Beginner questions about buying a sailplane...

I am in the UK so it might vary, but:

1) talk to your CFI before contemplating buying a glider, and take
his/her guidance. At my club first gliders are usually glass, 15m and
unflapped - gliders such as the ASW19, Pegase, DG300, LS4, Discus.
These are all fairly easy to fly, have reasonable performance and will
cope with field landings.

2) when you buy a glider you also need a parachute, and if you have any
ambition at all an approved data logger. These cost money... And
parachutes need repacking. My club gets it's chutes done yearly but I
have a suspicion a more frequent repack is required in the US. My own
parachute is a second-hand German one which was inspected and repacked
before I brought it - in Germany parachutes have a finite life, in the
UK it's 'on condition'.

3) the biggest cost for me is insurance, how much yours will cost you
will depend on the value of your glider and how the insurer interprets
your experience.

4) I also have to pay to keep my trailer / glider at the club.

5) in the UK every glider has to have an annual inspection - expensive
at a professional workshop, but many clubs have inspectors who will do
it at a lesser cost.

6) *nothing* should be delaminating / bent. If it is walk away from the
glider - it has lead a hard life and/or not been looked after. IMHO
wear and tear is things like tatty upholstry, and minor gel coat cracks
for example at the corners of the airbrake boxes. Try to take an
inspector with you when you go to look at a glider.

7) you must be comfortable in whatever you buy, otherwise flying it
won't be the pleasure it should be. Sit in various suitable 'first
gliders' and see what seems to fit.

8) if the seat pad isn't Dynafoam (or equivalent) budget to replace it.


Hope that helps.



In message
,
vic20owner writes

No, I am not planning to buy anything for at least a year ... but I
have often wondered what other "hidden" expenses or obstacles there
are associated with buying a used glider.

I regularly see older planes in the $10K USD range (which is well
within my price range). BUT, for future reference, what inspections
are required for the glider to be considered air worthy, and what else
should I know before considering such a purchase aside from obvious
structural damage or electrical problems? How much damage should I
consider "normal wear and tear" such as delaminating wing tips, bent
rudder, etc which is a relatively easy repair versus something which
is major (wing struts, etc)?

Also, is there any specific paperwork (flight hours, maintenance
records, etc) I should insist on seeing, etc. Is it common to pay
someone else to inspect the aircraft prior to purchase?

Lastly, are there any specific gliders one should avoid as a first
used glider? (such as homebuilt kit planes, etc)?

Thanks
-tom


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Surfer!
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