A few newbie questions about the sport

4. Any tips on finding a school to begin lessons?

A very effective and efficient way to learn to fly is through the use of computer-based flight simulation software. Training can be done at home, on your schedule, at considerably less cost, in much less time, and there is no off-season. Unfortunately, very few glider clubs or commercial glider operations offer this mode of training.

That said, I do provide simulation-based training, at-a-distance (i.e., via the Internet), and I may be willing to take you and/or your daughter on as students. My services are free to those I elect to work with, and for reference purposes I can connect you to one or more of the 70 persons I have trained this way over the past 10 years.

Simulation-based flight training is not a complete course of instruction. After learning most (80-90%) of what you need to know in simulation, you would need to complete your training by applying your skills in an actual aircraft at a soaring club or commercial operation. However, showing up pre-trained will allow you to advance much more quickly through your aircraft-based training.

If interested, feel free to contact me via my website "gliderCFI.com" or call me at area code six zero eight, two two two, six eight four three.

Welcome to the sport.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Scott Manley CFIG

At 16:05 18 September 2018, Scott Manley wrote:
=20
4. Any tips on finding a school to begin lessons?
=20
A very effective and efficient way to learn to fly is through the use of
co=
mputer-based flight simulation software. Training can be done at
home, on
=
your schedule, at considerably less cost, in much less time, and there
is
n=
o off-season. Unfortunately, very few glider clubs or commercial glider
op=
erations offer this mode of training.

That said, I do provide simulation-based training, at-a-distance (i.e.,
via=
the Internet), and I may be willing to take you and/or your daughter
on
as=
students. My services are free to those I elect to work with, and for
ref=
erence purposes I can connect you to one or more of the 70 persons I
have
t=
rained this way over the past 10 years.

Simulation-based flight training is not a complete course of instruction.

=
After learning most (80-90%) of what you need to know in simulation,
you
wo=
uld need to complete your training by applying your skills in an actual
air=
craft at a soaring club or commercial operation. However, showing up
pre-t=
rained will allow you to advance much more quickly through your
aircraft-ba=
sed training. =20

If interested, feel free to contact me via my website "gliderCFI.com" or
ca=
ll me at area code six zero eight, two two two, six eight four three.

Welcome to the sport.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Scott Manley CFIG


Do you have the evidence to prove this Scott, and if so how much of a
'time-saver' on real life flying does the computer based training make to

the average student?

On Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 11:30:08 AM UTC-7, Paul T wrote:
At 16:05 18 September 2018, Scott Manley wrote:
=20
4. Any tips on finding a school to begin lessons?
=20
A very effective and efficient way to learn to fly is through the use of
co=
mputer-based flight simulation software. Training can be done at
home, on
=
your schedule, at considerably less cost, in much less time, and there
is
n=
o off-season. Unfortunately, very few glider clubs or commercial glider
op=
erations offer this mode of training.

That said, I do provide simulation-based training, at-a-distance (i.e.,
via=
the Internet), and I may be willing to take you and/or your daughter
on
as=
students. My services are free to those I elect to work with, and for
ref=
erence purposes I can connect you to one or more of the 70 persons I
have
t=
rained this way over the past 10 years.

Simulation-based flight training is not a complete course of instruction..

=
After learning most (80-90%) of what you need to know in simulation,
you
wo=
uld need to complete your training by applying your skills in an actual
air=
craft at a soaring club or commercial operation. However, showing up
pre-t=
rained will allow you to advance much more quickly through your
aircraft-ba=
sed training. =20

If interested, feel free to contact me via my website "gliderCFI.com" or
ca=
ll me at area code six zero eight, two two two, six eight four three.

Welcome to the sport.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Scott Manley CFIG


Do you have the evidence to prove this Scott, and if so how much of a
'time-saver' on real life flying does the computer based training make to

the average student?

While I have no hard facts, statistics nor research on this subject, in keeping with the long standing traditions of RAS, it is my experience that young people who are gamers and first time flying a glider do much better than those that do not have computer game experience. I have taken 14 year olds flying that could fly better than licensed power pilots. I also note that many of the young competitive pilots on the world competition scene say they fly Condor. I had a decade and a half break from gliding, bought Condor (is it not expensive) and flew it a bunch before I got in a glider to get current. On my first flight back to soaring I flew like I was current, as I had a bunch of Condor flights, and a ton of practiced emergencies, that I could quickly repeat. Other than my personal confidence which only comes from actual time in the saddle, I found Condor to be a great training/learning aid.

I recently had a friend over that has been out of gliding for years. We flew Condor and he went out and bought a copy after he tried using aileron to lift a wing as the (simulated) glider dropped a wing entering a spin. I would wholly recommend a student use both simulator and actual training. Caveats: I am not a CFIG, just a commercial pilot, I have no financial interest in Condor or any other business venture that would be profitable.

Do you have the evidence to prove this Scott, and if so how much of a
'time-saver' on real life flying does the computer based training make to

the average student?

Paul,

Call me at the phone number listed in the my reply to Newbie. I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question based on my experience over 10 years.

The airlines, military, and professional flight training organization (e.g., Flight Safety) have long established the economic and time-saving benefits of simulation-based flight training. I have no need to reprove the already proven.

My primary evidence of the effectiveness and efficiency of computer-based flight simulation is the testimony of the 70 folks I have worked with.

At 22:44 18 September 2018, Scott Manley wrote:



Do you have the evidence to prove this Scott, and if so how much of
a
'time-saver' on real life flying does the computer based training
make
to

the average student?

Paul,

Call me at the phone number listed in the my reply to Newbie. I would
be
happy to share my thoughts on your question based on my experience
over 10
years.

The airlines, military, and professional flight training organization
(e.g., Flight Safety) have long established the economic and time-
saving
benefits of simulation-based flight training. I have no need to reprove
the already proven.

My primary evidence of the effectiveness and efficiency of computer-
based
flight simulation is the testimony of the 70 folks I have worked with.



Sorry can't afford transatlantic telephone calls - I asked a fairly simple

question, why can't you answer this on a public forum?

On Monday, September 17, 2018 at 10:58:36 AM UTC-4, wrote:
A short while ago my daughter was considering joining a local Civil Air Patrol chapter, while attending the meetings with her I began to be interested in Gliding. I'm in NJ. If someone could help me with a few basic questions, I'd really appreciate it:

1. What is the average ground speed of a Glider flight?

2. Can Gliders take off and land at any airport/airfield...or are there known designated airports?

3. Regarding the thermal updrafts: Does this mean that Gliding is a seasonal sport and therefore flying in the Winter is more difficult (or impossible)?

4. Any tips on finding a school to begin lessons?


Thanks again for your time.
Ed

Where are you located in NJ?
My club flies in the lower Hudson valley of NY and has an active youth program.
Look up Valley Soaring Club.
UH

Paul,

I'll jump in here with my most recent experience with a new soaring pilot and simulation training:

Student: Never having flown glider but was rated in airplanes and was current.

Two hours "flying" Condor aerotows one evening.

The next day did four flights, The first one I gave him the controls at 1000 ft. and he flew the rest of the tow; i did the landing. The second flight he flew the whole flight from lift off to touch down. Ditto for the remaining two flights.

I have 400 hours teaching glider pilots and 5800 hours teaching airplane pilots.

I've never had a quicker building of skills in a new pilot. He's the first I use the Condor method. I will be using it from now on.

Mike Bamberg

PS. in the flight school where I accrued all those hours we would always use simulators whenever possible. The only disadvantage was the lack of "feel" which was easily gained once the student began flying in the plane.

Sorry can't afford transatlantic telephone calls - I asked a fairly simple

question, why can't you answer this on a public forum?

Skype it!

Ed,

Glad to hear that the gliding/soaring bug may have bit you.

Regarding #2 - Can Gliders take off and land at any airport/airfield...or are there known designated airports?

Lets break down this question into the ups and downs of it.

Landing - Legally, as Cindy said, you can land any aircraft (which includes gliders) at any airport. Practically speaking small grass and local hard surface low-traffic airports are "easy", mid-size airports you should be on the radio first (if you are able), and finally larger airports with commercial traffic you might/will cause quite a hubbub. But, when in a jam, you gotta' do what you gotta' do. It can be better to just land in a farmer's plowed field adjacent to an active airport than to land on the airport itself (while steering clear of pastures and rocky areas). "Landing out" is something you will need to learn about and prepare for in any case. ;-)

Takeoffs - This is trickier. Glider (non-self launch) operations are considered SLOW by the powered airplane world due to the need to position the glider and tow plane on the runway, hooking up the tow rope, taking up slack, and then launching. Many airport managers (paid, unpaid and/or self-appointed) are very friendly to glider operations while a (thankfully) few are downright hostile. All the glider operations shown on the SSA.org web site have already crossed this negotiation bridge and are actively working to stay on the good side of the local "authorities". Some lucky clubs even own their own airports which avoids nearly all of these problems in the first place!

Bottom line: Begin with an established club or commercial operation as the best way to learn the ropes and stay safe. http://www.ssa.org/WhereToFly

Best of luck,
John OHM Ω

I'll take "Sealioning" for a thousand, Alex!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealioning

--Bob K.