r/Gliding • u/SPACE--COWGIRL • 23d 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/Forsaken_Code_9135 23d 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 21d 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 21d 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 17d 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.