"North Americans have to do everything the hard way........."

Really? I'm not sure what part of Europe or South America you might be from, but this type of comment is so simplistic it becomes irrelevant and laughable.

In the U.S.A. flying gliders or powered aircraft is open to a broader population than other countries where recreational flying is typically only obtainable by the wealthy.

Being able to enjoy the wonders of flight, without having to be wealthy as in other countries, is a fantastic opportunity in the U.S.A. not available in many other parts of the world. I appreciate that aspect of american life.

That does mean however that those of us who fly on a budget may not be in a club that owns an expensive motor glider. We have a mixture of clubs in the U.S., some with more resources than others.

The previous post that suggested taking a powered flight and training in off airport landings makes the most sense in the U.S. market in my opinion.

Even if you are not a power pilot, spending a few hours with a power instructor just practicing off airport landing procedures will benefit glider pilots.

That training is all about the fundamentals of off airport landings (land outs). Determining wind direction, picking a suitable field, slope, setting up a pattern, etc. Then actually simulating an approach to land.

$.02 paid in full. YMMV.