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Touring Motor Gliders Association (TMGA)

Necessary time dedicated to soaring to be safe


markt

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I am thinking about getting a glider rating. I know I would enjoy the several days of flying gliders completely for fun and I may do that just to broaden my flying experience. But I am also putting in the calculus an honest assessment of whether I can safely use it. I am concerned that my current professional demands and my other passions will not allow me enough time to do it safely. I could get to the local soaring field once a month, if I bought a motor glider and kept it in my hanger I would probably get there slightly more often. My question is could I do either or both reasonably safely.

I have a commercial SEL, MEL license, own and operate a Twin Commander turbo prop. I have a bit over 3,000 hours and fly about 200 hours per year. I am completely comfortable flying into LaGuardia or Hartsfield on an IFR minimum day, but that is a totally different flying than flying a tight pattern on a windy day with no way to add power to go around, or having to land in a remote field. Frankly there is a reason I have gravitate to two engines.

However I would like to enjoy just flying simply for the joy on occasion. If my schedule allowed me to do that 3 or 4 times a month, I would just go for it but that time simply is not available. Would like to know your thoughts if I could manage 12 outings per year? Motor glider, glider, or forget it an go sightseeing in the Commander when I get the bug.

Thanks

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  • 8 months later...

I don't know anything, but that doesn't stop me from making recommendations.

First, take a ride with an enthusiastic, and competent, CFI-G.  If you don't like the experience, stop right there.

My extremely biased opinion is that an ideal instructor became a glider pilot before becoming a power pilot.

Ab initio power pilots see the world differently, and fly differently.

If you can fly with Jan Driessen before he retires, I think you will be doing yourself a favor.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 8/13/2015 at 7:27 PM, markt said:

I am thinking about getting a glider rating. I know I would enjoy the several days of flying gliders completely for fun and I may do that just to broaden my flying experience. But I am also putting in the calculus an honest assessment of whether I can safely use it. I am concerned that my current professional demands and my other passions will not allow me enough time to do it safely. I could get to the local soaring field once a month, if I bought a motor glider and kept it in my hanger I would probably get there slightly more often. My question is could I do either or both reasonably safely.

The other thing to consider is flying the Condor Simulation (http://www.condorsoaring.com/).  Condor represents the feel of flying a sailplane much better than the typical home-computer-based simulators I've used.  

There is a CFI-G, Scott Manly, who has worked up a syllabus based on Condor and specific tasks.  Mr. Manly spoke at my Glider Club, and I believe at the most recent Soaring Society of America convention, and he is clearly passionate about the use of simulation time to more quickly advance the student's understanding (but not logged hours).

Also see http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/condor.htm#Flight_School

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