What does it take to transition from our powered planes to sailplanes as in getting a glider rating? I’m not ready to jump into full blown training at this time since gliders in my location are non-existent. However, it would be good to study up on soaring principles and techniques plus get at least a few lessons in. In any event it would likely improve pilot skills and it would be fun to try a new form of flying. There must be at least a few glider pilots on this forum and I believe Bumper in Minden, NV owns and flies sailplanes. Any advice or references from you soaring sages? References to books, links, training locations, etc are also appreciated.

Blackrock,

You might want to join the Soaring Society of America, or visit the site for books etc. Also, Cumulas Soaring http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/
has a wealth of info as well as recommendations on what books to buy. Give Paul a call and ask him what he recommends . . . you don't want to start out with a complete beginner book when you're already a pilot. Helmut Reichmann's "Cross Country Soaring" is a very good advanced soaring book (Paul carries it as welll as other good stuff).

If you do decide to take a lesson or two, the good folks at SoaringNV, Minden can help out.

When trying to convey what soaring is like, I tell people that when you approach a raptor with a power plane, they'll most often fold their wings and dive away. Not so when approached by a glider. They seem quite at ease with sailplanes and will often fly off your wing tip, sometimes for quite a while if you happen to be in good lift. I had a young golden eagle maybe 5 feet off my wing over Lake Berreyessa one time. His head was cranked over looking at me near the whole time, as was mine looking at him. I think he was impressed (my wing span being over 75 feet) and probably went home and told his mate all about his experience . . . I know I did.

Thanks for the info bumper. I'll have to get over to SoaringNV and get a few flights in this summer. I make it to Reno every few months and I'm always looking for things to do.

Two good books for power pilots transitioning to gliders: Transition to Gliders, A flight training handbook for power pilots, by Thomas L. Knauff, and Learning to Fly Gliders, A flight training handbook and Syllabus, by Bob Wander.

The transition doesn't require a written exam (yay!), but does require 40 takeoff & landings (I think that's right). There is no time requirement, only takeoffs & landings, plus demonstration of other skills in a checkride.

I recommend joining the SSA - good monthly magazine and website.

I'm doing the glider transition this summer, and really looking forward to it.

ASW.

ASW,

Thanks for the references. If you have the time to post, it would be great to here about your experiences as you get your rating. Good luck with it. I understand it is a lot of fun.

Hey blackrck, you got a problem.

You live in Elko I believe, which is in the middle of the "basin and range" portion of the western US, which happens to be just about the best soaring weather in the world during the summer. Minden is on the western edge of that area, and many flights of over 1000 KM (621 miles) have been made starting from Minden or Bishop or Tonopah, and heading out in your direction. The cloud bases can be over 20K and extend for hundreds of miles in every direction.

Your problem is, soaring is not only great "black belt" skills training and a wonderful education... it's also completely addictive. Worse than crack cocaine. It is by far the most beautiful form of flight from an aesthetic and emotional point of view.

The very first time you get in a decent performance glider out there in Minden or anywhere near Elko, climb up to cloudbase faster than your Maule would, run a hundred miles under a cloudstreet faster than the Maule would, hear nothing but wind whistle by your canopy, and drag your wingtips through the clouds while sucking on oxygen... it's over.... "Invasion of the body snatchers", "I just slept with Raquel Welch", "stick a fork in him" addicted... you're done.

Soaring in a high performance sailplane is a 7 foot tall ebony pimp with a lime green Cadillac, four Rolexes and a two-tone purple suit, and it's saying... "you 'bout to be one'a mah bitches fo' life."

Look through youtube.com and search for "soaring alps" or "sailplane alps" or "glider alps".

You been warned

EZ,

You're scaring me. Maybe counseling or an intervention is needed??? Not to mention, god forbid, my wife finds out what you’ve said. She is already competing with one mistress and is going to really be pissed-off when a second one comes along.

Geez Flap quit sugar coating it and tell us what its really like I have been in four gliders in the last 26 years and none of them ever felt like that.

Rigging & derigging gets to be a pain in the ass unless you got a couple of ladies like EZ's avatar to do it for you. Bringing cold beer to glider with your ground handling equipment is a must after landing.

I think transition is 10 t/o's & landings (guarantied if you take off) & 10 hours of flight. But it most likely will take a little more to pass. an oral grilling & flight test, no written.

From this web site: http://www.eglider.org/index.php?_a=viewDoc&docId=11

As a rated power pilot, you need forty hours of combined flight time in heavier than air aircraft, three hours of flight training in a glider in the above listed operations (see link), with an authorized flight instructor within the preceding 60 days prior to the test. Your flight time must include 10 solo flights in a glider and 3 flights with a flight instructor in preparation for the flight test.

Try also this link: http://nevadasoaring.com/?p=1295

I think it important to explain that soaring is not a great passenger sport, at least for non-pilots and to a lesser extent, power pilots. Sort of like being a passenger on an acro ride, all the tight circling in thermals and robust pull-ups etc can be tough on the tummy. When I ordered my first glider, I was a bit apprehensive that I would get used to it, having only had maybe half a dozen glider rides at the time.

Getting the glider endorsement was about the most fun I've had since getting my private! I truly loved the whole experience . . . very much unlike the work and study I needed to get my instrument rating.

You are gonna have a blast!
Please let me know when you are going to be in Minden.

Thanks bumper. I'll drop you a PM before I head for Minden.

mr scout wrote:Geez Flap quit sugar coating it and tell us what its really like I have been in four gliders in the last 26 years and none of them ever felt like that.

Kind of a big difference between a 2 seat training glider and a hi-perf racing ship... as well as a big difference between a booming Nevada soaring day and a ho-hum day where you just glide around and sink down to earth.

Once upon a time in a previous life, I got to be a sailplane racer, fly with the best pilots in the world (who I wouldn't otherwise be qualified to have a cup of coffee with), set a couple of speed records, and actually live moments like I described above. So for the rest of my life I'll be running around completely off my rocker like Dennis Hopper in Apocalypse Now, babbling about soaring and trying to get everyone else addicted.

mr scout wrote:
Geez Flap quit sugar coating it and tell us what its really like I have been in four gliders in the last 26 years and none of them ever felt like that.


Kind of a big difference between a 2 seat training glider and a hi-perf racing ship... as well as a big difference between a booming Nevada soaring day and a ho-hum day where you just glide around and sink down to earth.

Could be Mr. Scout is referring to a flying one of those unintentional gliders -- made by Cessna, Piper, Rockwell or Mooney (or maybe even Mr. Scout).

I've flown both -- planned and unplanned -- gliding on purpose is a bit more fun.

--Tony

I love gliding. Never gor fully quaked but soloed and loved it. My favorite type of flying.

There ya go $4,800.... http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/Gli ... 15210.html

I joined my local soaring club about a month a go have been working on the rating for that much time -- lot's of fun!!

About how much time is needed for transition (someone said 40 landings):

I was told 3 hours dual, 10 landings, and the oral/practical. 40 landings sounds like it might be the requirement if one is starting with gliders from scratch (not transitioning). I may be wrong!

Time for my biannual flight review. I'm thinking about doing the glider rating as an add-on cert to meet the requirement.

Here at my local field, there are 2 choices. I can go with a nonprofit club or a commercial operation. Club is $1k upfront with cheaper rental rates and tows where the commercial op has fewer sailplanes for rent, and they are more expensive (like 3X per hour). I'm just not sure if I will want to do a long term commitment.

Interested in opinions....

Just read this ancient thread, especially EZ's nearly orgasmic description, and have to say my 2 glider flights just didn't grab me. My regular CFII is also a glider instructor, and he's been trying to convince me for the last dozen years that I need to get the endorsement, because he just loves it. Me, I really didn't. It was OK, and I'm glad I did it, but just like the intro helicopter lesson I took a few years ago, it just didn't grab me.

Now seaplanes, that's something else. When I took my intro seaplane lesson 3 years ago in BC, I fell in love. Not quite in the way EZ described soaring, but more in the "I could do this for the rest of my flying life if only I could afford to move to where there's water" way; more in the "Oh gosh, I wish I'd done this years ago, maybe I never would have left Alaska" or "maybe we should move to Wisconsin or Minnesota instead of Wyoming or Colorado." So when I went through the SES training and got my certificate last summer, it was 10 hours of joyful flying--even the 2 hours of the checkride was fun and enjoyable. I have truly not had as much fun flying in the 42 years I've been doing it, as I did getting my SES.

But each to his own.

Cary

Ten flights...no hour requirement...no written. Check ride is required.

I'm with Cary in that I don't particularly enjoy glider flying, but........

When my flying was off, or I got in a rut where my stick and rudder skills felt like crap and I just couldn't break the slump, I used to head down to my AZ buddy's place and spend an hour or two getting laughed at in a glider. There is no better way to wake up your feet and seat of pants and remember what that ball is for. It always worked like magic.

Gump