliding is it very time consuming.

Dont stop it enjoy it, it is a lot more exciting than airline flying trust me I know!!!
:) :) :) :)

------------------
That's right, I am dangerous!!!

[Superfly]

Under JAR FCL-1 you can count 10% of your gliding hours up to a maximum of 10 hours towards a JAR PPL. For JAR CPL/ATPL up to 30 hours can be counted towards license issue. Its all good stuff!
_____________________________________________ I'm training for the JAA ATPL(A) at the moment, I have 86 hours gliding time, all done when was I was in France. Shall I simply copy 30 of them in my logbook and add them up ? or is there any restriction due to the fact that the experience gained was abroad ?
Any answer greatly appreciated,

Happy Landings, Superfly

[ickle black box]

I had over 60 hours gilding, dual and solo, before I started my PPL. It definitly made it a lot easier, and you end up far more confident in the air. Gliding was really good fun, but can also be very frustrating, wasting entire days for 10 minutes in the air. I'd recommend it absolutly for students, as they get much reduced rates. After I started work and had to pay the full rates, the appeal of it reduced. A PPL pilot taking up gliding will find it heavily regulated by club officials, compared to the freedom of the PPL. I can fly a Warrior alone into Tampa International, but needed individual permision for each glider flight, and could not take passengers. This was despite having more hours in gliders at the time.

[landedoutagain]

I believe gliding in the states is much more regulated than in uk and europe. Here its far easier to glide than to fly power, partly because we are self-controlled through the BGA rather than by government.

I too found gliding to help a lot for my PPL, but it did cause one slight problem(!) - those at clacton probably know - and having kept flying it is much easier to do it now, and less hanging around for a ten minute flight. eg - my gliding time is about 1.5 hours per flight, compared to about 14 minutes in power. (yes that is the right way round!)

also, gliding is considerably cheaper in uk than power, so if youre over here ickle, give us a call, and ill take you up!

[This message has been edited by landedoutagain (edited 01 March 2001).]

[ickle black box]

landedoutagain,

Thanx for the flight offer, I actually live in the UK anyway, (Just did the PPL in Florida). I've done all my gliding at Cambridge, especially when I was a student, and the rates were low. I've got a x country endorsement, and 2/3 of Silver C. I went to OBA in FL to do the PPL 2 years ago, then went back there last year to build hours in a C150 and Warrior. I might get back into the gliding this year, but at the moment are saving my money for more power time, in FL. With the PPL being an official qualification, if I make a hole in the ground, it's my responsibility. In gliding, because of the self regulation of it, the clubs and instructors continue to hold a share of responsibilty, for the pilot, and can be restrictive as a result i.e. I may have a x country endorsement, but must have permission from the duty instructor, before going x country. This has then led to disputes between the instructors, one says go, the other says don't. I've just been to OASC at Cranwell, and are praying for a 'Yes' letter from the RAF, after applying for Pilot/Nav.

ickle :) :)

[RVR800]

Gliding - A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME

... Only joking

I actually thing it should count for something as people who glide find
conversion to powered easier than
ab-initio

Good rudder control as well

[SKYYACHT]

008, I must take issue with you regarding your statement that the RAF will pay for all your flying/transport costs. I have been witht the RAFVR for many years, and I can assure you that if your intention is to be a part of a school in order to "enjoy yourself, and bag a load of free hours" then you will soon be "sussed" The VGS system is run by volunteers, most of whom give their time freely. The RAF may pay your expenses to/from the RAF base and you MAY getsome flying once in a while, whilst you involve yourself in the actual running of the school; Furthermore you have to demonstrate commitment and integrity BEFORE they take you on as a trainee instructor. Additionally, the schools are run for the benefit of Air Cadets, and your needs will always be subservient to theirs. I joined the RAFVR(T) as an instructor because I wanted to put back in what I took out, when I was a Cadet.

However, Gliding is a great skill, and a great social leveler. Have you ever listened to an eminent heart surgeon discussing the finer points of thermaling with a Cleaner?

Tailwinds all!

:)

[Teenyweeny ATC Cdt Cpl]

Anyone know anything about gliding in the South Essex area? As is clear, I'm an Air Cadet who'se been gliding only the once, loved every minute of it (even the running and freezing cold), got my GIC, and am halfway through my PPL @ Stapleford, therefore North Weald would seem obvious, but I'd appreciate any info you lot out there could give me...

Cheers!
-tacc

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

008 - you in 632 by any chance and therefore do I know you???

Gliding is what got me started in aviation. It makes you stand out a little bit at interview, some of the hours can count towards later powered flight license issue *and* you can yarn on and on about "in my gliding days" to your later co-workers ;)

I urge you to try the Air Cadet movement as a first line of enquiry.

Good luck

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