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Expat Retirement with soaring?



 
 
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  #21  
Old February 1st 21, 01:28 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Aldo Cernezzi
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Default Expat Retirement with soaring?

I'd suggest Eastern Europe, such as Slovakia, Czech Republic. Soaring is extremely well known and very good conditions from the spring till late September. Cost are at the lowest in the EU. And still just a few hours driving time from there to Vienna or Germany. Romania for even lower costs. These countries' economies are growing fast and taxes are low (in EU terms). There may be programmes encouraging foreign residents to move. Things like fixed-cost taxes for a few years, etc.

In Western Europe, you may need to shop for the cheaper operations if you consider Germany (not really very expensive prices for a typical family), or France in the Alps, Spain, and Austria as well.
Namibia is only good for a few weeks at very expensive soaring lodges. South Africa would be very interesting, except you need to fly airlines to reach other "civilized" countries.
I'd be happy to see you coming to Italy. Central Italy around Rieti, L'Aquila, Pavullo, Arezzo offers great conditions and much cheaper living costs than Northern Italy.

Talking flyable days or hrs per year, it's hard to beat the French Alps.
You might use any of the former countries as base, then drive around with your sailplane and trailer to the best soaring places, all within 500-2000 kms.

Sure you can't fly a US registered sailplane in EU for long periods. You may probably get a temporary license.
You'd have to buy a share or a sailplane, registered in EU (any country will do) and convert your licence after a few flights and a written exam (after studying EASA rules). In some countries, you may find inspectors willing to allow you to give the exam in English.
I guess a long stay shall require you to register as a long-term resident.

ciao,
Aldo Cernezzi
www.voloavela.it



Il giorno mercoledì 27 gennaio 2021 alle 22:17:53 UTC+1 Jeff Bures ha scritto:

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?

  #22  
Old February 1st 21, 06:43 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Mike the Strike
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Default Expat Retirement with soaring?

On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 2:17:53 PM UTC-7, 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!

I started my glider flying career in the UK, then took it up seriously in South Africa. I emigrated to the USA in 1985 and have spent most of my flying career in the southwest USA. Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada have some of the best cross-country soaring conditions in the world and quite long soaring seasons.

Much as I enjoyed living in South Africa with its really great soaring and however much I love the country, I couldn't recommend it right now. Social unrest is becoming more of a problem and you might find that challenging. Namibia is safer than South Africa and has world-class soaring for a few months in the southern summer. If you go there, I recommend learning a bit of German and develop a taste for drinking beer by the liter! New Zealand is a great country - very friendly and the flying can be really good - especially if you're into wave flying. It's just a long way from everywhere and not the cheapest place in the world to live or fly!

Europe I can speak about with more authority, as my wife and I recently bought a cottage in England and I joined a local gliding club there. The license was no problem, - the US license is accepted almost anywhere. More of a problem is a medical. New civil aviation requirements in the UK and Europe will require some sort of medical documentation. I also found that owning a glider and getting insurance in the UK required a residential address, which means you'd likely have to arrange a long-term rental or other fixed abode. In the UK, once you get a long-term rental, you'll get hit with local property taxes and have to buy a TV license - things Americans take for granted! In most of Europe, including the UK, food is cheap and gasoline expensive. We found it a lot cheaper to buy a car rather than rent.

Continental Europe is quite open to pilots from other countries and glider rentals and reciprocal licensing are usually quite easily arranged. From colleagues, I have heard good things about flying in the more eastern countries - both from flying conditions to the cost of living. The UK and Germany have the most glider pilots per capita, but others are not too far behind..

In all countries, a local telephone is also a must - we use an iPhone with dual SIMS and have both US and UK numbers.

So, it's not trivial to overcome the bureaucratic problems associated with setting up residence in another country. I think you should decide where you really would like to go and then research it in detail by making as many local contacts as possible. I wouldn't discount another part of the USA, though. (Except Florida - full of toxic plants and critters that bite!)

Good luck!

Mike
  #23  
Old February 2nd 21, 02:04 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Default Expat Retirement with soaring?

Poland, Spain or the Czech Republic top my list.
  #24  
Old February 4th 21, 01:45 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Jeff Bures
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Posts: 15
Default Expat Retirement with soaring?


Thanks everyone for all the great ideas. Part of the reason to go abroad is to enable early retirement. Some of the above suggestions are great, others probably wouldn't help the early retirement.

I've thought about the idea of spending winters in the Caribbean (Scuba Diving), and the summers in an RV towing a glider around the USA. I think this might be a great plan for the first 5-8 years of retirement, but the older one gets the harder it is to be a snowbird.

Keep the ideas coming!
  #25  
Old February 4th 21, 01:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Phoenix
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Default Expat Retirement with soaring?

On Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 7:45:18 PM UTC-5, Jeff Bures wrote:
Thanks everyone for all the great ideas. Part of the reason to go abroad is to enable early retirement. Some of the above suggestions are great, others probably wouldn't help the early retirement.

I've thought about the idea of spending winters in the Caribbean (Scuba Diving), and the summers in an RV towing a glider around the USA. I think this might be a great plan for the first 5-8 years of retirement, but the older one gets the harder it is to be a snowbird.

Keep the ideas coming!


Get a sailboat. Live on it full time - part in the Carib and part in Fl. where you can fly
  #26  
Old February 4th 21, 03:34 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Mark Mocho
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Posts: 108
Default Expat Retirement with soaring?


Get a sailboat. Live on it full time - part in the Carib and part in Fl. where you can fly


"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."

Samuel Johnson
  #27  
Old February 4th 21, 04:11 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Roy B.
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Default Expat Retirement with soaring?


"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
Samuel Johnson


Definition of boat: "A hole in the water into which you pour money" . . .
And then there is the one about the 2 happiest days in a boat owner's life. The day he buys it and . . .
ROY
  #28  
Old February 20th 21, 03:02 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
ProfJ
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Posts: 48
Default Expat Retirement with soaring?

On Wednesday, 27 January 2021 at 14:17:53 UTC-7, 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!

Take a look at Cape Town, South Africa. The gliding at FAWC / Worcester (Cape Gliding Club) is world class - it draws a lot of Northern Hemisphere competitive gliders for the southern summer, and you are a (very long) day's drive from Bitterwasser.
  #29  
Old March 7th 21, 10:02 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Moto Hot Sauce
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Posts: 2
Default Expat Retirement with soaring?

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!

  #30  
Old March 7th 21, 10:06 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Moto Hot Sauce
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Posts: 2
Default Expat Retirement with soaring?

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!

 




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