Hello. New member here.

Originally Posted by Bruce Hoult

What are you training in now? The same 2-33?

Originally Posted by son_of_flubber

I've heard that soloing at an early age makes it easier to take up the sport later in life. It will be interesting to hear how that works out for you.

40 years ago, I flew at Sky Sailing, Fremont. That operation is long gone from Fremont, now operating out of Warner Springs in SoCal. I was this close ---||--- to graduating to the SGS 1-26.

I'm training in Grob G-103a's now. I'm finding it a harder plane to fly than I remember the 2-33's being. I'm wondering if that's really true or if it's just me. I see evidence that it's BOTH. On the one hand, I'm 40 years older now, which is known to induce geriatric drag on one's proficiency acquisition velocity. AND I see training videos on U-tube showing students on their 1st, 2nd, 3rd lessons seemingly doing better that I am after approx. 8 hours and 25 flights -- even some videos at MY club with the same instructors I'm flying with now!

OTOH, a whole lot of people do seem to agree that the Grob 103 is just harder to learn to fly. The rudder is way stiff, and I'm still getting a handle on that. (I did get to fly our Grob 103 Acro last week, which I thought handled rather easier.) I'm just getting the knack of staying behind the tow plane, whereas 40 years ago I was wake-boxing by flight #3. (Yes, I still have my old log book!)

I still remember a fair amount from 40 years ago, but as for the "muscle-memory" for flying, I feel I'm starting from scratch -- probably for the better, as the Grob handles so differently from the 2-33.

My longer-term fantasies are
1. Fly our 1-26, which I came so close to flying way back then;
2. Fly a 2-32, in which I had my first glider ride as a teen-ager at Dillingham, Oahu, Hawaii. (There's one at nearby Hollister; also Williams and Crazy Creek);
3. Fly the ASK-21, of which I've only heard and read good things (Hollister and Williams have them);
4. Maybe even try getting into glider aerobatics, the better to feed my growing adrenaline junkie addiction!

-- J. J.
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