On Monday, April 20, 2015 at 8:14:03 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
Does anyone know the history of glider cloud flying in the USA? Was it ever allowed under FAR?

Was the prohibition part of the negotiation that allowed the XPNDR exemption for gliders?

If it were allowed, would it play out any differently in the USA than it has in the UK?

Did Lucky Chucker has an AH over Reno? Was he current with IFR? Did he practice IFR in his glider?

If it were allowed under the FARs, I think people would have proper instruments installed and training in motor gliders would be available in the USA.

Installing instruments that you're not allowed to use without declaration of an emergency is a rather odd state of affairs.

My father, Stan Smith, installed an AH from a WWII German bomber in his Schweizer 1-21. During the 1957 Nationals, which he won, he flew most of the way from Harris Hill to Syracuse in wave & in cloud. Soon after he took off, it started pouring at Harris Hill. 1 or 2 other pilots managed to glide just far enough to make it a contest day. I have Dad's log books, in which he regularly noted his cloud-flying time.