Hi gang,

I may have some rather stupid questions but I ask them anyway ;*) (it's
rec.aviation.student anyway, but I am also crossposting to
rec.aviation.soaring).

I am a private pilot trying to get a glider rating which takes me some
time due to irregular schedules (my fault). So I am usually flying
either a Cessna 172 or a Grob 103 glider. I already got soloed in the
glider - actually more than once because I messed some things up and the
instructor wanted to be sure that I don't mess things up again. For
example, once I tried to force the Grob on the runway but she wasn't
ready to land yet. I was too high but didn't properly use the
divebrakes, thus landed her with numerous bumps the full length of the
7700ft runway, inducing hysteric screams by the owner of the flight
school - meaing more dual flight instructions.
Anyway, Now I am slowly getting the feeling of soaring, working towards
my check-ride. What I read in FAA requirements, I need 10 solo flights
and three dual training flights for the check-ride? Thus, these 10
flights could practially "just" pattern tows, although I should of
course do some longer flying? I also hope, that the examiner counts my
solo-landings, because some of the flights were rather short and I put
more than one flight under one logbook entry.
Then, the check-ride would be done with the instructor of the flight
school, or will that be a DE as for the private pilot certificate?
And after getting my glider rating, does that count as a biannual for my
private pilot certificate? And after that, for the next biannual could I
get a biannual in one aircraft category to be valid for all categories I
have a rating?

Thanks
Chris