So I know at some point in the future I'd like to do some kind of piloting.  I will probably go for PPL, and while I probably have the time to do it now, I'm not motivated enough and I don't want to spend the money or the time to get the license if I'm not going to fly much (which I won't).  I only see myself flying in the area every now and then, not really travelling that far, and even then only doing it on nice days.

I've always been intrigued by soaring and I think it would be excellent for me.  Much less expensive to learn and do, and it's easy enough to go get in a glider and tool around for a little bit on a nice day.

But there's a problem: I weigh 240 pounds, on a good day.  When you factor in clothes and shoes and whatever, it's more like 250.  I need to lose weight, and am trying, but if I wanted to start gliding tomorrow, would I be able to?

The same question goes for sport flying.  If the flying club adds sport pilot training (they just got a Skycatcher a few months ago), I may go for that, but MTOW of a Sport plane is 1320 lbs, so if I take up 250 of that, would I be able to fly with an instructor?

Any input is appreciated

From my experience you shouldn't have a problem learning in a C172 when I looked in to it it said people over 196lb need to use a 172 and there wasn't really an upper limit. It was just more expensive for the bigger aircraft.
I 5 8' and 161 pounds so I can squeeze myself in to 150 if needs be.

expat wrote on Jan 17^th, 2012 at 6:01am:


I'm working on the weight. I don't know that my size would be much of a problem, I'm not that big considering how much I weigh, and I'm only 5' 8".. I was more worried about cg and mtow issues.

It depends on the glider... and no, you don't need a parachute.
With the Schweizer SGS 2-33 I fly, with me (at about 180 with my shoes on) in the back and you at 240 in the front, that would leave us about 30 lbs.below max gross weight, and within the balance envelope (albeit in the forward corner). That would be about my personal limit. But not the absolute limit-the glider will fly OK with even slightly more weight in both seats.� The bigger worry would be if the heavier pilot was in the rear seat... it's easier to fly it safely if it's a bit nose-heavy, but not the other way around.
Some 2-seaters are skinnier, but the 2-33 front office, although narrow, can accommodate pretty wide hips. Tall people do OK in that seat, also.
Not so the rear seat...� the front seat is like a canoe, the rear seat is like a holster.�
Some advice: as a thumbnail rule, if you take an intro flight in a 2-33, if the pilot is lighter than you, make sure they sit in the back. The back seat is no good for first-timers anyway- the view is not so good, and it's harder to get in and out; unfair if you are bigger.� If you were a little kid or other lightweight person, the front cockpit has a spot for a ballast to be mounted, to bring the CG forward a bit more, making the glider more manageable.
Having learned to fly our old 2-33, I sometimes wish I'd started in one. It is ponderous, at first, compared to the average light single-engine plane, but once you figure it out it is very satisfying to fly. I have seen 13-year olds tame that beast faster than I did... it's designed to teach you to fly without getting you in too much trouble.

Fortunately for you, these trainers are still plentiful; probably the most common trainer in the USA these days.

So go for it. I made a similar decision myself, after realizing it wasn't making sense to spend so much on my usual "proficiency runs"... especially when the economy croaked, I lost my job, etc... soaring satisfies for less money, and my core skills are not rusting, believe me.

You should also consider getting the PP-Glider; about half the cost and trouble as the PP-ASEL on average, even for "raw recruits". Should you decide to get the power rating later, you'll be able to use some of the flight and instruction time logged for your glider rating, but you will still have to deal with the written and oral exams. Power flying is just more complicated... but if you can fly a glider well, you will have an edge when it comes to the real basic (but supremely important) stuff: stick and rudder, looking outside, thinking ahead, etc. And earning the PP-G will leave you more confident prepping for the ASEL exams.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, regarding weight loss, that soaring is a sport. Seriously. Flying in thermals while looking and thinking is work, and when you're not doing that, you're hanging out in the sun, maybe doing ground chores. You don't see many- how shall I put it- lardasses flying gliders on a regular basis.    I definitely lose flab every season; you will, too. Get yourself down to 220, and at 5'8" you'll be perfect material to someday give rides and instruct from the rear "holster" of a 2-33. 

Just go training: go swimming, running, fitnessing.
my doctor doubted to pass me at my medical examination because i was too light, i'm 15 and I weigh 45kg ( 90 pounds). in my glider, I have to add 28 kg to get it right.

But truly, there is no more awesome sport than soaring� , go do it every weekend and go solo ASAP!�

greets

LOSE WEIGHT Really fast - like in minutes - Slim & Trim down in minutes , be a New You - How do you lose Weight in just minutes ??? Try standing in a room full of Poisinious Snakes,, you'll lose weight really, really fast ,, you'll be so Nervous !!!!

expat wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2012 at 5:42am:

I waited for beaky's response before adding my two penn'orth. I found an article which seems to confirm that gliding club rules in the US are indeed different from those in Europe. http://continuo.com/marske/COSA/parachute.htm
COSA is the Central Ohio Soaring Association.

beaky wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2012 at 9:33pm:

I appreciate what you're saying about difficulties exiting the rear seat but an incident at Duxford last year proved the value of wearing a parachute even when used at extremely low altitude. Before seeing this I would have thought it impossible. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2013219/Pilot-Rob-Davies-escapes-WW2-fig...

Rob Davies said afterwards that his chute opened at about 300 feet. I was told that he was one of the few warbird display pilots to wear a parachute & regularly practice using it. I suspect that situation will change now.

PS. The parachute he used is the same lightweight type as worn by aerobatic & glider pilots.

beaky wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2012 at 9:33pm:


In the states it's probably less of an issue as you have a lot of air to share. On our little old island, where airspace (particularly uncontrolled airspace) is precious and limited, you end with a lot of users in a very small space. Sadly, a fair proportion still believe that "see and avoid" will keep them alive...

...and off the top of my head I can think of at least 5 GA mid air collisions in the relatively recent past in the UK.