Instructor for my 14 year old

[M20E Turbo]

Hi All.  I'm a private pilot that flies a Mooney.  I've got three kids 14 and under that all like to fly and want to learn.  I'd like to have them get a glider license and fly a touring motor glider until old enough to solo private pilot.  I'd even consider buying a touring motor glider and amortizing over 3 kids for instruction.  I'm north of Chicago. Can anyone recommend an instructor that might be open to young pilots and/or a potential rental?  Where do I start.  My regular CFI isn't familiar. 

Also, any suggestions on a good TMG for this task?

Thanks!

[Jefferson]

I highly recommend that you get them started on CONDOR, the soaring flight simulator.  They will become proficient very quickly. As for touring motorgliders, you might consider Pipistrel. 

 

BTW, Right Rudder in FL is a Pipistrel Distributor, and they have also have a $2999 accelerated one-week Learn To Fly a Glider Flight training program, which is conducted in a Pipistrel Touring Motorglider. 

[M20E Turbo]

Thanks Jefferson!  That's the kind of thing I was looking for.  I'll check out the sim and give Right Rudder a call.  My boy is fairly proficient from flying in my Mooney with me, but he can solo the Sim and see how that goes.  Might be a Mooney flight down to Florida to hang for a week.

Any reason pipistrel over another motor glider?

[Russ Hustead]

Send them to Russ at Sky King Soaring.

[xintersecty]

12 hours ago, M20E Turbo said:

Any reason pipistrel over another motor glider?

I just did my self launch endorsement in the pipistrel.  The pipistrel will not be my first choice for learning to fly. It's a really a two finger control stick. Awkward position on controls.  However said that, it's about the only MG around that's tricycle gear that's really available for instruction on the east coast.  Landing taildraggers are WAY harder; I am just finding out and getting my ask kicked.   If your boy is pretty good in the mooney, he may not have too much trouble with the light controls. The pipistrel is really good on power and has a great glide ratio.  We were like 6 miles out when my instructor said okay lets land at 4000 feet without the engine, we did fine.

I really do like the 10 hours one week training course at right aviation.

I have talked to Russ and really don't know much about the diamonds but he seemed a decent fellow!

    

[Sinus Flex Max]

Keep in mind that GLIDER is a different category than AIRPLANE, so your local CFI airplane is not allowed to sign off instruction in a glider.  You will need a CFI-G.  A student can solo at age 14 in a glider but may not take a check ride for a pilot certificate until age 16 (which is the minimum age to solo an airplane.  The two years between age 14 and age 16 without ongoing instruction is a lot of time in which to pick up bad habits.  Solo sign-offs are typically only good for 90 days, so finding a local CFI-G is important.  Check Google for glider clubs in your area, many have CFI-G members willing to teach on the side.

I second the Pipistrel suggestion.  Very few companies make touring motor gliders, and Pipistrel is the only one I'm aware of that have TMGs in current production.  They offer a Sinus Flex, which comes with a choice of detachable wing tips offering either a 49 foot span or a 41 foot span, the Virus (41 foot span) or Virus SW which has a span of about 36 feet.  The Sinus comes with an 80hp Rotax 912UL, the Virus with either the 912UL or the 100hp 912ULS, while the SW comes with either the carbureted 912ULS or the fuel injected 912is.  DO NOT BUY A TAILDRAGGER VERSION.  Many, many hours of experience are needed to handle them safely on the ground.

Pipistrel fired its master distributor last year, so sales in the USA currently are a mess.  Officially, Right Rudder Aviation in Florida is its only US dealer right now.  The company was purchased by Textron in April, so hopefully the US distribution network will improve.

[M20E Turbo]

Thanks.  Great feedback.  Seems like the right rudder solo course is perfect.  I'll find a local cfi-g.  Are those solo sign offs.  Are those solo sign offs specific to a flight?  For example, would a sign off allow a TMG to fly to an airport 100 miles away and return?  

[xintersecty]

11 hours ago, M20E Turbo said:

Thanks.  Great feedback.  Seems like the right rudder solo course is perfect.  I'll find a local cfi-g.  Are those solo sign offs.  Are those solo sign offs specific to a flight?  For example, would a sign off allow a TMG to fly to an airport 100 miles away and return?  

If I remember correctly, the CFI needs to be at least on the ground and supervising.  At least that's what I thought then I decided to actually read the regs:
In 61.87 Solo requirements for student pilots it basically says the student needs a sign off and follow the rules, and stay out of certain airspaces.  
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-61/subpart-C/section-61.87

Ideally before each solo flight, the student pilot and instruction should go through a preflight brief.   When I was instructing, we set our rules, the instructor must be on the ground to authorize each solo flight.  It's very conservative.   

The short answer, yes the student can go fly staying out of class B, C, D airspaces unless received specific endorsement.  

 

[HiFlite]

Frankly, I'd encourage a pure glider rating first. There are few downsides and every lesson learned applies to later flight in power planes. Clubs and instructors are used to training kids and provide a good environment for that. TMGs aren't the easiest ships to fly and your insurance company will likely have a final say. Plus, our club has seen many father/son or father/daughter sign up and take lessons together, bonding experience and all that. About 20 years ago or so, the FAA cracked down on "enduring students" who got a single solo sign-off and proceeded to fly as a "student" for years. Hence, limits on sign-offs and requirements for an instructor to be on-location and involved with every single flight. Check out this list of Chicago-area clubs. http://chicagolandglidercouncil.com/members.htm or here: https://www.ssa.org/where-to-fly-map/