There are no wasted flights; you can learn something from every one. No
two days are alike and the weather has to be figured out each day.

That said, there are 17 things that have to be entered by an instructor
into your log book before it is legal to solo. The efficiency is to carry
that list, post a flight number by the item covered, and wave the list in
front of your instructor to be sure all items are planned for ahead of
time.

I had a student fly a two hour flight as his second flight after solo here
in the midwest. The next time he flew it was 16 minutes; he didn't sort
out the weather. You will have ups and downs in your whole career as a
glider pilot and that is what makes it interesting.

At 21:39 08 June 2008, Alan wrote:
In article "Vaughn Simon" writes:

"Tony Verhulst" wrote in message
m...
... your real question (IMHO) should be "what does it cost to
participate in
soaring?".

Well said! Since much of soaring is done solo anyhow, and much of
your
student flying is also solo, the cost to actually earn your certificate
is not
terribly relevant. Flying is flying...certificate or not, and flying
is
a
wonderful thing.

Vaughn (CFIG)

Much the same was true when I got my power license -- flying is
flying.

However, now I wonder about what sort of flights to expect while
getting
the rating -- how many useful flights and how many wasted ones? Does it
really
take 15 to 20 flights of dual before solo? What is covered in those,
and
how
can one take control of the process to make it more efficient?

How many more dual before "high solo", and how many more before the
check ride?

How many of these flights actually get into lift and give a good
learning period,
and how many are just a ride back down from release?

yes, I know, "ask the local group's instructors". I am asking here
first so I
am better equipped to evaluate their answers when I do so.


Alan