Tom,

Congratulations on beginning to find what soaring is all about!

Join the 1-26 Association if you have not. Incredible support and encouragement for $15 per year, and you can find anything you need to know about the 1-26 from people on the email list.

Get either an Oudie or similar device and learn the program. Oudie has the See You mobile soft ware, or you can get one of the cheaper or free ware programs already mentioned above. But you need to learn the program on the ground. Set up the program with a safety altitude for glides, ie 1000 ft above the ground for pattern altitude.

Even in a 1-26 it can be difficult to judge glides especially when you go from downwind to upwind etc... The program helps a lot with this as well as awareness of where you are, airspace ...

Do not think you can fly airport to airport in a 1-26 like many of the 40:1 birds can, but you do not have to. You just have to keep a safe place to land within reach. YOU CAN FLY CROSS-COUNTRY IN A 1-26!!!

Yes, you will meet more people on land outs than 40:1 pilots will, and there will be days when a 1-26 cannot go cross-country and a higher glide ratio ship can, but you can land in smaller fields safer and easier, giving the 1-26 a great advantage especially in beginning cross-country.

I would encourage you to at least get your Silver badge in the 1-26.

Kevin R. Anderson
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