Frank Whiteley wrote:
Assuming you have not much more experience in gliders than power, pick
a club with a Janus C or better twin. Take about a dozen instructional
flights. Then announce your plans to the CFI and see if you'll be
allowed to fly your choices at that site any time soon. Also check
with your potential insurers.

Good advice! I think the first and most important choice to make is the
club you decide to join. Use the BGA's website to find local clubs and
go visit them, then pick the one you feel most comfortable with and join
it. I started as an ab initio when I was 54 and did exactly that. It
worked for me.

I'd suggest that you get solo, convert to a club single seater, get your
Bronze Cross Country qualification and Silver C and then and only then
get a ride in a big wing (ASH-25 or Nimbus 3 or 4) before deciding what
to buy. I currently have 350 hours but only had my first big wing rides
this season - they are *very* different to fly. You may find you prefer
the responsiveness of a 15m glider to the more stately flying style of a
big wing.

As Frank says, talk to your CFI and the club pundits about types of
glider before making a decision: its not a good idea to pick a type that
your CFI has good reason to dislike. Ease of rigging and of making field
landings can be as important as sheer performance.

IMVHO, if you want to fly big wings, get an Open Cirrus (German, not
VTC) and enjoy yourself for 2-3 years before moving up.

....and also consider the convertible 15/16m or more recent 15/18m
gliders. They are generally easier to rig and derig than the big stuff:
at my club the 15/18 ships live in their trailers while the ASH-25s,
Nimbus 3 and DuoDiscii have T-hangars. I think there's a small hint
there....


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martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
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