wrote:
Hollister Gliding Club in northern california
solos students and uses the 2-32 as a primary
trainer. [...] If I owned a glider operation I'd
personally have students solo an $8000 2-33
instead of a $35000, rare and much sought
after 2-32, but HGC seems to have escaped
damage to their gliders from students quite
handily.

And I hope they continue to do so. Having just visited the Hollister Airport,
I'd be much more concerned with soloing students in all that goes on at that
airport than with which aircraft they're flying -- uncontrolled and in use by
gliders, local and visiting powered aircraft and the skydiving operation,
intersecting runways *both in use* at the same time yet unable to see one from
the other. Yes, I realize everyone uses the radios. Guess it's all what you get
used to ...