not a dumb question at all!
having already bailed out of one glider and successfully survived the ordeal
I find it very uncomfortable to fly without one...in fact for many years
found it uncomfortable to even fly with one!..
at the time, I too was in a club that quite frankly didn't use parachutes,
some there even made some remarks because I did...but none the less, almost
all gliders are designed for parachutes to be used in them, most flight
manuals calculated weight and balance takes this into account and requires
you to either wear a parachute or add cushions to put you in the same
position...makes little sense to have cushions behind you when the wings
come apart!
If you continue to fly gliders and progress to more sophisticated singe seat
designs you'll want a parachute anyway....they are actually quite
comfortable.....and comforting to have there...
also a bigger parts of wearing a parachute is knowing how to use it.....read
the manual, go through the motions.....or even get with a sport parachuting
club or operation and get an hours worth of instruction on how to use it and
avoid common mistakes..Emergency parachutes are designed to work even when
you do things terribly wrong with them, that's what sets them apart from
sport skydiving parachutes, but you can enhance your safety and willingness
to actually use one without hesitation if the case ever comes up..
"I'd rather be down here wishing I was up there than up there wishing I was
down here"
best of luck!
Tim
Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com

"vic20owner" wrote in message
...
Dumb beginner question follows:

I am just starting out flying gliders.... Here in the USA it seems
nobody wears a parachute unless they are contest flying or doing
aerobatics. However, I generally do like knowing that I have a backup
plan and a parachute seems reasonable. I suppose a history of cave
diving has made me sensitive to accident possibilities. I realize
flying is very safe but gliders tend to fly in circles near each
other.

Would it be premature to buy and wear a parachute while still taking
lessons, or would I quickly become the club's private joke?

thanks