Cost to earn a glider certificate?

First, this is a great sport. You will love it. Nothing will prepare
you for the wonderful silence after getting off tow for the first
time.

It appears that this club is slightly different than the norm (aren't
we all?). They have low yearly dues ($164 including SSA membership),
$10 per flight glider rental, $50 per 3000 foot tow and $30/hour for
an instructor. Let's assume it takes 30 rides to solo, each ride to
3000 feet lasting 30 mins (with ground school) over the course of one
year. That adds up to 164+30x10+30x50+30x30x0.5=$2414. So the $2500
was a pretty good guess.

My club is $650/year dues, no rental, no instructor fees, and $30 per
3000 foot tow. That adds up to 650+30x30=$1550.

Anyone have the numbers for a commercial operation?

However, you need to add in materials, FAA test fees (private), sweat
equity (it is a club after all) and the inevitable cost of the "I-need-
to-buy-my-own-glider" bug.

- John DeRosa

ContestID67 wrote:
It appears that this club is slightly different than the norm (aren't
we all?). They have low yearly dues ($164 including SSA membership),
$10 per flight glider rental, $50 per 3000 foot tow and $30/hour for
an instructor. Let's assume it takes 30 rides to solo, each ride to
3000 feet lasting 30 mins (with ground school) over the course of one
year. That adds up to 164+30x10+30x50+30x30x0.5=$2414. So the $2500
was a pretty good guess.

Based on your estimate and those provided by others, I'm guessing somewhere
between $2500 and $5000 seems the most probable cost range, when everything
is factored in.

But I probably wouldn't spread the cost over a year. If I had fun for that
length of calendar time without sharing the results of it with my wife it'd
really cost me! :-)

My club is $650/year dues, no rental, no instructor fees, and $30 per
3000 foot tow. That adds up to 650+30x30=$1550.

Wow. That's not much!

Anyone have the numbers for a commercial operation?

However, you need to add in materials, FAA test fees (private), sweat
equity (it is a club after all) and the inevitable cost of the "I-need-
to-buy-my-own-glider" bug.

I-need-to-buy-my-own-glider? Better not feed that bug! I haven't even
gotten off the ground and the idea of owning a motor glider sounds
appealing. That would make the training costs "inconsequential". ;-)

"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
:

ContestID67 wrote:
It appears that this club is slightly different than the norm (aren't
we all?). They have low yearly dues ($164 including SSA membership),
$10 per flight glider rental, $50 per 3000 foot tow and $30/hour for
an instructor. Let's assume it takes 30 rides to solo, each ride to
3000 feet lasting 30 mins (with ground school) over the course of one
year. That adds up to 164+30x10+30x50+30x30x0.5=$2414. So the $2500
was a pretty good guess.

Based on your estimate and those provided by others, I'm guessing somewhere
between $2500 and $5000 seems the most probable cost range, when everything
is factored in.

But I probably wouldn't spread the cost over a year. If I had fun for that
length of calendar time without sharing the results of it with my wife it'd
really cost me! :-)

My club is $650/year dues, no rental, no instructor fees, and $30 per
3000 foot tow. That adds up to 650+30x30=$1550.

Wow. That's not much!

Anyone have the numbers for a commercial operation?

However, you need to add in materials, FAA test fees (private), sweat
equity (it is a club after all) and the inevitable cost of the "I-need-
to-buy-my-own-glider" bug.

I-need-to-buy-my-own-glider? Better not feed that bug! I haven't even
gotten off the ground and the idea of owning a motor glider sounds
appealing. That would make the training costs "inconsequential". ;-)

Jim, let the idea of a motorglider go for a while. You need to
experience the simple pleasures of quiet flight, comraderie, and
becoming one with your machine.

You would likely spend more time than you could possibly imagine
fiddling with and maintaining it. Time you really need to be soaring
quietly and freely and learning what it means to use your brain and soul
to keep a motorless craft in the air for hours at a time.

My $0.02.

Larry

"01-- Zero One" wrote:
"Jim Logajan" wrote:
ContestID67 wrote:
However, you need to add in materials, FAA test fees (private),
sweat equity (it is a club after all) and the inevitable cost of
the "I-need- to-buy-my-own-glider" bug.

I-need-to-buy-my-own-glider? Better not feed that bug! I haven't even
gotten off the ground and the idea of owning a motor glider sounds
appealing. That would make the training costs "inconsequential". ;-)

Jim, let the idea of a motorglider go for a while. You need to
experience the simple pleasures of quiet flight, comraderie, and
becoming one with your machine.

I should have edited my response better - I really have no plans (or spare
funds) to acquire a motorglider now or anytime in the near future. Since
John mentioned it, I thought I'd respond and mention that the idea has a
certain appeal.

"ContestID67" wrote in message
...
...
Anyone have the numbers for a commercial operation?

A lot of them put numbers up on their web pages - some random samples (no
endorsement of or experience with any of these..)

http://www.soaringnv.com/instruction.php

http://www.caracolesoaring.com/learn2.htm

http://www.skysailing.com/pages/lessons.html


--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
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