which is easier to fly a glider or a regular private airplane like a cessna 182?

Question

is learning how to fly a glider cheaper then learning how to fly a powered aircraft when you enter a flight training center, what are average costs for both?

Answer 1

It would be hard to say which is harder to learn to fly, it would depend on how observant and aware of your surroundings you are. A powered aircraft has many demands on your attention, but once learnt, the operation of any powered aircraft is simular. On the other hand once you have learnt the skills of finding and holding thermals, and the correct management of inertia, both stored and available it can become second nature and once airbourne, a good glider pilot can travel great distances on wind power alone.
As to cost, it all depends on which country and or state you are in. The US is cheaper, but has different standards to say Australia which is one of the most expensive and hardest places to get either licence.

Answer 2

As a power pilot flying Cessna 172's I think a glider is harder. It requires more skill and thought. When I have an engine out front I can always "go around" on landing, but in a glider you are committed.

I flew a glider once and the instructor laughed at me. When I made a turn my instinct was to pull the nose up, but in a glider you don't do that. He could tell I was a power pilot.

I didn't get my sailplane license yet, but I see it as much harder than getting my power license.

Answer 3

I've flown both, and the price is roughly the same to learn in. Powered is more useful, soaring is more fun.

I learned how to fly gliders at 14 and got a powered license at 21. But then again I am not the typical student, I spend 6 days a week on airports and had picked up on a lot of whats needed to learn early.

Answer 4

Flying a glider is definitely a lot more difficult than power flying. Glider flying requires good judgement and being committed to a landing surface. Glider circuits are usually a lot more difficult since you only have one chance to land the glider safely, it's either a landing on the runway or a landing off field in a glider...

Answer 5

I am not sure about learning to fly a glider, but I am sure it is not cheap. As far as learning to fly a Cessna 182, in order to get you license you need 40 hours of flight time as well as some ground instruction, so it usually varies between $4800.00 to $5800.00 to get your Private Pilots Certificate.

Good Luck its a lot of fun flying!!!!

Answer 6

all wrong
I'm a glider pilot & it is very easy to learn to fly,some say its eaiser than learning to drive a car.cheap,yes ive paid £180 a year membership,£7 per winch launch £23for an aerotow(2000ft)+20p per min work that out over an hour & you will find its a lot cheaper than power flying.you dont need to be brainy & you can go solo when you are 16.to fly a cessna for an hour your going to pay about £85-£110 per hour.gliding is a cheap way to get off the ground.give it a go you will enjoy it.....good luck

Answer 7

flying a glider is more difficult to learn then flying a cessna. although for a power aircraft, you need to learn more (radio communication, navigation). flying a glider is more of a skill. i don't know how much it costs to learn to fly a glider, but in order to join a soaring club, the cost can be very expensive. to fly a power aircraft (ie. cessna) it costs money to get checked out certain airports, as well as to rent the plane for a certain period of time. i believe it costs around $700 to learn power.

Answer 8

i wold stick with the cessena 180, because in a glider, you need to know a lot of math and it would have to be in a warm climate to fly