It is so nice to see you all arguing the merits of operation of your own sailplane however spare a thought for those of us who cannot afford to even join the hopeless GFA I personally refuse to consider rejoining (when I am financial) until the GFA puts AG back as it always was they need to start listening to members on this subject but I am not holding my breath!
As to abinitio training in my opinion it is fine to do it in a glider-the idea of a jabiru seems ridiculous to me I started gliding to fly MOTORLESS aircraft not to get some sort of pseudo PPL if that s what you want do a PPL course.after all how many ordinary people can afford a motor glider? In my opinion gliding is a dying sport due to the narrow-minded and old fashioned methods used in both training and general operations.It has now reached a point where only a rich elite can afford to fly why not address this sort of issue than arguing amongst yourselves about what is best for the individual operator,come on guys!!!!!Remember Nero fiddled whilst Rome burnt. Finally I do not think a PPL pilot is as well qualified and tested as a glider pilot.Example:How many PPL pilots have ever done a full spin,or a real outlaanding in a strange field.Don't bring our standards down to the PPL level bring PPL up this will require ppl owners to remove head from you know where! David Lawley ----- Original Message ----- From: Craig Tuit <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2001 10:57 PM Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] Gliding Joke > Mike, > Why do the training in a Jabiru, when a H-36 Dimona would be far more > practical. > We only have 2 more for sale as is where is, and 1 for sale nearly compete > (just needs Fuel Tank and Prop [these will be fitted shortly]) > Craig Tuit > GLIDAIR SERVICES > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mike Borgelt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: 19 December 2001 19:10 > Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] Gliding Joke > > > > At 02:29 PM 18/12/01 +1100, you wrote: > > >>From: "Derek Ruddock" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> > > >>What you are overlooking Mike, is that the club scene provides the > facility > > >>to fly to those of us who neither have the finances, nor the time nor > the > > >>inclination to spend a very substantial amount of money on a pastime. > For > > >>those fortunate individuals who are able to buy their own aircraft, the > > >>above scenario would probably fit the bill perfectly, but for the rest > of > > >>us, I'm afraid it's the club, or nothing. > > > > > >More than that, Derek, Mike wouldn't even be able to start with his > > >"...drive to their local airport.." without the GFA and its clubs. I > can't > > >think of anywhere in the Sydney basin that would be available for soaring > > >without SX and its fellow clubs and predecessors who have kept Camden > open > > >to soaring against very strong pressures at times. A '...few people who > own > > >gliders...' wouldn't have stood a chance. > > > > On the contrary, a few people with recognised PPL's doing ONE launch a day > > each shouldn't have too much trouble operating just about anywhere. I can > > well understand power operations having a problem with people who don't > > even have licenses or passed the written exams that PPL's do being worried > > about a gliding operation. > > > > > >Richmond is very controlled and the RAAF, of course, won't deal with > > >individuals. The alternative at Mangrove Mountain is entirely a > > >co-operative effort with countless 'personhours' of picking stones, > rolling, > > >weeding and planting before the first glider left the ground. As a field > > >where the Council has banned power operations, it still needs the work of > > >about 6 people to get 1 glider airborne. > > > > I guess masochism has its own rewards. > > > > > >If Mike seriously wants gliding to have a future, he could start by > giving > > >some thought to the fact that there is no such thing as a Saturday > morning > > >drive to a local airport (at which gliding is permitted) for 80% of the > > >population of Australia. > > > > > > Well for me the local airport is 10 minutes across town. There's a > > perfectly good airport 45 minutes drive from Adelaide and a few > > alternatives, Caboolture is about the same from Brisbane, Boonah not much > > further, Bacchus Marsh isn't that far from Melbourne and there are other > > alternative locations. There used to be a gliding operation near Perth > and > > there's no reason why a few private pilots should not do that again. I > > think that's more than the 20% you allude to. Don't forget also there's > > more to Aus than Sydney and Melbourne and if you really want to fly > gliders > > you should consider relocating. Queensland is pretty good. > > > > If I was in charge of a local airport I wouldn't permit the average > gliding > > club to operate either. A private owner operation with people holding real > > licenses using aero tow or self launch where a few people went cross > > country and were prepared to fit in by actually getting off active runways > > promptly would be a different thing. Don't forget that most gliders are > > coming out of the factory with some kind of motor fitted. > > Ab initio training could be handled by doing 30 or 40 hours in a Jabiru, > > Skyfox or such followed by an aerotow glider conversion at one of the > above > > locations. Fly with an instructor who is/was a glider pilot and he could > > tailor your training towards gliding. The AUF is full of people who used > to > > fly gliders. You'd get a UL or GA license while you were at it, basically > > for free. Those already with GA or UL licenses need only do the > conversion. > > It seems to take a couple of days in the US. > > Only problem is no free flying for gliding "instructors", no vast GFA > > structure, fewer rules, more freedom, no make work administrative jobs so > > that the GFA hierarchy can put each other up for OA's. > > > > > > Mike Borgelt > > > > Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments > > ABN 75532924542 > > Box 7474 Toowoomba M.C. > > Queensland 4352 > > Australia > > > > Tel 0746 355 784 > > mob 0428 355 784 > > 0429 355 784 > > fax 0746 358 796 > > > > International > > phone: int'l+ 61 7 46 355 784 > > Cellphone:int'l +61 4 28 355 784 > > int'l +61 4 29 355 784 > > fax : int'l+ 61 7 46 358 796 > > > > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > website:www.ozemail.com.au/~mborgelt > > > > -- > > * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. > > * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message > > * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information. > > > > > -- > * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. > * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message > * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information. > > -- * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information.
