Soaring in America

Reprinted from the "Soaring in America" pamphlet published by the Soaring Society of America, Hobbs, NM.

Your first step is to take an introductory flight in a sailplane. That flight will introduce you to a world you have never known. And it is so exciting that you will want to explore it, to learn more about it and to become part of it. Accept that challenge and you are on your way to becoming a part of the world of glider pilots.

As with any course of study, the more material you read on your own, the faster you'll learn and the more competent you'll be. Commercial glider schools and book dealers listed in Soaring magazine can provide textbooks containing all the theory and essentials of flight, soaring techniques, safety, navigation and meteorology, as well as the Federal Aviation Regulations you will need to know to pass the FAA written examination. You will be studying this material while you are taking your flying lessons. After you have passed your FAA written examination, your instructor will recommend you to take the Private Pilot Glider oral and flight test. Passing this test will entitle you to take passengers for rides.

Lessons can be scheduled at your convenience. The closer together the lessons are, the easier it is to build on the knowledge gained from previous lessons, and the faster you will learn. Most people try to fly at least once a week, and most prefer to take more than one flight during each lesson.

The sailplane you will fly has dual flight controls, and your instructor will sit behind you. Your instructor has all the directional controls that you have and will show you the control motions or follow along with you as you are learning to guide the sailplane. If you have not flown before, some of the maneuvers and coordination may seem a bit difficult at first. After a few flights, however, you will be making the sailplane do what you want it to do, and you will wonder why you ever felt so clumsy on your initial flights. You will learn that a sailplane is a docile, responsive machine that answers to gentle, coordinated pressures on its controls. You'll learn to fly the sailplane straight-and-level, to turn it in varying degrees of bank, and to recognize and recover from stalls. You will practice flight courtesy and safety, and will glide down to enter the airport traffic pattern at a pre-determined altitude. You will fly your approach precisely, land your craft with its wings level, and stop where you want to stop. You will learn emergency techniques so there will be no unexpected surprises for you when you become a licensed pilot.

How long it takes you to solo depends on a number of factors. These might include any previous pilot experience you have had, how open you are to your instructor's guidance, and how relaxed you are. Other factors include the type of sailplane you are flying, the weather during your training, and the degree of experience and proficiency your particular program of training requires before permitting you to solo. The requirement for an airport located on an uninterrupted plain in Kansas might well be different from the requirement for an airport cut out of a forest of Joshua trees.

You can solo if you are 14-years-old or older. Most instructors feel that 30 to 35 flights are the minimum needed for most people with no previous experience. An experienced Power (airplane) pilot can generally solo a sailplane in less than 10 flights.

Cost of training from beginning through solo at a commercial gliderport will vary depending upon where it is and how rapidly you progress. After you have soloed, you will continue to fly with an instructor from time to time to see that you are maintaining good flying habits and developing your judgment and flying skills.

You will be eligible for a private pilot glider rating if you (1) are 16-years-old or older, (2) have had FAA minimum of 20 aero tow flights and 7 hours total solo time in a sailplane, and (3) have passed the FAA written. But if you already have a power pilot rating with 40 hours of solo time, you can be licensed in gliders if you have a minimum of 10 solo flights in gliders and pass the oral and flight test. No additional FAA written examination is required. [EDITOR'S NOTE: This pamphlet was written in 1996. The FAA rules were extensively re-written on 4 August 1997.]

A commercial rating allows the glider pilot to take passengers up for hire. Work toward a commercial glider license can begin after the private license is earned. Because of the increased responsibility, the requirements for a commercial glider pilot license are more stringent than for a private rating. An applicant for commercial rating must be at least 18-years-old.

A commercially rated power pilot may transition to a commercial glider rating by first having 20 solo flights, then passing the FAA commercial glider oral and flight test. A person transitioning from power to glider can generally figure on approximately half the investment required for a previously non-rated pilot going from solo to private rating.

Learning to fly a sailplane safely is easy. The instructor can teach you the mechanics of flying the glider in just a few lessons. But don't be led too quickly into thinking that you have learned all there is to know. Learning to soar is a series of steps and plateaus. How high on that ladder you wish to climb is up to you. Some pilots are content to soar around an airport. Others find exhilaration and satisfaction in cross-country flight and ultimately in competing with other pilots. learning while flying is fun; a fine balance of determination, flexibility, and practice is necessary to gain the proficiency you will need to get the most out of your sailplane.

 

Copyrighted 1996, Soaring Society of America

 

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