On Monday, April 20, 2015 at 6:14:03 PM UTC-6, 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.

IFR in gliders is not 'prohibited' in the USA. Rather than use the word "prohibited" it is more correct to say IFR in gliders is "impractical".

As with any aircraft, a glider must be equipped for the proposed flight and the pilot must have an instrument rating and be current (and competent) on instruments. With that in place, one can legally go into clouds as long as it is with an IFR flight plan.

For IFR in gliders, I've been told by the FAA that a pilot must have an airplane instrument rating plus 3 hours logged under a hood with a CFII in a glider and an endorsement from that CFII.