Spins are fun

[Swede]

Jedi, I've been out of gliders too long, so I cannot quote a price for you. All I know is that I started aviation in gliders (14 yrs old for solo) and like Lead_Sled stated, I think in retrospect it was one of the best ways to learn flying imaginable.

You are in a machine which is simple, yet requires a deft touch to make it perform. You learn about L/D, adverse yaw, correct use of rudder (sailplanes MUST use rudder wisely), energy management, etc. You'll gain excellent knowledge of low-level weather, thermals, mountain wave.

When you have your first ride when you enter the core of a thermal, crank up the bank, and watch the vario (VVI) magically rise above 0 and peg out at 1000 FPM+, you'll LOVE it!! It's magic.

One last benefit: Glider cross country will dramatically prepare you for engine-out work. I learned so much about landable fields, map reading, judging patters, glide path control, etc, it is with me to this day. When my kids want to learn to fly, I'm going to stuff them into a 2-33.

Jedi, you are already an experienced power guy; this post was addressed to the board in general. I recommend gliding strongly as just flat out fun beyond the benefits it delivers.

 

[Lead Sled]

Well said Swede! I'd recommend checking out the Soaring Society of America website at www.ssa.org for links to the various schools.

Lead Sled

 

[Jedi_Cheese]

Swede, some of us didn't have parents that liked us to go flying (and they still dislike me flying). I wasn't allowed to start flight training till I was 18 and had finished HS. I will eventually get around to doing my glider training, but ASEL/AMEL will most likely pay the bills so it gets worked on first.

Lead Sled, thanks for the link!

 

[DenverDude2002]

Can anyone tell me how good the Diamond DA-20 is for spin training? We just got one at my flight school and Ive heard they are suppose to be really good trainers for spins but my CFI thought I was full of ****.

 

[Lead Sled]

And does it count as a BFR for a ASEL/AMEL rating?

Oops, I forgot to answer your last question. Yes it does count, but it borders on violating one of aviation's tenents: What is legal isn't always safe; what is safe isn't always legal.

I hope you're not one of those guys who tries to skate by with doing the bear minimum when it comes to the flight review. If you've got a ME rating and using it then why, from a proficiency point of view, would you even consider doing a flight review (or ICC) in a single? or even worse, a glider. Recurrent training should be to the aircraft that you are actually operating. It's one thing if you happen to be flying say a C-172 and perhaps a Cherokee. If you happen to be flying a Seneca and a glider, then perhaps two flight reviews would be wise - one for the twin and the other in the glider. That would keep you covered skill wise. Unfortunately, there are those who would skip on their training and try to meet the letter of the law, but not the spirit of it. Case in point - by trying to get by with either a flight review in a glider or single.

Lead Sled

 

[Jedi_Cheese]

Going back to the cost, how much ground flight time will you usually need (and how many tows)? Is it like going from ASEL to AMEL and it's about 10 hours flight and a few hours ground? I know that alot of the ground will transfer over and the most of the flight procedures are the same, but on the flip side there are alot of sloppy flying skills to unlearn and then relearn.

DenverDude2002, supposedly they liked the DA-20 here. They used to have it booked for fairly solid with people doing aerobatics before they got the Citabria. I got several positive reviews from CFI's that liked flying it (in general, not the spin characteristics).

 

[FracCapt]

Can anyone tell me how good the Diamond DA-20 is for spin training? We just got one at my flight school and Ive heard they are suppose to be really good trainers for spins but my CFI thought I was full of ****.

I think there are a couple of models of DA-20's....the Katana and the Eclipse. If it's a Katana, don't spin it without parachutes and plenty of altitude. One of those POS things almost killed me when it flattened out in a spin about 10 years ago. I've heard the Eclipse is ok for spins...but I wouldn't fly in one if I had the opportunity.