Glider Pilot license

[jai6638]

Hey...

I was hoping to get my glider pilot license this summer. I have logged 70 dual hours and will eb getting my PPL(A) in December when I turn 17. I have recieved grant money from my school to do my training this summer ( and hence I cannot wait to get my PPL(A) in December since I need to use this money over the summer ). I called the flight schools in Kutztown,PA as well as the one in Blairstown, NJ. They said that having 70 hours logged approx would not help reduce the minimum requirments since I did not have my PPL ( Airplane ). However, the FARs clearly state that I do:

:

FAR 61.109 (f) If the applicant has logged at least 40 hours of flight time in a heavier-than-air aircraft , the applicant must log at least 3 hours of flight time in a glider in the areas of operation listed in 61.107(b)(6)of this part and that flight time must include at least-

i) 10 solo flights in a glider in the areas of operation listed in 61.107(b)(6) of this part and
ii) 3 training flights in a glider with an authorized instructor in preperation for the practical test that must have been performed within the 60-day period preceeding the date of the test.

Can anyone confirm this?

ALso, I am in the US on a student visa and am not a US passport/greencard holder. Do I need to go through any additional procedure because of this?

Thanks

[flyboyike]

Do you hold a US student pilot certificate? If not, your 70 hours are NOT loggable toward a US glider certificate.

[jai6638]

Yes.. I do hold a US student pilot certificate since I started my flight training here. Does this mean that I am eligible for the lowered requirements since the FAR does not state that I need to have my PPL(A) license for these hours to count?

Also, does the fact that I am an alien require me to go through some procedure?

Thanks

[727gm]

You are correct. There is no requirement that you have a PPL to use this FAR. It recognizes the value of instruction in other category aircraft as contributing to your "education".

Most operations are used to people showing up either knowing ZERO, or coming in with a PPL or higher in another aircraft category. You may be talking to a receptionist, etc.that doesn't know all the permutations in certification.

Ask a DPE-Glider, they will tell you that your total time allows you to use this route.

[jai6638]

Thanks for your response.

I was talking to the receptionist.. However, she asked the CFi and then got back to me telling me that I am not eligible for it... Oh well, if I do land up going with them, I'm probably going to have to talk to the CFI myself quoting the FAR and hopefully he'll listen to me.

Thanks much.. Appreciate your help guys

[jai6638]

If you're doing flight training as part of that visa you're on, your flight school/flight instructor with whom you did those 70 hours, should've allready enlisted you with the Transport Security Administration,
http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/e...table_0215.xml

If you have allready recieved flight training without having security approval from the TSA, you are allready in violation of more regulations than you can begin to comprehend....

I have already registered with the TSA for my flight training.

I found out that the TSA has made an exception for light aircraft ( such as gliders ). Aliens pursuing a glider pilot license do not need to register with the TSA and go through the Alien Flight Student Program procedure.

However if you're alllready registered with TSA, you or your instructors may go to their website and update your training status/activities free of charge (after the initial $130 charge, that is). You may also give the TSA a simple phone call and question them about what you should do, and sort out your compliance with their stack of regulations.

On a different note, I registerd with the TSA for my PPL training. However, in the "duration of training" field, I was allowed a maximum of 1 year. At the end of 1 year, is it posible to update my training status or do I have to reapply and pay another $130?

Thanks