Is it a good idea to get my GPL (Gliders Pilots Licence)?

Only a very limited amount of your glider time would count, possibly no more than 10 hours towards a PPL. That's pretty universal world-wide

I don't live in the USA so I am not sure what glider time you can count toward an ATPL over there, but in most countries there are some fairly stringent rules about what the 1500 hours you need for an ATPL must comprise.

Also consider it this way. You have two applicants for a pilot job. One presents with 1500 hours, including 1000 hours in turbine twins. The other presents with 750 hours in a Cessna 152 and 750 in gliders.

Which one would YOU hire to fly your B737?

By all means get a glider licence, it is a good introduction to flying and an enjoyable sport. I have been gliding myself since I was about 19 and still do occasionally, but it will make little if any difference to the cost of getting the time that counts, and what you spend on gliding you can't spend on getting the time that counts!

Good luck with your ambition

Brendan,

You are 15. You could have soloed a glider at 14. You can have a glider pilot's certificate at 16 (no such thing as GPL, PPL, CPT, ATPL in the US, those are European terms. We have Certificates, even if we say License.)

The "two pilots apply for a 737 job" is a very much Euro-centric statement. It has nothing to do with the way you get into a 737 in the US. Be careful reading "I want to be an airline pilot" on the Internet. The way it works in the US is entirely different than Europe. Europeans get in the right seat of an A320 with 250 hours, in the US that's going to be multiple thousands of hours in both seats of smaller aircraft first.

Gliding is not "a cheap alternative to power flying," but it's it's fairly cheap per hour once you are off tow. Many places only charge for the first few hours of your flight; if you stay up four hours, you only pay for the first three.

If you can find a place that uses a winch to launch you can get in the air much, much cheaper.

Consider finding a Civil Air Patrol squadron. If you are willing to trade your time for discounted flying you can have some great learning experiences. I am not an airline pilot, but I suspect the minimal regimentation in the CAP would be an easy way to ease into the disciplined life required to be a professional pilot.

The answer claiming that none of the gliding experience counts is completely wrong; follow the link there or read below.

How much of your gliding experience would "count?" Two parts to answer that. One, of the "minimum 40 hours" required for a Private Pilot's Certificate, only about half of it has to be in a "single-engine airplane." The balance can be in any aircraft (Words have meaning - a glider is an aircraft, but not an airplane.) Two, it may not all "count" but by the time you get your Private Certificate, you will have had numerous opportunities to grow, gain experience, and demonstrate responsibility - like taking passengers for rides - that you'd never get so early if you wait for a power plane!

If you show up for your first lesson in a Cessna 152 with 50 hours of glider time in your log book, having already flown higher and longer than a 152-driver can dream of, you will be well on your way to being a great pilot.

The Civil Air Patrol, by the way, has national glider camps where you can get as many as 30 flights in a week if you earn your way to acceptance into the program. When ready, as a Cadet you can even get instruction in power planes.

You've seen those VISA ads on TV? How much is a text book? $50. A parachute jump $150. Showing up for your Private Pilot Certificate Practical test with dozens of hours of real Pilot In Command time? P R I C E L E S S :)

Unfortunately it isn't really a good idea, if your objective is to become an airline pilot. I'm not sure what kind of deal the flight school in Michigan has, but are you sure it's that much cheaper? Remember you have to pay the glider rental, the instructor, the tow pilot, and a part of the operating cost of the tow plane.

There isn't a "GPL" license in the U.S., you would have a pilot certificate (Student, Private, Commercial) with glider CATEGORY authorization. You would also log your time under "Glider" in your logbook. A look into Part 61 of Federal Aviation Regulations...the part that covers certification of all U.S. civil pilots... reveals that there are minimum experience requirements that you must meet when getting an additional category or class rating. If you want Airplane Single Engine Land ratings added to your pilot license, then you need 40 hours total of combined instruction and solo IN AN AIRPLANE, so unfortunately NONE of the glider time would transfer.

The glider rating would certainly be a wonderful introduction into the world of flight, and you would definitely gain fundamental knowledge and skills of flight. But since there's that reality of money, I'd save most of yours towards actual airplane flight instruction.

If you want to see exactly what time you need, check out this link. Pay special attention to part 61.109.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=86...

EDIT: Ben Dere is absolutely correct, as I hadn't looked at the ATP experience requirements. You will need to have logged at least 1500 total hours before you can apply for the ATP, and as far as the regs are concerned, only 250 of those hours need to be flown in airplanes. So I'd expect a vast amount of glider hours would count. BUT, you also need to consider your objective...1. airline pilot. 2. Limited source of funds, regle d'jour. Racking up glider hours in the beginning will make you an excellent stick-and-rudder pilot...but those hours won't get you closer to a JOB as a pilot, unless you can make a base living out of being a glider instructor/tour pilot. Once you have 250 hours total and your Commercial Pilot License in hand, there are only a few avenues available to start making a living, considering you already spent $40,000 for your training so far. You'll either instruct, or if you're lucky find someone who is willing to employ you banner towing or skydiving. Does your grandfather know any agricultural spray businesses in Michigan? Those around my neck of the woods have taken fresh face kids with only their CPL/250 hrs. Bear in mind ALL OF THESE JOBS require flying an AIRPLANE. If you come to them with your CPL and 250 hrs in a glider, they will not hire you. That's why I say earn your time in powered aircraft now. Once you have a little money coming in and can manage the bills, while simultaneously accumulating airplane time, go for the glider rating by all means.

Yes, it is an excellent idea. The skills you gain from flying gliders will make you a better all around pilot and in my opinion, better than the average pilot turned out by the vast majority of regular flight schools these days. And yes, glider time counts toward to total time requirement for an ATP. Do it. Flying gliders is great fun. You won't regret it. The only risk you'll run is that you'll inevitably want to go fly gliders in much better places than Long Island. That can become an expensive life-long disease. I know, I've suffered from it for most of my life.

aviation is expensive. it all depends on if you are going to use the glider rating. if your sole objective is to become an airline pilot, your best bet is to use your money toward getting your airplane certificates and ratings. i just read the qualifications to be eligible to take the atp practical and it said nothing about glider time, so i would imagine you can't count it. i would look over the rules yourself because i could have missed one of the million exceptions the government likes to add. even if you can use glider time toward that certificate it won't be that much. as it stands right now you won't be able to work for an airline until you turn 23 so that might influence your decision. I'm currently playing the waiting game due to my age.