safer than power flying?

Part of the safety problem with soaring vs power flying (and which ties
in with the "currency" issue) is that while power flying usually is
about staying as far from the edges of the envelope (skill and
equipment) as possible and still accomplishing the mission (be it
training, cross-country, or just sightseeing), soaring often requires
pushing the capabilities of both the pilot and glider to accomplish the
desired goal, be it XC, racing, or even staying up on a marginal day.

If you want to go faster or farther in power, you pretty much have to
buy more airplane. In a glider, you can go faster and farther by
trying harder, flying better & smarter, or by taking more chances. You
can take chances and still be safe, but the opportunity and temptation
is there to push too hard, to fast, too soon....(been there done that!)

Just buying more glider won't make you go faster or farther than the
guy who has more skill or experience (not the same thing!) in his lower
performance glider. And that in itself may cause dangerous flying by
rich but unskilled glider guiders!

So fly a lot, train all the time, set realistic goals, question
everything, have fun.

Kirk
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