Stefan wrote:
Mark James Boyd wrote:

I suspect gliding is much
more popular because petrol is so expensive and in some
countries one must get a scheduled "slot" to fly a plane.

I am deeply shocked to read this statement on r.a.s.! Soaring is popular
here because it's a challenge and it's fun, while flying straight and
level with the help of a fuel to noise converter is just plain boring.


Being cheaper and less hassle has nothing to do with it? C'mon...

I think here in the US lack of "hassle factor" is a big motivation.
Here, we've seen the ultralight and hang gliding community
boom while the glider population is decreasing. Some people
(including me and Dennis Wright, our SSA chief) think this is
because ultralights and hang gliders have practically a "0"
hassle factor (no checkride, no signoffs, no minimum distance
flown from people, no tail numbers, no radio skill, etc.).

http://www.nickselby.com/articles/av...flyeurope.html
seems to indicate petrol and rentals and taxes and
landing fees and in some cases (Germany) scheduled slots
are required for power pilots. I would expect that some
potential power pilots are glider pilots in Germany because of less
expense and hassle. A winch launch and then a free landing in
an open field sounds better than lots of $$$$ and scheduling.

Don't the flight levels start at 6000 in some places too?
Do you need radios for this?

You're confusing flight levels with controlled airspace. Maybe it's the
same in USA, but not here.

You are correct that I was mixing terminology. I should have
simply asked "is there some altitude above which radios are
required overseas?" and said "in the US, radios are only legally
required above FL180 (about 18,000 feet), and also
near busy airports (which are
sparse in many parts of soaring country)."

I think the definition of "controlled airspace" is best avoided,
since in the US it doesn't directly concern radios ("E" airspace,
for example).


Perhaps someone could tell us what radio requirements

All our glider have radio. Not because it's required, but because it's
a) convenient
b) safe (on tow as well as on approach)
c) allows team flying
d) is required for cloud flying

That it allows to enter controlled airspace is a nice side effect.


AHA! One huge difference is that cloud flying is more
common in some places internationally. It is quite uncommon
here in the US.

Because of safety and convenience and team flying, as well as
crew coordination and retrieves, I'd agree with the previous
post that 95% of private and X-country capable gliders have
radios installed.

I think the main reason they aren't in many low-performance
training gliders in the US is to keep them cheap, cheap, cheap.
If it's not REQUIRED, it's an avoidable expense...