To SOAR! That incomparable feeling of being free from the chains
of gravity that hold one to the ground, unfettered by the noise and
vagaries of engines; free to dance in three dimensions in the sky; to
fly great distances and remain aloft for hours solely on the wings of
your own skill and knowledge of the sky. These are the joys of
soaring. But first, you've got to learn how.
The road to becoming a private glider pilot isn't very long, nor
very hard, but there are a few things that you need to know. This
article contains basic information about qualification, training,
costs, time and procedures that will lead you to your pilot's license.
If after reading this you have more questions, please feel free to
give me a call at the number listed at the end of this article.
Gliderports, Gliders and Instructors
The first thing that you need to do is find a gliderport that is
within reasonable distance of your home and that has gliders for rent
and instructors who can teach you to fly them. Chances are you
already know of a gliderport in your area. If not, look in your
local Yellow Pages or contact the Soaring Society of America for a
list of glider operations in your area.
Once you've found a place to fly, you'll need to select a "Certified
Flight Instructor" (CFI) to teach you. Flight schools and flying
clubs will have CFIs associated with them and will recommend a few for
you to talk to. You should talk to a few different CFIs to find one
whose schedule and temperament suit you. You can start to fly and
begin your flight training immediately. If at any time you decide
that you don't like the instructor you're working with, feel free to
change (you're paying for this, so you ought to be happy). It's not a
good idea to change instructors frequently, but it's perfectly OK to
try one or two lessons with several different instructors so that you
can find someone with whom you are comfortable. Instructors charge
anywhere from about $15 to $35 per hour, with lower rates being found
at glider clubs and higher rates at commercial operations. Some
glider clubs offer instruction for free but this is the exception
rather than the rule.
There are several different aircraft used in basic training. The
aircraft vary widely in appearance and cost, but you can learn to fly
well in virtually all gliders that are commonly used for training.
The classic American trainer is the Schweizer 2-33. This is a
large, boxy-looking strut-braced high wing aircraft. The wings are
made of aluminium and the fuselage is fabric over a steel tube frame.
These aircraft have been out of production for many years and some may
look a little tired, but they are none the less excellent trainers.
They are extremely stout in construction and excel in occupant
protection. They have forgiving flight characteristics but fairly low
glide performance. Another common trainer is the Blanik L-13. This
is a Czechoslovakian aircraft of all-aluminum construction. They are
readily identified by their mid-wing mounting and distinctive forward
sweep of the wing. Their glide performance is slightly higher than
that of the 2-33 and they are capable of performing many aerobatic
maneuvers.
Some operations perform training in newer technology gliders
constructed largely of fiberglass. These include the Grob 103 and ASK-
21. These are very pretty aircraft and tend to have the highest
performance of gliders used in training, but they also cost more to
rent. Many other gliders are used in training so don't be concerned
if the operation you want to fly with uses a type not mentioned here.
Minimum Training Requirements
The FAA specifies three different sets of requirements for the
private glider rating, and you only have to meet one of them. They
allow for different kinds of training (glider launching by being towed
up by an airplane or by a ground launch such as a winch) and
combination of airplane experience. The three sets are as follows: 1)
seven hours of solo flight in gliders, including 35 glider flights
launched by ground tows or 20 glider flights launched by aero tows; 2)
seventy solo glider flights, including 20 flights during which 360
degree turns were made (applies mainly to ground tow training); 3)
forty hours of flight time in gliders and single engine airplanes
including 10 solo flights during which 360 degree turns were made.
These requirements must be fulfilled before an applicant may take a
private pilot flight test.
Note that there is no specific requirement for a number of hours of
instruction to be received. You simply must receive enough
instruction to perform required maneuvers to specifications spelled
out in a test standard. "Solo" time means flight time with no one
else in the plane. Yes, you do fly around by yourself before you get
your private pilot license. Most people solo after about 25
instructional flights in a glider. 10 to 15 additional instructional
flights in addition to the solo requirements are usually required to
reach the required proficiency level for the flight test.
Medical Requirements
Glider pilots are not required to have a physical exam but must
sign a statement that they have "no known physical disability" that
would prevent them from safely executing the tasks of flying a glider.
You don't have to be a prime physical specimen or an Olympic athlete
to become a pilot. If you're in reasonably good health and have
reasonable vision, you'll probably qualify. Corrective lenses for
vision are O.K. There are a few medical problems that may be
disqualifying. These include epilepsy, diabetes, and recent heart
ailments. If you are uncertain of your medical fitness to fly, you
can contact an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) who can evaluate your
health and advise you on this subject.
Student Pilot Certificate
When you are about ready to solo, your flight instructor will send you
to a local FAA office where you can be issued a student pilot
certificate. This is only valid when endorsed by the instructor and
must be revalidated every 90 days for continued solo flight
privileges.
The Written Test
In addition to the flight test, each applicant must pass a written
test. The test covers basic aerodynamic theory, navigation, aviation
weather, flight and performance planning, and knowledge of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (FARs). The written test must be successfully
passed before the flight test may be taken. Some people prefer to
take the written test before they begin flight training. This
approach has two advantages: you'll have all of the useful theory at
your command before you start the applied work of actual flight, and
it won't hold up your flight test if you get it out of the way at the
beginning. Many people study for and take the written test while
taking flight lessons, and find that the theory and practical work
complement each other, thus making both types of training easier.
It's really a matter of personal preference as to which approach to
take.
There are three commonly used methods of preparing for the written
test. One is to take a regular course given by flight schools and
local colleges. These typically meet once to several times per week
and take about a semester to complete. They are particularly good if
you have trouble setting aside time to study on your own. The
disadvantage of these is they are typically geared toward the airplane
written test and thus cover things that you don't need for the glider
rating and don't cover a few things that you do need. The omissions
must be made up through self study. Costs are what is usually charged
for a community college extension course, plus about $70 to $90 for
books and materials.
Next, there are "weekend ground schools" that are two to three day
intensive study courses. These are put on by flight schools, pilot
associations, and commercial training operations. They are very
useful for people with busy or irregular schedules who are not able to
take a full semester course. The written exam is usually given the
day after the course ends. These courses run from $125 to $300.
These also tend to be oriented toward the airplane written test.
Finally, there are home study methods. These vary from full-up
video tape packages, to self-paced learning systems, to simply buying
several books and studying one one's own. Home study courses run from
about $75 to $400 depending on contents. Those who decide to "book
it" often perform extremely well as their motivation is high to begin
with. If you decide to go it on your own, you can choose from a
variety of fine training manuals. One package that I like consist of
the following: The Soaring Society of America's (SSA) Soaring Flight
Manual (basic theory and regulations), a combined Airman's Information
Manual and Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR/AIM, available from
several sources), and the Gliem Private Pilot Test Book, which
contains all of the written exam questions with answers explained.
The FAA publications Aviation Weather and Aviation Weather Services
are excellent additions to the basic list. You will probably also
want to purchase a basic "flight computer" such as an E6-B. This is a
circular slide rule and plotter that simplifies many aviation
calculations. They are also available in electronic form. Your
instructor may recommend other useful texts. Total cost for books and
supplies runs about $60 to $90.
There are several good sources for home study materials. The
Airport Shoppe at several Bay area airports has extensive stocks.
Materials are available by mail order from the Aviation Bookstore, in
Glendale, CA, and San Val Aviation Supply in Van Nuys, CA. A wide
variety of soaring materials are available from the SSA. Popular
aviation magazines list many other source of instructional material
and list schedules for instructional programs.
Many of the organizations that give ground school classes also give
the written test itself. The fee for the exam may be included in the
fee for the course, or it may be an additional fee. Exams used to be
given on paper, but these have been phased out. Virtually all tests
are now given "on-line" -- administered on a computer terminal, at a
commercial testing center. Your instructor will be able to direct you
to a test center. The computer tests are run about $65 each. Results
are provided immediately. This is convenient as you must have the
results before you may take your flight test.
Training Schedules
There's no minimum time period to get a license. If you try to
take at least one lesson per week you can expect to take about six
months to complete your training. Some people have completed
intensive training in as little as two weeks and others have stretched
out to over a year. Two lessons per week is about optimum. Planning
on less than one lesson per week will generally cause you to need more
hours to complete your training, as more time is needed on each lesson
to review material forgotten since the previous lesson.
The Flight Test
The final step is the private pilot flight test. This is taken
with an FAA Designated Examiner (DE) who is usually a very experienced
senior flight instructor. The exam takes 2 to 3 hours and includes
your planning a cross country flight, an oral exam, and 2 to 3 flights
in which you demonstrate your piloting skills. Glider DEs charge
about $150 for their services.
Total Costs
Total costs vary with the flight school or club. With a flying
club, expect to spend $1,500 to $2,000. Commercial operations will
cost considerably more,
typically around $3,500 to $4,000. A breakdown of club costs appears
below. It's a good idea to have at least half of your anticipated
costs set aside before you begin training. This will allow you to get
through initial training without delay. It also allows you to find
the incentive to come up with the rest of the money by the time it's
needed. You will usually solo before you spend $1,000, but you will
likely know well before that whether or not you want to go that far,
or all the way to private pilot.
Estimated Costs for the Northern California Soaring Association
(NCSA) club:
Aircraft Rental* 70 flights @$2/flight $140
Tow Fees* $12/hi-tow, $6/pattern 690
Flight Instruction* 19 hours @$15/hr 285
Club Membership** 415
Study Materials 90
Written Test 65
Flight Test 150
______
Total $1,835
* Assumes 30 solo flights including 10 pattern flights (takeoff and
land immediately) and 40 dual flights including 15 patterns.
** Club Membership cost here includes application fee, first six
months dues, SSA membership for one year and other items. Members
also must purchase a share of equity in the Club for $650. This
amount is completely refundable upon leaving the club.
Glider versus Airplane Training
Some people know that they eventually want to fly gliders and
airplanes (aircraft with engines) and wonder which type they should
learn to fly first. There are many different opinions on this subject
and points of contention include which offers the least hassle, which
is cheaper in the long run, and which makes for a better pilot. It
turns out that it can be done either way with good results, but there
are some tradeoffs.
There's slightly less hassle in adding a glider rating to an
airplane certificate than the other way around. A holder of an
airplane rating does not have to take another written test to take the
glider flight test, but the holder of a glider rating does have to
pass the airplane written test before taking the airplane flight test.
All of the material must be learned though -- the examiner will check
to make sure that you know it during the oral part of the practical
(flight) test..
Glider flying is pure flying -- there's a minimum of distraction in
learning complex airplane systems, electronic navigation, and coping
with complicated and busy airspace. Glider flying requires refined
technique -- if you're sloppy on the controls, you won't stay up while
more proficient and skillful pilots will. Thus people who learn to
fly gliders first learn the basics of aircraft control very well and
tend to carry this precision with them when they learn to fly
airplanes. Their glider skills will reduce the amount of instruction
required to complete the airplane rating by about 15 hours, which at
current rates is least $1000. Adding a glider rating to an airplane
rating costs at least $750 at commercial operation rates. Thus there
may be a small cost advantage in learning to fly airplanes first, but
those who earn glider ratings first tend to be better airplane pilots
(at least for the first few years of flying both types).
Private Pilot Privileges
Once you pass your flight test, you may carry passengers and fly
wherever you want. You cannot charge your passengers for your
services as a pilot, but you can share expenses with them. New
private pilots usually take some additional instruction almost
immediately after their flight test to "check out" in (i.e., learn how
to fly) higher performance gliders. Beyond that, there are higher
ratings such as commercial, instructor and specialized instruction in
other types of launches, cross-country flying, mountain wave flying,
and other subjects, but you can find out about all that later.
There's a whole lot to learn, but the whole process is quite
enjoyable. If you want to discuss any of this, or simply just talk
about flying, please feel free to give me a call. I'll be happy to
talk with you even if you want to fly with someone else, or are not
even sure that you want to learn to fly.
May you have the best of luck in "earning your wings"!
Steven H. Philipson
CFI- airplane, instrument, glider; IGI
FAA Aviation Safety Counselor
1901 Rock Street, Apt 109
Mountain View, CA 94043-2522
phone: (415) 964-1428
answering machine ID's as
"Mountain View Flight Service"
Other Contacts:
Soaring Society of America
Box E
Hobbs, New Mexico 88241-7504
[club contacts in local areas available by request]