Glider License to Power

"soarpilot" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,

I am a licensed glider pilot and will be pursuing my Single Engine
Land power license this upcoming year. I was wondering if anyone in
the group has gone from Glider License only to Single Engine Land
licensing? What were the requirements, etc? Do any of the hours
transfer to the requirement of SEL? Ease / difficulties to
transition? Comments and recommendations?

I am hoping to commit the first month of this upcoming summer to
getting the license, therefore will be looking for a school that "fast
tracks" so to speak. I may also be entertaining the thought of
selling my G102 later next year if anyone might show interest. (Yes,
the spiggot ADs have been done ... lol)

Tim

On Oct 6, 11:25*am, soarpilot wrote:
Hi everyone,

I am a licensed glider pilot and will be pursuing my Single Engine
Land power license this upcoming year. *I was wondering if anyone in
the group has gone from Glider License only to Single Engine Land
licensing? *What were the requirements, etc? *Do any of the hours
transfer to the requirement of SEL? *Ease / difficulties to
transition? *Comments and recommendations?

I am hoping to commit the first month of this upcoming summer to
getting the license, therefore will be looking for a school that "fast
tracks" so to speak. *I may also be entertaining the thought of
selling my G102 later next year if anyone might show interest. *(Yes,
the spiggot ADs have been done ... lol)

Tim

I found that very few of my hours in gliders helped me toward my ASEL
with regard to the minimums. There are so many unique requirements for
ASEL that very few students get the rating in 40 hours anymore.

Practically speaking, your glider time will stand you in good stead,
particularly with regard to adverse yaw and use of the rudder. Many
power pilots don't use the rudders effectively during turning flight,
I think you will find this is a non-issue.

One thing that I had trouble with is the sight picture in the landing
flare. The average trainer sits much higher on the ramp than gliders,
so I tended to land somewhat "flat" at first. Of course, now that I
can grease it on in the Skyhawk, I find that I flare about 2 feet too
high in the glider! Go figure.

On Oct 6, 8:25*am, soarpilot wrote:
Hi everyone,

I am a licensed glider pilot and will be pursuing my Single Engine
Land power license this upcoming year. *I was wondering if anyone in
the group has gone from Glider License only to Single Engine Land
licensing? *What were the requirements, etc? *Do any of the hours
transfer to the requirement of SEL? *Ease / difficulties to
transition? *Comments and recommendations?

I am hoping to commit the first month of this upcoming summer to
getting the license, therefore will be looking for a school that "fast
tracks" so to speak. *I may also be entertaining the thought of
selling my G102 later next year if anyone might show interest. *(Yes,
the spiggot ADs have been done ... lol)

Tim

Hey Tim, why not just take a day or two of "Self Launch" endorsement
and become a motor glider pilot.

I keep on getting power pilots asking me about my Grob 109
Motorglider.

They complain of the cost and lack of flying in their SEL types and
several have offered to buy or partner with me.

Just did a couple 400 mile flights to a Minden flyin, from SoCal and
back up the Owens Valley in CA and down the Central Valley of CA,
others fly XC 1000, 2000 miles and around the world in motorgliders.

Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/jb92563/...eat=directlink

My Engine overhauls are less frequent(Soaring motor off) and under $5K

My plane is faster/cheaper/sexier than a Cessna 140 and can do things
and go places where other SEL should not.

I also get 35 mpg and can take a friend and some gear along....fly
camping/adventure touring.

Also, Dont sell your glider to buy power, you will likely regret it
and SEL power will cost 3x what you thought and you will get less air
time.

Unless you are considering an aviation career or extreme aerobatics.

You should expand your glider fun as driving a Cessna is like the
familly Minivan......blaaa and you just sit there while your pockets
are emptied as the miles go by.

My 2 cents,

Ray

I was glider only for almost 20 years when I finished my power ticket
a couple years ago. I still struggle with maintaining a fixed
altitude!

Gliders are WAY more fun if you are flying cross-country but power is
pretty dang handy for transportation. I wouldn't sell the glider. You
will miss it like you can't imagine. You can get into power for
cheap. My plane with fresh overhaul came in around $10k but I put a
LOT of work into it. See http://www.antiqueairfield.com/ for a recent
trip write up.

Glider flying makes transition to tailwheel a LOT easier and
quicker.

Glider hours don't help much costwise till you go for the commercial
power. Than it can make a significant difference, especially if you
have cross-country hours.

There have been several good books on transition to gliders but none
on transition to power as far as I know. I've considered writing
one. Example: I was well along in planning a relief system
installation in my airplane when one of my buddies pointed out that I
could simply land to take a leak. I wasn't impressed until he pointed
out that I could also take off again. That was a revelation!

Matt Michael

You also don't need a medical to fly motorgliders.

Mike Schumann

"jb92563" wrote in message
...
On Oct 6, 8:25 am, soarpilot wrote:
Hi everyone,

I am a licensed glider pilot and will be pursuing my Single Engine
Land power license this upcoming year. I was wondering if anyone in
the group has gone from Glider License only to Single Engine Land
licensing? What were the requirements, etc? Do any of the hours
transfer to the requirement of SEL? Ease / difficulties to
transition? Comments and recommendations?

I am hoping to commit the first month of this upcoming summer to
getting the license, therefore will be looking for a school that "fast
tracks" so to speak. I may also be entertaining the thought of
selling my G102 later next year if anyone might show interest. (Yes,
the spiggot ADs have been done ... lol)

Tim

Hey Tim, why not just take a day or two of "Self Launch" endorsement
and become a motor glider pilot.

I keep on getting power pilots asking me about my Grob 109
Motorglider.

They complain of the cost and lack of flying in their SEL types and
several have offered to buy or partner with me.

Just did a couple 400 mile flights to a Minden flyin, from SoCal and
back up the Owens Valley in CA and down the Central Valley of CA,
others fly XC 1000, 2000 miles and around the world in motorgliders.

Pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jb92563/...eat=directlink

My Engine overhauls are less frequent(Soaring motor off) and under $5K

My plane is faster/cheaper/sexier than a Cessna 140 and can do things
and go places where other SEL should not.

I also get 35 mpg and can take a friend and some gear along....fly
camping/adventure touring.

Also, Dont sell your glider to buy power, you will likely regret it
and SEL power will cost 3x what you thought and you will get less air
time.

Unless you are considering an aviation career or extreme aerobatics.

You should expand your glider fun as driving a Cessna is like the
familly Minivan......blaaa and you just sit there while your pockets
are emptied as the miles go by.

My 2 cents,

Ray

It's also amazing that you can reject a landing and go around for
another. WOW! Never thought of that! You can really frighten a
power CFI trying to salvage a poor approach. Eventually they will
learn though.

"soarpilot" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,

I am a licensed glider pilot and will be pursuing my Single Engine
Land power license this upcoming year. I was wondering if anyone in
the group has gone from Glider License only to Single Engine Land
licensing? What were the requirements, etc? Do any of the hours
transfer to the requirement of SEL? Ease / difficulties to
transition? Comments and recommendations?

(Sorry about my earlier blank response)

Most CFIG's are familiar with the process of training already-rated pilots
for a new category, but don't be surprised if your power instructor is not.
Most primary power instructors rarely see already-licensed pilots doing "add
on" ratings.

(The following has to do with your paperwork, not your attitude towards
training) Strange as it may seem, you will not be a student pilot! You do
not need a student license, and the provisions of Part 61 subpart 3 (student
pilots) do not apply.. Rather, you are guided by 61.31 (d) (3). Naturally
you will need a medical to solo. Beyond that, for solo you need training in
the appropriate areas of operation and you need the following endorsement in
your logbook:

"To act as PIC of an aircraft in solo operations when the pilot does not
hold an appropriate category/class rating: section 61.31(d)(3).
I certify that (First name, MI, Last name) has received the training as
required by section 61.31(d)(3) to serve as a PIC in a (category and class
of aircraft). I have determined that he/she is prepared to serve as PIC in
that (make and model of aircraft)."

As others have noted, some of your PIC time counts towards the required 40
hours of training. You will need to pass a written test. At the end of
the process, you will need a recommendation & endorsement to take your
checkride, which will be little different from any Private SEL checkride.

After several years as a glider pilot, I added Private SEL privileges to my
Glider Commercial certificate in my mid-50's. It was an interesting
journey. I didn't really count hours, and didn't rush things, but probably
had 40 hours or more SEL time before I got around to taking a checkride. I
just made up my mind to enjoy being a student. I did have considerable
"unlearning" to do. For example: Even today, it is almost impossible for me
to make myself land an airplane in a crosswind without first leveling the
wings just before touchdown. I "regressed" on my check ride and
entertained my examiner with a glider-style power-off stall recovery. (he
was not amused)

Airplane landings were a non-issue for me. Yes, typically a bit flat as
someone else mentioned, but safe. It was hard to get rid of the mind-set
that every approach must result in a landing. After several lessons, I
realized that I had not done even one balked landing, so an instructor and I
went up one day and did several.

Good luck!
Vaughn

Looks like the main points have been covered. Things I found took
time a little time to get
1) Learing to pay attention to maintaining straight and level;
2) Learing to add power during stall recovery (to be honest during a
recent BFR it was apparent I still tend to recover first then think,
oh yeah should probably add the power back in now);
3) The whole concept of go-arounds.

Pro's to the whole excercise:
- Far better understanding of other traffic that's out there;
- Far better understanding of airspace & communications;
- You can get a flying fix even when you can't get a tow pilot;
- Item 1) above only needs to be retained temporarily, not all SEL
airplanes are intended for straight & level flight ;-)

Cons:
- Cost;
- You'll end up towing which will cut into your glider flying;
- It ain't soaring so you'll still need your glider, you'll just end
up owning two aircraft..

Alasdair Crawford
ASW-20
RV-6



soarpilot wrote:
Hi everyone,

I am a licensed glider pilot and will be pursuing my Single Engine
Land power license this upcoming year. I was wondering if anyone in
the group has gone from Glider License only to Single Engine Land
licensing? What were the requirements, etc? Do any of the hours
transfer to the requirement of SEL? Ease / difficulties to
transition? Comments and recommendations?

I am hoping to commit the first month of this upcoming summer to
getting the license, therefore will be looking for a school that "fast
tracks" so to speak. I may also be entertaining the thought of
selling my G102 later next year if anyone might show interest. (Yes,
the spiggot ADs have been done ... lol)

Tim

lameka val wrote:
not all SEL airplanes are intended for straight & level flight ;-)

There's a lot of truth in that. Serious glider aerobatics is insanely
expensive. If you look at the net aerobtics time, you can easily rent an
Extra 300 or even a Yak 52 for that money. Plus, in a power plane you
can repeat a figure over and over again without having to land and relaunch.

On Oct 7, 9:07*am, John Smith wrote:
lameka val wrote:
not all SEL airplanes are intended for straight & level flight ;-)

There's a lot of truth in that. Serious glider aerobatics is insanely
expensive. If you look at the net aerobtics time, you can easily rent an
Extra 300 or even a Yak 52 for that money. Plus, in a power plane you
can repeat a figure over and over again without having to land and relaunch.

Not necessarily. If there is reliable lift around, you should be able
to repeat your figures all day long.

Ramy