At 04:30 24 April 2018, John Foster wrote:
On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 6:26:55 PM UTC-6, 2G wrote:
On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 1:56:24 PM UTC-7, John Foster
wrote:
Hi everyone
=20
I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!!
Unfortunately,
=
the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area
that=
looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of
mountains
fac=
ing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer.
We
have=
an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of
the
mount=
ains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his
"#1glide=
r ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have
expre=
ssed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently
stand=
s, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked
to) in
=
the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about
the
pos=
sibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go
about
=
doing this?
=20
Your #1 issue is finding a CFIG in your area, which you can use
the FAA
a=
irmen search feature to find.

Yes. I agree. Good thing is my friend who is the A&P, is also a
CFI, who
=
is interested in getting his CFIG.

#2 you are going to need a glider (DUH!).

Will need money for this. What I struggle with is what to start
with and
w=
hen to pull the trigger on getting a club glider. I would expect this
woul=
d be the last piece to put in place before actively recruiting club
members=
, as the glider would have to be bought with club money, which
would be
rai=
sed through initiation fees and annual dues. However, in order to
have
eno=
ugh money to buy a decent glider (2-33 in good shape, or a more
expensive
G=
103), one would need a critical mass/number of members who are
willing to
=
fork out for the glider. Less members =3D higher buy-in; more
members =3D
=
harder to get interest until people see gliders actually flying around
the
=
area. What would be an acceptable initiation fee/club dues?


#3 you will need tow pilots who are CURRENT to tow, or can get
current.

My friend who is the A&P and CFI also has a Cessna 180 that he is
planning
=
to attach a tow hook to. He is planning to get his glider rating, as
well
=
as training/experience at towing. There is also another Super Cub
in the
a=
rea, but I haven't approached the owner yet to gauge interest in
using it
f=
or towing. It's a possibility though.

#4 you will need a tow plane, which is a subject all onto itself.

see above

#5 you will need to incorporate to limit liability.

That is doable.
=20
These are not insignificant issues, but clubs have overcome
them.
Sometim=
es there are suitable aircraft locally, such as a Super Cub, that can
be
us=
ed for towing (given a supportive owner). The glider must be a
two-place
so=
you can give instruction, and if you operate commercially it must
be
certi=
ficated.
=20
Tom

An idea that has floated to the surface is once we have everything
in
place=
and are flying, to invite a reporter from a local news station to
come
for=
a ride and explain what we are trying to do. I would expect that
the
flyi=
ng would be good enough here locally that we could easily draw
from both
Mi=
ssoula and Kalispell, in between, and even from the greater NW
Rocky
Mounta=
in region. It will take a bit of work, I expect, though. I would like
to
=
eventually get a winch operational here as well, to further help
make
fligh=
ts more affordable. Yes, I'm aware good winches are incredibly
expensive,
=
so that will likely need to be a project for once things are well on
their
=
way, but it's nice to have big dreams, right?

Again, where I see one of the biggest challenges facing new clubs
is the
gl=
ider. Serviceable 2-seater gliders that aren't beat up, low
performing
2-3=
3s, that people are going to be excited to fly, are prohibitively
expensive=
, unless a club has many members and is well-established. But
you can't
ge=
t to that point without a glider. I wish some glider manufacturer
would
bu=
ild a reasonably well-performing glider new for an affordable
amount
(whate=
ver that would be defined as), but at least a lot less than $75,000
for a
u=
sed/rebuilt 2-33 or a ASK-21.

There used to be a gliding operation in Kallispell many years ago -
so maybe some 'old glider pilots' around - of course further up the
valley, you have possibly the best soaring in Canada at Invermere.