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New Member Levels of qualification:
- With FAA Pilot License and Glider Rating
- With FAA Power Plane License and no Glider Rating
- With no or limited flying experience
Training Schedules
An FAA-Certified Flight instructor for Gliders
(CFIG) is assigned for each Saturday and Sunday of the flying
season. Operations start at 8:00 am with aircraft prep and equipment
staging at the end of the runway. Training will begin as soon as the
sailplane and tow plane are ready and will continue to 12:00 pm
which is typically when soarable weather begins. Students
use the Club Message Line to inform the assigned instructor that
instruction is desired for the following day.
With FAA Pilot License and Glider Rating
With a current Bi-annual flight review: the
instructor will brief the pilot on local operations and conduct one
or more orientation flights. When the instructor is satisfied he will
endorse the membership card of the pilot.
Without a current Bi-annual flight review:
the instructor will conduct the flight training portion and schedule
the required ground portion. On completion he will make the log
book entry certifying the completion of the review and endorse the
membership card of the pilot.
With FAA Power Plane License without a Glider
Rating
Holders of a valid FAA Power plane license with 40
hours as pilot-in-command need a minimum of 10 solo flights to
qualify to take the glider flight test. No written exam is
required to add a glider rating to a power license. The flight
test will be conducted by an FAA Designated Flight Examiner.
With no or limited flying experience
Student Pilot: Student pilots may solo at a
minimum age of 14 with a student certificate endorsed for solo
flight at the discretion of a FAA-Certified Flight Instructor.
Generally, 30 to 40 flights with an instructor are required to solo.
This is roughly equivalent to 10 - 12 hours of flight time and is
dependant upon the progress of the student. Sometime between
the beginning of training and the first solo flight it will be
necessary to obtain student license from the FAA. This is a
simple matter of visiting an FAA office, presenting identification,
and completing some paperwork.
Private Pilot - Glider: after solo, student
pilots may qualify as Private Pilot - Glider provided they:
- Are at least 16 years of age; and
- Have logged at least 10 hours of flight time in a glider and
that flight time must include at least 20 total glider flights;
and
- Have 2 hours of solo flight time in a glider; and
- Have passed the flight exam with a FAA Examiner.
Suggested Reading Materials:
- Glider Flying Handbook (FAA-H-833-13) (required)
- The current FAR/AIM (required)
- Beginning Gliding by Derek Piggott (excellent but not "required")
- Gliding Safety by Derek Piggott (excellent but not "required")
- Transition to Gliders by Bob Wander (For transition pilots)
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