Expat Retirement with soaring?

On Sunday, March 7, 2021 at 1:06:48 AM UTC-8, Moto Hot Sauce wrote:
I moved CA to Spain and the soaring is fantastic in the Pyrenees. I have also flown in Argentina which is also top notch. Depends where you want to live. Here in Spain you have many choices to fly in Europe if you like road trips.

Do you use your USA certificate, or did you have to get one in the EU? Was it difficult? Did you need to learn any Spanish?

What about purchasing and registering a sailplane? Was that difficult?

On Sunday, March 7, 2021 at 2:06:48 AM UTC-7, Moto Hot Sauce wrote:
I moved CA to Spain and the soaring is fantastic in the Pyrenees. I have also flown in Argentina which is also top notch. Depends where you want to live. Here in Spain you have many choices to fly in Europe if you like road trips.
On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 10:17:53 PM UTC+1, Jeff Bures wrote:
Hi all,

First post here (at least in 20 years).

I'm a US citizen with private power and sailplane ratings. I'm contemplating retirement in a few years. One possible plan is to spend several years of it as an expat somewhere the cost of living is less than the USA. Parts of Europe, Asia, Central or South America are options.

These years should include lots of recreational (not competition) soaring. I'm curious about different locations with good soaring. I don't want to be the strange American with the weird airplane, but rather live where soaring is known and I could make some friends. Would people make some suggestions please?

I'm also interested in knowing how difficult it is for a visiting pilot to buy, register, and fly a sailplane locally. Are the requirements different if I become a resident? I've read that my USA certificate is valid in many countries if I'm passing through, but as a resident I might need to take additional tests (possibly in the local language). Is this true?

Are there any Expat Pilots out there?

Thanks for any advice!
How does Chile compare to Argentina?

How does Chile compare to Argentina?
Because of the wind direction the wave system is on Argentinian side.

On Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 7:07:54 AM UTC-5, wrote:
How does Chile compare to Argentina?
Because of the wind direction the wave system is on Argentinian side.
Ah but the ridge lift is on the Chilean side! How hig do you want to fly?
JMF

john firth wrote on 3/17/2021 12:39 PM:
On Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 7:07:54 AM UTC-5, wrote:
How does Chile compare to Argentina?
Because of the wind direction the wave system is on Argentinian side.
Ah but the ridge lift is on the Chilean side! How hig do you want to fly?
JMF

How far are their ridge flights?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

South Africa - I miss my 8 m/s thermals, 14000' cloudbase, mountains 10000' high and 1000km flights to be had for the asking. Stupendous food and wine, people, flying, scenery, geography but paint it however you like you are always a man flying a $250 000 toy in a country where 90% of the population have an annual HOUSEHOLD disposable income of $2333 and a human life is worth considerably less. We left, our families left, our friends and colleagues have all left, some never made it out. I know people who have gone over to settle and think it's paradise. It isn't.

I have spent a lot of time in Germany, France and Spain. Southern Germany and Austria are simply stunning. The flying is tremendous. The Alps are a lifetimes work. Greece and the Balkans have massive potential, Greece has to get over it's post military past though and that's going to take time. If you can swing it I'd plan a 5 to 7 year rolling tour of Europe. Winters in mountains in the UK, France, Spain, Austria, Italy, Scandanavia. Summers just about anywhere, touring and mixing European culture and flying. What a retirement!