Hello folks,First post here.I love flying... on flight sim, but this year, I'd like to make it even more real. I was considering taking pilot lessons, but it's so expensive.I was considering taking glider lessons. It's less expensive, environment friendly. What do you think ? Is flying gliders is a whole different ball game?What are the pros and cons of both ? And in terms of safety, is flying a glider more safe or more dangerous?Thanks for your patience and time.Louie.

>Hello folks,>>First post here.>>I love flying... on flight sim, but this year, I'd like to>make it even more real. I was considering taking pilot>lessons, but it's so expensive.Depending where you are you can fly for fairly cheap, if you save up a sum of money around $5,000 then build keep adding money to the pot while you were flying it will last you through your whole PPL training.>I was considering taking glider lessons. It's less expensive,>environment friendly. Glider flying seems fun to do and there are lots of kids in the area I live now doing glider lessons because they can get cheap car tows and launch to the near by hills and sit on the updrafts there all day. Depending on how you get up though it isn't always environment friendly>What do you think ? Is flying gliders is a whole different>ball game?What are the pros and cons of both ? Pros it is cheaper and I feel you learn just how capable an aircraft is without an engine. Cons would be you don't have the flexibility to go anywhere and then return under your own power.>And in terms of safety, is flying a glider more safe or more>dangerous?They are both as dangerous as you make them. If you minimize the threats and leave yourself an out in every situation then you should be fine. Never back yourself into a wall while you are operating an airplane.>Thanks for your patience and time.>>Louie.

Louie,You might want to consider Sport Pilot. These days it's running close to the same cost as glider training (one local CFI here charges $80 an hour including his plane). Most Sport Pilot class aircraft are very environmentally friendly--the Allegro I fly cruises over 110 mph at 4.5 gallons an hour. If I throttle back I can get fuel burns of 3.5 gallons an hour. I just flew again for an hour on Sunday and had the Allegro in smooth air 7000 feet above the Arizona desert. I could have painted a picture, that's how smooth and beautiful the flight was. I was able to trim for hands off flight and other than a gentle touch of the stick literally did "fly on rails".Alternatively, you can also get a Sport Pilot glider rating, or get a Sport Pilot rating in a Trike. I've flown open air before and I have to tell you, it's a blast.Visit www.sportpilot.org for more info...-John

>Louie,>>You might want to consider Sport Pilot. Sport pilot eh ? I never considered that. I'm in Canada, so I'll have to check if Transport Canada has some information about this (like flying clubs or schools).Thanks for the info.Louie.

I didn't realize you were from Canada. I don't know if Canada has the equivalent of Sport Pilot. Here in the States it was just brought into being about two years ago.Regards,John