Gliding - Page 2

turbo · #11 03-14-2011, 07:11 AM

i couldn't replace my rv with a sailplane. it is #1. the rv though, can get you to the glider ports and more. the rating will make you a better pilot though. how close are you to a soaring club?

eric_marsh · #12 03-14-2011, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbo

i couldn't replace my rv with a sailplane. it is #1. the rv though, can get you to the glider ports and more. the rating will make you a better pilot though. how close are you to a soaring club?

I'm an hour or two's drive from the nearest soaring club. But I do think I'll try their intro which includes instructions, two pattern glides and a 200' tow for about $250.

N941WR · #13 03-14-2011, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Kuykendall

I am a glider pilot, and I'm developing a high-performance kit sailplane that is all composite and gives the European racers a run for the money, but requires no more composites skill than is required to install an RV-8 windshield.

In my experience, the dollars-per-hour cost of soaring doesn't start beating powered flight until you start getting into cross-country flying. Joining a glider club can bring the cost down a bunch, but then you have to schedule around club activities. It's all a trade-off, of course.

That said, I've long felt that cross-country and competition soaring gives good value in terms of dollars per unit exhilaration, whatever those units might be.

Thanks, Bob K.
__________________
HP-24 kit sailplane project
http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24
HP-24 project on Facebook

Bob,

I've been following your web site for a few years with great interest. It looks like you are getting closer to your first launch. Please post on here when you make your first flight!

agough277 · #14 03-14-2011, 10:14 AM

motor glider ratings allow you too fly a powered plane without the incumberances of a Light Sport rating. Pipestrel makes a motor glider that looks like many LSA's but out performs same without LSA resrictions.

steve91t · #15 03-14-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agough277

motor glider ratings allow you too fly a powered plane without the incumberances of a Light Sport rating. Pipestrel makes a motor glider that looks like many LSA's but out performs same without LSA resrictions.

Problem with those is they aren't very good at being power planes and are terrible gliders. Unless you spend some serious cash.

Steve

agough277 · #16 03-14-2011, 10:24 PM

My money is on the RV13 being a motor glider. The 12 already has the wings for same.

Bob Kuykendall · #17 03-15-2011, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N941WR

Bob,

I've been following your web site for a few years with great interest. It looks like you are getting closer to your first launch. Please post on here when you make your first flight!

Thanks, will do! And let me know if you're ever in the neighborhood, I'll show you around the project.

Thanks again, Bob K.

Mel · #18 03-15-2011, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agough277

My money is on the RV13 being a motor glider. The 12 already has the wings for same.

But the RV-11 is already a motorglider!

agough277 · #19 03-15-2011, 01:03 PM

The 11 has been Van's side job as I understand it. There was a very secret room at Van's the last time I was there. Wonder??????????[/u]

larryj · #20 03-15-2011, 05:46 PM

Pretty much all been said, and I agree; soaring makes you a better pilot and is fun. I learned to fly in gliders and very quickly moved on to soaring cross-country and competition. Personally I don't think just getting an add-on rating helps much in the skill area. There is a very large difference once you go beyond the point of turning back to land - going cross-country you learn and depend on skills, awareness, thought processes, and decisions that you would never have tapped without committing to a cross-country. For me transitioning from a glider license to a power license was all about learning and becoming familiar with airspace and the engine; flying the airplane was easy (and using rudder instinctive). I highly recommend learning to fly in gliders and I even more strongly recommend sticking with it long enough to gain serious cross-country experience. When asked "if you could keep only one airplane which one would you keep" nearly every pilot I know that flies both (and own both) answer with "my sailplane".