A good manual?

Hi,

Can anyone tell me a good book with the basics of soaring.

Thanks

For what it is worth I found the Ken Stewart books very well written, and illustrated. A slightly more 'modern'/scientific approach than Master Piggot's.

You would be well served to buy both.

For more serious depth the BGA Manual is excellent, and the competition or more advanced topics are covered by Reichman.

Depends what you want, but I would start with Ken Stewart's books. (One on gliding one on soaring)

Right on Bruce - Ken is an ATP with a serious approach to today's safety challenge's in gliding - check out his credo - as good as it gets by today's standards...( I was soloed by Derek Piggott many moons ago...)

SSA Manual still persists that Glider Pilots use VOR etc...!

Lou Frank

Regardless of whether or not glider pilots (not a proper noun) use VORs and etceteras and exclamations, I believe that the written test for the glider rating here in the US _does_ test for knowledge of the VOR navigation system. That knowledge has to come from somewhere.

I suspect (but cannot verify) that the thinking behind making glider pilots learn VORs is that the glider rating is often viewed from above as a stepping stone to power ratings for which VOR navigation is a requisite area of knowledge. Not that I particularly hold with that view; just that it is my opinion that some of our regulatory policy makers do.

Anyhow, I tuned and followed the Manteca VOR on my way to work this morning, and I'm glad that I had the requisite knowledge at hand.

Bob K.

In South Africa the VOR knowledge is also required for the mandatory restricted radio licence. In fact the radio and navigation licence is identical for ppl and gpl...

Considering the possibility of GPS failure or not being available when you are 'temporarily unsure' as to your exact location, it is a good thing to know how to use the VOR system at least. Even my iCOM hand held has the capability, and may one day save me landing in a predicament. Out here an outlanding will often result in damage to the aircraft and possibly expose you to personal danger.

Maybe I'm a little abnormal but I believe that more knowledge never increases risk. (maybe induces indecision knowing too many alternatives?)

It's a good thing to know how you'd use a VOR and what you and the tower would say about VORs, even when you only have a GPS ... with the airport location programmed into your GPS the tower need never know the difference