What powered skills translate best to glider?

I'm just learning to fly and decided to start with gliders (aerotow launch). However, as I joined a club its slow to build time and get experience. I was wondering if I could accelerate that with powered flight...

1) What powered flight skills could I concentrate on that would best accelerate the learning curve in the glider?

2) Would it be a better option to drive farther to get motoglider experience, or would the more nearby powered craft be just as good?

TIA,
Joel

On Monday, September 14, 2015 at 5:33:17 PM UTC+3, Joel wrote:
I'm just learning to fly and decided to start with gliders (aerotow launch). However, as I joined a club its slow to build time and get experience. I was wondering if I could accelerate that with powered flight...

1) What powered flight skills could I concentrate on that would best accelerate the learning curve in the glider?

Touch and goes, aka "circuits".

Circuit planning and the touchdown itself are probably what holds most people up in getting to solo. The flare and holdoff and touchdown are only five seconds or so, and you can only do it once per flight.

But do it at a quiet airfield where you can do an approach every three minutes, not every 10 - 15 minutes. And vary the approaches, don't just do "perfect" ones every time. (Power instructors may be reluctant to do that .. they tend to like to go by the numbers)


2) Would it be a better option to drive farther to get motoglider experience, or would the more nearby powered craft be just as good?

Motorglider would be better, but small Cessna/Piper approach speeds of approx 60 knots are close enough to glider speeds (at least glass gliders). The difference in checklists is annoying. The biggest difference is probably how high your eyes are at touchdown. But it's not too hard to switch.

Either way, if you go and do an hour of circuits at a quiet place then you'll probably have the landing nailed.

On Monday, September 14, 2015 at 10:33:17 AM UTC-4, Joel wrote:
I'm just learning to fly and decided to start with gliders (aerotow launch). However, as I joined a club its slow to build time and get experience. I was wondering if I could accelerate that with powered flight...

1) What powered flight skills could I concentrate on that would best accelerate the learning curve in the glider?

2) Would it be a better option to drive farther to get motoglider experience, or would the more nearby powered craft be just as good?

TIA,
Joel

As mentioned, pattern work helps, I would try to find a place with a taildragger. Something like a J-3 cub, Citabria or similar that is light on the controls, has a side throttle (similar to a dive brake handle, throttle controls sink-rate, pitch controls speed), the tailwheel makes you use your feet, stick (not yoke) and a light wing loading keeps the speeds down.

A major difference between power vs. sailplane is wingspan vs. fuselage length.
Power is "close to square" thus limited adverse yaw.
Sailplanes tend to have spans close to twice fuselage length, thus more pronounced adverse yaw.

On Monday, September 14, 2015 at 6:39:06 PM UTC+3, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
On Monday, September 14, 2015 at 10:33:17 AM UTC-4, Joel wrote:
I'm just learning to fly and decided to start with gliders (aerotow launch). However, as I joined a club its slow to build time and get experience.. I was wondering if I could accelerate that with powered flight...

1) What powered flight skills could I concentrate on that would best accelerate the learning curve in the glider?

2) Would it be a better option to drive farther to get motoglider experience, or would the more nearby powered craft be just as good?

TIA,
Joel

As mentioned, pattern work helps, I would try to find a place with a taildragger. Something like a J-3 cub, Citabria or similar that is light on the controls, has a side throttle (similar to a dive brake handle, throttle controls sink-rate, pitch controls speed), the tailwheel makes you use your feet, stick (not yoke) and a light wing loading keeps the speeds down.

A major difference between power vs. sailplane is wingspan vs. fuselage length.
Power is "close to square" thus limited adverse yaw.
Sailplanes tend to have spans close to twice fuselage length, thus more pronounced adverse yaw.

Tiger Moth has very glider-like adverse yaw. But there are't a lot of them around now.

I don't think that's a big deal though, and neither are stick vs yoke or throttle position. Sure, that's all good if you can find a suitable plane, but there are a LOT more Cessnas around. The big thing, I think, is getting used to TLAR and dealing with when it doesn't look right, and how the ground looks when it's time to flare -- and practice with the actual hold-off.

Aerotows give you pretty good practice with extended flying near to the ground, and it's also good to do a lot of "hangar landings" at some point, with very little to no airbrake so you have even 20 or 30 seconds of practice in the hold-off.

On Monday, September 14, 2015 at 10:33:17 AM UTC-4, Joel wrote:
I'm just learning to fly and decided to start with gliders (aerotow launch). However, as I joined a club its slow to build time and get experience. I was wondering if I could accelerate that with powered flight...

1) What powered flight skills could I concentrate on that would best accelerate the learning curve in the glider?

2) Would it be a better option to drive farther to get motoglider experience, or would the more nearby powered craft be just as good?

TIA,
Joel

Buy CONDOR simulator program, USB stick and rudder pedals, and use the flight training part, in conjunction with your real-world training.

On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 1:17:45 AM UTC+3, Dan Daly wrote:
On Monday, September 14, 2015 at 10:33:17 AM UTC-4, Joel wrote:
I'm just learning to fly and decided to start with gliders (aerotow launch). However, as I joined a club its slow to build time and get experience.. I was wondering if I could accelerate that with powered flight...

1) What powered flight skills could I concentrate on that would best accelerate the learning curve in the glider?

2) Would it be a better option to drive farther to get motoglider experience, or would the more nearby powered craft be just as good?

TIA,
Joel

Buy CONDOR simulator program, USB stick and rudder pedals, and use the flight training part, in conjunction with your real-world training.

And race people online -- it's very cool.

We have pedals with Condor at the club, where we have an old Cirrus cockpit hooked up to Condor and a very large TV (80" maybe?). The Cirrus' stick, pedals, airbrakes, trim, and undercarriage are all connected to Condor. Works nicely, and any trial flight people who look serious get a sim session before their flight.

At home I just use a USB gaming stick with twist for rudder and it's fine.

On Monday, September 14, 2015 at 7:33:17 AM UTC-7, Joel wrote:
I'm just learning to fly and decided to start with gliders (aerotow launch). However, as I joined a club its slow to build time and get experience. I was wondering if I could accelerate that with powered flight...

1) What powered flight skills could I concentrate on that would best accelerate the learning curve in the glider?

2) Would it be a better option to drive farther to get motoglider experience, or would the more nearby powered craft be just as good?

TIA,
Joel

I think it is an excellent idea to get some power training before getting glider training. You can get a lot more concepts presented and maneuvers executed in an hour of training in power than you can in a glider.

Besides patterns and landing practice, you can do slow flight, stall recognition and recovery, and steep banked turns. Most important, I don't think any of the instruction would be counter productive.

Of course a motorglider would be better, but you can get a lot of instruction during the time you would be driving to and from the MG location.

Good luck with your training!

Tom

If you train in power, I suggest doing so in a taildragger, it'll teach your feet how to fly as well as the rest of you. Nosewheel aircraft tend to make for feet lazy in rudder skills, ground operations and landing in crosswinds. Not saying nosewheel won't do the job, but taildraggers are best - and unfortunately much harder to find instruction in.

Soaring is more about energy management than is power flying. The best thing you can do in a power plane, to relate directly to soaring, is haveing your engine quit. A normally less than enjoyable experience which is typically less traumatic if you have a glider rating.

On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 2:43:20 AM UTC+3, 2G wrote:
I think it is an excellent idea to get some power training before getting glider training. You can get a lot more concepts presented and maneuvers executed in an hour of training in power than you can in a glider.

That's not the case if you are flying gliders in a location with reliable lift -- especially ridge lift. We are often fortunate to be able to do unlimited amounts of turns, stalls, even spins. Those are probably days when the student can't do the tow or landing, but that's why they mix them up!

I had a student that flew the glider in Microsoft flight simulator. He picked up aero tow very quickly. But then most kids good with video games will have good eye hand coordination.

Hardest parts are aero tow and landings.
BillT