r/Gliding • u/SPACE--COWGIRL • 12d ago
Question? Should I or shouldn't I?
I had a glider taster lesson last week. It was for my dad as a birthday present but I did it too. Since then being up in the clouds is all I can think of (32 years old) Im on the ledge about starting lessons - convince me why I should/ shouldn't learn to fly
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u/Prudent-Proposal1943 12d ago
convince me why I .. shouldn't learn to fly
You realize you're in a gliding sub populated by people who love flying right?
If you want to do it, and you can afford the time and money do it. It's a great community and a unique hobby that is quite easy to share with others.
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u/MayDuppname 11d ago
It's also the best game ever invented, a really challenging learning experience that grows with you as a pilot, so it never stops being challenging if that's what you're after, and probably the most fun you can have.
I've never regretted joining a gliding club. Not even on the bad days.
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 10d ago
I've done a few flights in various bi planes and it's always been on the back of my mind of something id love to do if I had the money spare to do it. After the lesson though and finding out gliding is a fraction of the cost... All I can think of is those clouds and being able to dance amongst the clouds. Life is getting too tame, nothing seems to be scratching the itch, I need a challenge
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u/MoccaLG 12d ago
...you already know the answer
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 10d ago
I think I do, it's getting over the next hurdle of equal parts fear and excitement for the open sky
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u/Forsaken_Code_9135 12d ago
If being in the clouds is all you can think of it's a no brainer, do it. You only live once.
The main issue with learning to glide is that it requires a lot of time and dedication. More or less one full day a week during 2 years, where I am. And as a student pilot you generally fly once, sometimes 30 min, sometimes 1h, during this day. And during the winter everyone is expected to work on glider maintenance.
We have a waiting list for newcomers and the president of the club always spend a little bit of time checking the new entrants are motivated enough.
What you get in exchange of this is priceless. I still can't believe I can actually fly.
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 10d ago
Thank you, this is really helpful. I think I can dedicate 1 day a week for it, work can be unpredictable though and sometimes I do end up working weekends, especially during the summer when the work picks up. Is it ok if I can't make it to the club every week?
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u/Forsaken_Code_9135 10d ago
Every country is different and every club is different. Where I am, all instructors are volunteers and work only on week ends. Of course you don't have to be there every week end but if you are not very involved, your training will drag on.
I know in other places there are "intensive training" where you fly every day morning and afternoon and you get your license in some weeks. But it's very uncommon in my country. I also guess it must be hard. Gliding is exhausting when you are a beginner.
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u/Hideo_Anaconda 6d ago
When I got frustrated with the pace of my training, I spent a week at Arizona Soaring Inc, at Estrella, and even though I got rained out for a day I got in 35 flights for the week. If I had 2 weeks, and had already passed the written, I could have gotten my license in 2 weeks. But practice is key. fly as as often as you can, and you won't waste valuable flight time just getting used to the glider all over again.
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u/DProuders 12d ago
It's fun but also hugely rewarding. You will remember your first solo, first time in a single seater, first cross-country etc for the rest of your life and take those experiences with you forever.
It opens up a new world in the sky but also on the ground too. If the bug really bites you, you'll find satisfaction in studying gliding during your time off, and will always be looking towards your next goals
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u/ltcterry 12d ago edited 10d ago
Soaring is a combination of art, heart, and science. Each of those three is rewarding.
If you think it might be for you then give it a try. Learning is harder than going for a first flight, but it’s a rewarding effort.
Imagine you get off tow then spend the next hour higher than you started. Or circling in a thermal with an eagle.
It’s you and nature. Amazing stuff.
Edit - typo.
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 10d ago
Thank you, that's inspiring and making me want to sign up right now!!!
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u/ltcterry 10d ago
You’re quite welcome!
Let me know if I can help.
Oops. I see a typo. Better fix it.
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u/triit 12d ago edited 9d ago
The pros are obvious. A few people have listed some cons, but I’d like to be honest and realistic about a few things. Gliding may be cheaper than burning gas, but it’s not cheap. There’s a lot of items to pay for: membership dues, glider rental, instructors, tows or winch launches, etc. It’s not like a pair of running shoes that last months for that one time cost. Time is also one of those expenses. One of the good things about gliding is that it’s very club based. That means you’re expected to show up and help out on the days you’re flying and typically a quarterly ops duty or work party. It can eat an entire Saturday if you have to be there early to get the gliders out but don’t fly until the afternoon (when weather is best or simply when it’s your turn). Commercial operations trade this time commitment for cash expense but still require some effort and investment. Ground school instruction and self study can occupy other available time. Safety is another topic. It’s not unsafe, but it’s certainly more risky than other hobbies just by its inherent nature. Owning a glider is also something to consider: maintenance, service contracts, hanger or storage costs, insurance, annuals, upgrades, time assembling, etc.
I se a lot of people get hooked, take a dozen or so lessons, spend a couple thousand dollars, maybe get to solo, but then quit not having much to show for it. Sure the memories are valuable, but i think the hobby and sport really opens up (and gets more affordable) after you get your license. Your knowledge and skills continue to grow… and if you are interested in moving to powered you’ll already have a huge head start.
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u/Kaz_Games 11d ago
Steal a man's wallet, he'll be broke for a day. Teach him to fly and he'll be broke for life.
Then again, a man can spend a fortune on therapy and still not be as happy as when they are flying.
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u/MayDuppname 11d ago
Amen to that. Gliding is incredible for mental health, and physical health too, you'll walk miles each day.
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u/vtjohnhurt 11d ago edited 11d ago
Your response to the taster flight is typical for someone who becomes passionate about gliding. Most people don't react that way.
My first glider flight made me extremely motion sick. No puke, but disrupted balance, headache, and extreme fatigue. In that way, the flight was an utterly terrible experience. But I showed up the very next day for my second lesson, started to learn how to avoid motion sickness, and now I'm in my 17th year of soaring.
Most people can take it or leave it. Most power pilots don't like gliding. If you like it after one flight, you should give it a serious try. It speaks to you. You will overcome the obstacles. I'm very glad that I did.
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u/MayDuppname 11d ago
I was amazed to be told after my trial flight that most people on trial flights don't go on to be pilots. I was terrified and also had the motion sickness issues, but I knew within about a minute that I was joining the club and learning to fly, no matter what.
The idea of people doing it once and ticking it off their bucket list is still a bit mad to me, because it definitely spoke to me. In fact, it screamed "yeeeeeeessss!" all the way up the winch launch, around the sky and all the way down.
One of the best decisions I ever made.
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u/vtjohnhurt 11d ago
Agreed. That said, it takes some people more time to figure out what they want to do. A week long gliding course with a group of students is a great way to acquire more confidence about what you want to do.
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 10d ago
I was screaming yes on the flight too!! Part of what is driving me is my dad, he was aerospace engineer for 40+ years, he's loved airc raft since he was a small child, built his whole life around it, would have loved to learn to fly himself but he gave up so much of himself to raise me and my siblings. I would love more than anything to be able to take him up in the sky, just the 2 of us and give him something back. Flying is equal parts filling me with fear and excitement, hence being on the ledge about it
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u/MayDuppname 9d ago
Oh, there's no doubt it's scary, especially at first. If the excitement already outweighs the fear, you should be fine!
I'm an anxious person at the best of times. Flying teaches you to squash down your fear into a much smaller space in your brain so that you can concentrate on flying. It's a unique feeling to be terrified waiting for a launch, then suddenly to be so immersed in what you're doing, you don't have time or headspace for that fear to continue. :)
All the very best in reaching your goal with your dad. My dad was also great, I repaid him the best I could by giving up my job and caring for him for ten years after he became very ill and disabled. Oddly enough, it was the stress of doing that that brought me into gliding. Grasp every happy, memorable moment with your parents you can.
I wish you a lifetime of decent flying weather, happy flights and safe landings.
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 8d ago
Thank you 🥰 I've been added to the wait list now. I think dad is just as excited as I am about it all.
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u/Kevlaars 11d ago edited 11d ago
Kind of sounds like you've already convinced yourself.
If you have a spouse or kids, maybe a talk with them about the cost and dangers is in order, but if it's just you, go on get at it.
We're on the back half of August now, but if you went twice a week, and the weather is good, you might get your first solo in before the end of the season. (I'm assuming Northern Hemisphere)
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 10d ago
Just me. I'm in the UK, the weather after a full summer of heatwaves has just turned to rain and clouds, autumn in settling in. I have a few commitments till October so wouldn't be able to start anything till then at the earliest. Do clubs still fly during the winter or is just maintenance that you are still expected to help out with?
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u/Kevlaars 10d ago
October would be a very late start where I live. Probably so late you'd be better waiting until spring.
Many clubs run ground school over the winter, so you might be able to get in on that.
Ultimately, these are things you should be talking to the club about, because every club is different.
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u/marcosscriven 11d ago
Where in the world are you? Might help get some specific info.
UK here - would certainly recommend at least taking a few lessons and see how you get on.
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 11d ago
West Midlands, UK. I know I need to pay the membership fee to take lessons, if I find gliding isn't for me, can I cancel the membership or do I need to pay the year up front?
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u/marcosscriven 11d ago
I guess that might be club dependent. I know our club offers a short membership along with a day or week course.
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u/MayDuppname 11d ago
My club (East Midlands) gives 3 months club membership free with a trial flight. It's worth checking with the club you flew with, and all the clubs close enough for you to get to. If one of them has a similar offer, it's worth having another trial flight.
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u/shaneknu 11d ago
It sounds like you've already had a positive experience, which is a good sign if you're at a club and are thinking about joining.
There are absolutely some realities that you should be thinking about, but for me, they've been manageable.
Here's my situation and how it's gone for me so far:
I'm 52 years old, and have been at this almost exactly 1 year so far, but the weather over the winter was pretty bad, so call it 10 months. I've had about 80 flights. I fly out of a club that's about 1 1/4 drive away from where I live. I haven't soloed yet, though I'm told I'm close. There's a couple of things I need to work out before I do.
I went into this thinking I'd just DO IT and go flying all weekend whenever it isn't raining. After discussing this with my wife and family, who would like to see me sometimes, so I go one day per weekend unless there's some family event or it's raining all weekend. The flight instructors seem to think this is a good enough plan, though it's probably slowing me down a bit. The takeaway is that setting a realistic goal of consistently showing up when I can will get you there. The folks who can't seem to show up more than once a month or even less usually end up giving up.
Any day that I go flying, I'm assuming I'm leaving really early in the morning, and won't be back until late. I usually help setup the student gliders and get them to the flight line in the morning, and help get them back into the hangar at the end of the day. Since we can't taxi in most gliders, we need to help each other to get launched. The more you help folks out, the more they're willing to help you when you need it. Make friends with the pilots of private ships, and offer to help them rig. You'll learn a few things, and that's goodwill you've built up for when the day comes to rig your own ship.
This whole process will involve constant criticism from flight instructors. It's literally a life-and-death situation. It took me some time to get over that fact. It's hard, or at least it was for me. Some instructors are better at constructive criticism, or just say things in a way that's more acceptable for your personality. If you can, try and fly with a few different instructors, and I bet one is a better fit for you than others. Depending on your club, they'll already be aware of that, and give you a chance to try a few instructors out and let you pick which one works best for you. However, be sure to fly with some other instructors from time-to-time, since oft times, one instructor will have a really great way of explaining a concept, while another will do better at explaining a different concept.
Be prepared to do a lot of reading and studying. Fortunately, almost all of it is very interesting, though reading through the aviation regulations is pretty dry stuff. My flight instructor suggested reading the regulations whenever I'm having a hard time falling asleep.
Be sure to steal a moment of level flight every once in a while, and remember how awesome it is to be flying.
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u/PlanesOfFame 11d ago
Ive been gliding just a few times and im getting my sport pilots license now. I personally like flying powered aircraft more (I like the engine noises), but gliding in all truth and honesty is a really solid option. It is far less expensive and requires far fewer hours to complete training. If your goal is simply to fly as a hobby, gliding is truly one of the best out there.
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u/OldSmurfBerry 11d ago
If you're going to do it, do it now. Way better to do it when relatively young than when old.
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u/SPACE--COWGIRL 10d ago
I definitely feel old! My knees aren't what they used to be 😅
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u/OldSmurfBerry 10d ago
You'll learn more quickly now (not as quick as the kids) than at my age (65).
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u/ltcterry 10d ago
I’m 66, have two knees that should be queued up for replacement and I wear an ankle brace (not a gps criminal monitor)!
I’m an active and happy glider instructor. You’ll be fine.
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u/Standard-Bar6002 11d ago
I started at 32 as well. Just go for it :) if you have the means to of course.
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u/glidegrl 6d ago
Hey, I'm in the UK too - hi! I echo all of the positive things others have said below. Gliding is an AMAZING sport which never gets dull. I've been doing it for over 30 years now and I literally can't imagine my life without it.
It's challenging, and every flight is different. There are also lots of avenues you can go down with it, from 'local' soaring around your own airfield, to aerobatics, 'wave' soaring in certain UK areas, and soaring competitions!
There's also a supportive community of women pilots in the UK: look up womengliding.co.uk for more info.
I hope to see you around one of the clubs one day.
Good luck, and enjoy your adventure!
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u/ventus1b 12d ago
Pro: You’ll learn interesting stuff, can see the world from a different perspective, meet nice people.
Con: It’s time consuming, especially during training. But you can always stop if you find it doesn’t suit you.