We've got 86+ year old glider pilots.. granted they started flying in the
1940s or 50s.
Don't tell a glider pilot he can't get anywhere when 300km cross countries
are the norm out here.

Roger on the diabetes.. depending on the severity and control one has over
the condition. One can still fly gliders or light sport aircraft.. has your
doctor or family taken away your auto driver's license? If so.. then perhaps
one should not be in a glider.

B

"Birdog" wrote in message
...

"Mike Ash" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Birdog" wrote:

The discussion on simulators was interesting in many aspects. Since
being
grounded some 20 years ago (medical), I've tried substitutes - radio
control
and computer simulators - and found them sorely lacking, if not
downright
boring. However, while playing with the simulator, I could not help but
grieve that it was not available back in the days when I was burning
time
and fuel in IFR training - basically learning to scan the instruments
until
it became virtually instinctive. So, while I get a little peeved when a
computer jock starts arguing with active pilots, their questions
sometimes
elicit interesting discussions, and I do think these $75.00 programs
have a
valuable (and cheap) place in flight training.

While ground-bound for two decades, I still love any discussion of
flying!

I tend to agree with the above. Simulators are what got me into flying
for real, even if they taught me some habits to unlearn. And clearly
they're useful for certain things, even if they're not the high-fidelity
monsters our friend thinks they are.

I apologize if the question is unwelcome, but if your medical grounding
was due to something that didn't really make you unsafe, have you
considered flying gliders? They're a lot of fun, and no medical is
required. Of course some people don't enjoy that sort of thing, and
nothing against them, as everybody has different tastes. But I just
thought I'd mention in, on the off chance that you'd like it, hadn't
thought of it, and are able.

Diabetes got me. I have flown in gliders (once - not PIC). I dunno - you
can't really go anywhere in a glider, and somehow the thrust, the engine
noise and vibration were a part of the mystique. Just didn't pull my
chain. Academic now anyhow - I'm 82 years old.