Ardydublu

Barry, There is a Taurus operated by a private syndicate at Stonefield in SA. It is a group of German enthusiasts who keep the aircraft in Australia and use it while here for regular flying holiday expiditions. I believe the Taurus can only be registered under GFA as experimental and therefore cannot be used for general Glider training, but can however be used for endorsement/conversion training. This goes back to its original European certification. As other folk have already advised, under GFA regulations you would need to be affiliated with a Gliding Club and have an independent operator endorsement and operate within GFA limitations. The Taurus can alternately be registered under RAAus, but RAAus charter does not cover gliding and several issues arise there in regard to training, conversion/endorsement and engine off (gliding) operations and limitations. Neither system is perfect and both present some problems. Go figure - life's a bitch. If you are serious about buying a Taurus, you would be wise to make yourself fully informed of the consequences of registration/operational facts from both organisations directly and not rely on heresay and casual commentary from forums like this. The Taurus pricing is available at the dealers website, you simply open the excel spreadsheet available and place a cross (x) against the options you desire and the price column updates automatically. Yes it is a very nice recreational self launching glider. Hope this is helpful.

First starting Gliding at Adelaide Soaring Club in mid 70's and had a 1/3 share in a 17m Glasflugel H401 Kestrel for a couple of years. Also had unrestricted PPL. Life's disasters (Broken marriage/finances) forced cessation of flying early 80's. Only resumed flying a few years ago to discover RAAus, but I still reckon that you can't go past gliding for pure recreational flying fun. Now flying motorglider (Grob 109) at Murray Bridge Gliding Club and had a 6 hour duration flight covering 313kms with a top of 12800ft only last Wednesday 7th Dec. 2011. Took a Lancair jockey friend of mine with me and he was blown away by the experience. Best fun ever with your pants on!!!

Another option Hi Cralis, I support and agree with all of the above comments, but have a little extra to offer. I started flying gliders back in the '70s. Developed to full on passion owning my own open class glider and having an assistant instructor rating. I did all the PPL theory purely out of my interest in aviation, no intention of flying 'stink wings'. Then 12 months later when my PPL theory was about to expire currency, I did the practical and received about 30 hours dispensation for all my gliding experience. Then through changed circumstances, time and money deserted me(at the same time) and I ceased all flying. 28 years later, the passion still burns and now I've resumed. Similar issues to yourself. Do I go GA @ $240-$300/hr? Do I get into this new(now 25 years old) RAA thing @ $120-$180/hr? Am I still interested in gliding - cheaper again? Reading through your comments above, I perceive some Gung-ho raw enthusiasm gradually being tempered by the realities of family life, supporting a family and a budget. Now I'm not wanting to quash your enthusiasm because anything is possible and you can make it happen. I have a 60+ year old friend who has just taken up a CPL flying position. There is a demand for professional aviators at many levels, but a lot of them are not real family friendly. Regardless of where you finish up, flying experience is accumulative with all your basic and early experiences adding to and improving your ultimate airmanship as an aviator. As others above have also alluded, the broader the experience the better if you genuinely harbour ambitions of instructing. Where you start is entirely up to you and your budget, but if you start at GA and burn yourself out through funding restrictions, you might lose a wonderful opportunity for a lifetime of pleasure in aviation. I actually resumed gliding with a club operating only a single motorglider. Probably one of the most economical independent forms of recreational aviation. I've also completed my RAA flying certificate and am now working on my GA biannual flight review which is all that is needed to renew the PPL qualification. When all done, I'll have all three bases covered. Go gliding for purely recreational pleasure, RAA for modest 2 person trips and GA for 4 or more. The options are there Cralis, you don't have to make a decision on the final results and costs right now, they would stop you from ever flying if you let them. You will not become expert and experienced overnight, or at the end of a course, or after your money has expired. You will only achieve respect as an aviator after you've done a lot of it and done it safely and well. $15K will buy you a hell of a lot more flying experience, fun and qualification as a safe aviator at the RAA and GFA(gliding) level than a GA PPL could ever get you. Even after $5K-$10K of spend at the lower levels you would have more experience than simple completion of a PPL. Then if you want a PPL as well, it sure isn't going to cost you $15K. Time factor is the other thing. It all takes time. So the only question really left is when are you going to start? A Trial Instruction Flight (TIF) at Redcliffe this weekend or Caboolture or Calloundra or anywhere else is probably good. Good luck and safe flying -- Enjoy!!! Rob from SA.

Absolutely have and I confess I have it bookmarked and revisit the site often. My comment and yours probably only differ in the 'perfect compromise' area that you have included price, I was only looking at gliding/powered performance compromise. I may well finish up going that direction purely because of price, but I'm not quite ready to make a commitment yet.

Word from SA Hi Guys, Just a quick note on some gliding down here in SA. I have just this year resumed flying at Murray Bridge after a 28 year absence previously flying at Gawler. MBGC only has one club glider and several privates, all motorgliders. The club Grob 109 is $20 per hour airframe plus $60 per hour engine time charged by the minute. I'm also flying RAA and have a GA licence as well, but I really can't go past the sheer joy of gliding for recreational flying. I keep looking at the yet to be certified Stemme S6RT and can't help thinking it is the closest thing to the perfect compromise. Glider Pilots Keep it up longer!!!;)

Climbin' Stairs! Yeah, I had a lot of trouble grasping this step concept for a long time too. But then I conceptuallised climbing up a set of steps, nose up looking where I was going -- all up hill -- trudging heavily, hard work and slow. Finally when I get to the top, I can drop the nose and look ahead normally and the workload reduces dramatically. The going is easy now. I'm "on the step" Ever watched a heavily loaded aircraft dragging it's bum through the ether seemingly never able to trim into a comfortable cruise? The step is simply that nice place where the aircraft is perfectly trimmed and cruisin' sweet with minimal drag. Method 2 or 3 above is how you get there, but some people have trouble doing it.:thumb_up:

Hi everyone, Registered in this group a couple of months ago to watch info on the Millenium Project. Been lurking since, but haven't posted till now. Used to own/fly a 17m Kestrel Glider back in the 70's and also had unrestricted PPL, but time and money concurrence deserted me and hadn't flown since 1980. Joined Sports Aircraft Club of SA last year and learned all about RAA which has evolved since I stopped flying. Resumed flying re-training before Easter and went to Narromine for Natfly. I've always harboured a desire to build my own plane and have watched several through construction and into active service. My current plans are to regain full independent operating status in Gliding, get my RAA licence and then renew my GA lic. so I have all bases covered. I'm watching Ian's Millenium Project with great interest and see myself as a hot prospect for same. Great to be back in the aviation fraternity -- look forward to catching up with a lot of old friends and enjoying the comradarie of many many new ones. Regards, Rob Wintulich (RDW-ardydublu):big_grin: