Buying a Glider

Commercial operators can offer a single-seat ship for rent when it has a Special - experimental exhibition & racing A/W cert...

On Monday, May 6, 2019 at 7:21:20 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Commercial operators can offer a single-seat ship for rent when it has a Special - experimental exhibition & racing A/W cert...

I just looked at the limitations on one of my ships. It expressly refers to 91.319 with respect to purposes of operation.
91.319(e) specifically does not allow use for compensation or hire.
FWIW
UH

It’s pretty common to have experimental gliders in a club. They’re not put out for compensation or hire but owned by the club members with shared expenses.

You are absolutely right about GA has a "prejudice" when Experimental is seen on an aircraft. Learning now the Glider community sees things. lots to learn.


On Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 8:31:22 AM UTC-5, John DeRosa OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
It seems, and I am certainly not an expert, that a particular glider being experimental or standard has to do more with the first owner's "preference" when first imported. Or maybe how the local FSDO handles things (or how much they know/care about gliders).

I once owned a DG-101G which was standard. A sister ship on my gliderport a few serial numbers away was experimental. I looked up all the DG-100/101's on the FAA web site and there was zero rhyme or reason on whether they were standard or experimental.

Within the glider community, unlike GA it would seem, there appears to be no prejudice for or against standard versus experimental. Very, very, very few gliders were hand-build by individuals which to many in the non-glider aviation realm is the definition of "experimental".

I will leave it to others to explain their feelings on the pros/cons of standard versus experimental.

John OHM Ω

BTW a ASW27B is at the top of my list of gliders I want to own.

On Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 8:31:22 AM UTC-5, John DeRosa OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
It seems, and I am certainly not an expert, that a particular glider being experimental or standard has to do more with the first owner's "preference" when first imported. Or maybe how the local FSDO handles things (or how much they know/care about gliders).

I once owned a DG-101G which was standard. A sister ship on my gliderport a few serial numbers away was experimental. I looked up all the DG-100/101's on the FAA web site and there was zero rhyme or reason on whether they were standard or experimental.

Within the glider community, unlike GA it would seem, there appears to be no prejudice for or against standard versus experimental. Very, very, very few gliders were hand-build by individuals which to many in the non-glider aviation realm is the definition of "experimental".

I will leave it to others to explain their feelings on the pros/cons of standard versus experimental.

John OHM Ω

On Monday, May 6, 2019 at 8:17:39 AM UTC-6, ripacheco1967 wrote:
BTW a ASW27B is at the top of my list of gliders I want to own.

The last time I checked about half of the 27's are licensed Standard and it just depends on who imported the glider and how much time and energy they wanted to spend with the FAA or a DAR. Keep in mind most experimental gliders are in the Exhibition and Racing category and not the amateur built category. There is a difference! You can switch from standard to experimental in about one afternoon and 600 bucks to a DAR. In Practical terms most of us maintain out gliders to high standards and the big difference sometimes boils down to your life insurance. Many policies will forbid flying an experimental aircraft.

The 27 is a great and affordable choice!

Good luck

Insurance is an issue then.
Reading another thread, a poster indicated his glider was denied insurance despite being "Standard" .. this implies is easier for insurance companies to deny hull insurance on "Experimental" gliders... just as in GA... good to know.

On Monday, May 6, 2019 at 10:37:04 AM UTC-5, K m wrote:
On Monday, May 6, 2019 at 8:17:39 AM UTC-6, ripacheco1967 wrote:
BTW a ASW27B is at the top of my list of gliders I want to own.

The last time I checked about half of the 27's are licensed Standard and it just depends on who imported the glider and how much time and energy they wanted to spend with the FAA or a DAR. Keep in mind most experimental gliders are in the Exhibition and Racing category and not the amateur built category. There is a difference! You can switch from standard to experimental in about one afternoon and 600 bucks to a DAR. In Practical terms most of us maintain out gliders to high standards and the big difference sometimes boils down to your life insurance. Many policies will forbid flying an experimental aircraft.

The 27 is a great and affordable choice!

Good luck

I've never had them ask if it was standard or experimental.