Glider Pilot's License vs. PPL

[perrepilot]

Hi!
Discussion: What license would be the better to have before attending to a flight school???

I have heard some guys state that pilots having a PPL need to get rid of certain bad habits when training at a flight school. Some even claim that if you have a glider pilot's license youhave a greater chance of getting into the Air Force's flight school..........

Best regards,
PP
:cool:

[Genghis the Engineer]

I suspect that this is a very nationally biased question, since for example in the UK we have microlight (not quite ultralight, closer to sport pilot) licenses which many countries don't, but no glider licenses.

However, trying to remove the "cultural bias", if you are looking to prepare for military training, I'd say go for gliding where you'll learn situational awareness and good stick-and-rudder skills that are universal and will stand you in good stead. The civil and military approach to procedures is very different in powered aircraft and you will in PPL type flying develop habits that whilst perfectly good in civil flying will be regarded by military instructors as "bad" and can be hard to shake off.

G

[Going Around]

It very much depends on what you want to do in your future aviation career/interest.


PPL is fine, generally expensive to go beyond and comments about bad habits are all true. That said, all flying experience is valuable and any FTO worth anything will be able to train you to do things 'properly'

Gliding (civvy) is relatively cheap, and from my experience with various civvy gliding organisations, hand out qualifications as if they were selling raffle tickets! Don't get me wrong, there are some VERY good establishments and pilots out there but for every good one, there are MANY crap ones as well. As such, many people have little regard fot civvy gliding.

Gliding (Military GSA/VGS) is another cheap way of flying, indeed depending on circumstances, I believe help contributre to some expenses. If the RAF/RN is where you see yourself heading, then this is a ideal start as all flying training is carried out by instructors who have been endorsed by CFS in the RAF. Even if you want to go civvy and fly some heavy metal, it is still a cheap way of getting some decent training. Admittedly you will have to contribute quite some time to the organisation to progress through the system.

The options are there, only you know your circumstances and can decide.

Good luck;)

[FlyingForFun]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand the question?

Surely I need to go to flight school to get any of the licenses that you're suggesting. So the only answer, at least for the first time I go to a flight school, would be no license.

Or do you mean before doing the ATPL groundschool? In which case you have to have a PPL.

Or do you mean before doing a CPL course? In which case you have to have a PPL and 150 hours, as well as CPL or ATPL exam credits.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

FFF
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[RodgerF]

he's talking about integrated courses or military flight training

[FlyingForFun]

Oh - thanks Rodger! In that case, I don't have a clue, since I've never had any involvement in either of these types of course!

FFF
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[Future Pundit]

I have found gliding has given me a very good understanding of the fundamental principles of flight. While studying (ATPL) I already know what will happen to the aircraft in various configurations.

However, if you wish to pursue a career then after the first few hours powered flying is very different.

By the way, if you want a good lifestyle, get paid well, have leave that does not get cancelled the day before then do not even think of joining the military.

[SKYYACHT]

Genghis,

At the risk of being pedantic, I think your post gives the impression that there is no form of gliding licence, which is slightly misleading. The CAA have devolved regulation of Gliding and its licencing to the British Gliding Association, who as I'm sure you are aware, set a syllabus, and examine student pilots before issuing their equivalent of a licence, the BGA Gliding Certificate. I hope it doesnt sound like I am splitting hairs, but I just wanted to clarify...... and by the way, I agree with your advice relating to good situational awareness and the use of coordinated controls when flying a glider......I recently flew a glider, after a ten year break, and its amazing how much your feet forget what they are for!!!

Blue skies....

[Vortex Thing]

Best experience I got to prepare for military flying training came from gliding and flying scholarship.

If you can do a flying scholarship you get the best of both worlds. You get the military selection process and then civvy flying. Though you are assessed by a civilian instructor you gain a PPL which will let you grow your airmanship before going to the military with the onslaught of a very demanding training program where everything you do,say eat and breathe will be continuously critically assessed leaving little latitude for your learning curve.

Don't get me wrong, if you don't have the aptitude you will not graduate anyway. However if you have a head start it helps the transistion until you get to a point where you either stop enjoying it and quit or realize that you are not good enough and quit.

From all of those on my courses who got chopped very, very few said that they felt they were able and were unfairly removed. They just knew that they weren't going to make it.

Good luck, the rewards are great but it comes at great cost.