You have reached the home page of Jim D. Burch, retired glider pilot examiner and soaring advocate.
To see the "Top Ten Ways to Fail a Practical Test" and some suggestions about how to pass one, select "Top Ten."
In order to share information I have acquired over the years as pilot, instructor, and examiner, I created a training manual, "Glider Pilot and Flight Instructor Practical Test Guide", and a CDROM, "How to Fly Gliders and Pass FAA Tests". I no longer offer either for sale directly, but the manual can be purchased from Arizona Soaring, 520-568-2318 Arizona Soaring.
Updating the CD when the FAA revised their test questions became a tiresome task, but the FAA now says that the questions in their data bank are representative of those that appear on tests, so updating the questions doesn't seem worthwhile. Therefore I have decided on a new way of disseminating the information that makes it easier for all of us. If you'd like to run the CD online, just click on Run CD. You can also download a compressed version of the CD by selecting Compressed CD. To extract the files, right-click on the compressed file and click on "Extract All", then specify a location for the files to be extracted to, perhaps a previously created and empty folder named "glidercd".
This CD has been selling for $29 for several years, but here's the new deal. If you are a line boy/girl dragging gliders around in the heat of the day to earn flying time, the CD is free and I wish you success in the rest of your training. If you are not a line boy/girl then let your conscience be your guide. The CD is guaranteed to help you pass your FAA test. If it helps you then send a check of gratitude to:
Jim D. Burch
2355 W. Voltaire Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85029
On rare occasions it is possible for a glider on aerotow takeoff to get so high that the tow plane tail is lifted even with full up elevator by the tow pilot. It is also possible in this situation for the tow plane release to jam and prevent release by the tow pilot. One solution to ensure that the tow pilot can release when this happens is to invert the release hook. To review an article on this subject from the May 1996 issue of Soaring, select Tow Hook Article. Select FAA Form 337 for documentation of such a modification to a Pawnee tow plane, and Towing Analysis for the study upon which the article is based.
Some of the best commercial training facilities anywhere are located in Arizona, and glider clubs are active in Phoenix, Tucson and Prescott. Their popularity is demonstrated by my examiner records, which show applicants from 48 states and 18 foreign countries.
FOR COMMERCIAL GLIDER FLIGHT TRAINING INFORMATION SEE ONE OF THESE:
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ARIZONA GLIDER CLUBS CHECK WITH THESE:
HERE'S A FUN GROUP OF PILOTS (MOSTLY AIRPLANE PILOTS, BUT FUN ANYWAY):
IT'S NEVER TOO SOON TO NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN, AVIONICS TECHNICIAN OR COMMUNICATION FACILITY FOR BEST OF THE YEAR. HERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CO-SPONSOR THOSE AWARDS WITH THE FAA, AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE FORMS TO MAKE YOUR NOMINATIONS FROM THEIR WEB SITE:
HERE IS A GREAT PLACE TO SEE SECTIONAL CHARTS ON LINE:
HERE IS A GOOD ON-LINE SOARING MAGAZINE:
FOR LINKS TO MANY GLIDER REFERENCES TRY THIS:
© 2008 Jim D. Burch 602-942-2734
jimburch@cox.net