Many years ago, as a new professional instructor, I asked my wise, older
boss, "How do I answer the question, 'How long will it take me to go
solo?'" He replied, "Just tell them 'one flight for every year of your
age'" (we were an all aerotow operation). I kept count for several years,
it was pretty close in about 90% of cases.

At 00:40 04 June 2012, Jim wrote:
On Sunday, June 3, 2012 5:05:58 PM UTC-4, Gilbert Smith wrote:
Jim wrote:
=20
On Saturday, June 2, 2012 2:14:05 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
Sure, a lot "senior citizens" fly gliders. But how many of them
soloe=
d at 55?
=20
It's apparently much easier to learn to fly at 16, but a new student
a=
ged 55 is more likely to have the time and funds to commit to the sport
and=
stay with it. That late middle aged guy/gal is more likely to step into
t=
he shoes of the winnowed ranks of the even older guys/gals that presently
s=
ustain the sport. A 50-something who is prepared to retire is more
likely
=
to step up to fill the ranks than an underemployed 20-something who is
stru=
ggling to get established in career, family, and community during a
prolong=
ed recession and uncertain economy.=20
=20
But my question is this, can an "old person" learn to fly and does
the=
soaring community have the patience to teach them? Are there special
chal=
lenges to developing an older student and how well are those challenges
add=
ressed?

WTF? Are you serious? Of course they can! Or, at least they have the
sam=
e odds for success as the general population(regardless of age). Age is
not=
a factor for the ability to master the challenges of piloting and flying
g=
liders cross country. I agree that how fast one picks up the basic skills
s=
eems to be affected by age in some but that doesn't even justify your
quest=
ion. I have seen very young pilots acquire the required skills to fly but
f=
rankly I cringe at their blind courage to make some risky decisions
without=
having any wealth of experience behind them.

I learned to fly gliders in my 50's with only about 100 hrs in SLE to
tr=
ansition from. I now have over 1000 hours in gliders, have flown them in
co=
ntests, have several 1000k OARs and had flights from dawn to dusk.=20

Hank said it concisely that the "aptitude, motivation, and maturity"
to
=
fly gliders is certainly independent of age.

-Jim =20
=20
Our (now retired) CFI always maintained that it was the late-learners
who had the "stupid" accidents. Although "aptitude, motivation, and
maturity" to fly gliders is certainly independent of age, put them in
a situation they never encountered before and the power of analytical
thought is much too low.
=20
I am 73, soloed at 17, and have 4000 hours, but am acutely aware of a
deterioration over the last 10 years.

"put them in a situation they never encountered before and the power of
a=
nalytical thought is much too low."...BULL****!

Well, OK 73 may be too old.

-Jim