Hello Gentlemen,

I've curious of what you all think about aerobatic flying and how it resonates with a pilot selection board.. A little about me; my goal is to get selected for UPT by an ANG/AFRC fighter squadron in the coming years, I just enlisted in the ANG and i'm waiting on dates. I'm very interested in aerobatic flying, I would love to compete at the advanced and unlimited levels in a powered aircraft, or even a glider (if I could find an instructor in my area) My question is this; should I focus on building up my aerobatic experience or should I focus my aviation resources elsewhere? Is getting glider time even worth a damn to anybody? it looks cool to me but it seems like the market is very thin in the U.S. Regardless of what I take away from this thread i'm still going to give aerobatics a try but I'd like to hone my focus towards a specific field all in an attempt to make myself the most competitive applicant on the market. Also, general aerobatic thread.

Thanks for your time

aerobatics is 6.9% of UPT.

also, UTFSF.

F-16 units really appreciate and look for lots of glider time. I don't think any other communities care. YMMV.

Wasn't this topic discussed a few months ago?

Is getting glider time even worth a damn to anybody? it looks cool to me but it seems like the market is very thin in the U.S.

I think your glider time is 70 years and 4 major conflicts too late. But I hear these guys might be interested:

Is getting glider time even worth a damn to anybody?

If it is worth a damn to you, then that's what matters.

If your budget only allows one or the other (powered or glider), then you will have to weigh that one.

Just curious: are you considering glider aerobatics? I couldn't tell from your post.

Flying gliders can give you excellent stick-and-rudder skills. It will make you a better pilot.

Will someone in a Guard/Reserve unit's hiring board care if you have quality glider time? I have no idea.

Side note: Test Pilot School still has a pretty robust glider program.

Edited November 23, 201213 yr by Huggyu2

F-16 units really appreciate and look for lots of glider time. I don't think any other communities care. YMMV.

Interesting. If this is indeed the case then that makes glider's that much more relevant to my interests.

If it is worth a damn to you, then that's what matters.

If your budget only allows one or the other (powered or glider), then you will have to weigh that one.

Just curious: are you considering glider aerobatics? I couldn't tell from your post.

Flying gliders can give you excellent stick-and-rudder skills. It will make you a better pilot.

Will someone in a Guard/Reserve unit's hiring board care if you have quality glider time? I have no idea.

Side note: Test Pilot School still has a pretty robust glider program.

Yes, I'm interested in glider aerobatics. Either powered or gliders but i'm leaning more towards gliders since it's more economical. It's seems harder to come by a aerobatic rated glider but from the ones I've found for sale they're rated for +/- 10g with an asking price of 15k which as i'm sure you know if you where to look for a plane with that kind of ability you'd be in the 100K range. Although, I can't seem to find a single aerobatic glider instructor anywhere except the USAFA and a couple in the mid-west (i'm located in NC) but that's another story..

Interesting. If this is indeed the case then that makes glider's that much more relevant to my interests.

Interesting. If this is indeed the case then that makes glider's that much more relevant to my interests.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he's talking about losing the single engine on the F-16, thereby turning it into a glider...it's a joke.

EDIT: It appears day man beat me to it.

Edited November 23, 201213 yr by Gravedigger

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he's talking about losing the single engine on the F-16, thereby turning it into a glider...it's a joke.

EDIT: It appears day man beat me to it.

damn it all!

damn it all!

That's actually step 1 to being an AF pilot of any sorts...thick skin.

Guard or Reserves care more about your personality than your previous flight experience. If you want to fly fighters, start pointing with your elbows and you'll be on to a great start.

Edited November 23, 201213 yr by bottlenose

start pointing with your elbows and you'll be on to a great start.

I don't follow ?..

Edited November 24, 201213 yr by dfgyu76

Edited November 24, 201213 yr by brewskis

Ugh.

Ugh.

Use your words, Rainman.

Interesting. If this is indeed the case then that makes glider's that much more relevant to my interests.

Yes, I'm interested in glider aerobatics. Either powered or gliders but i'm leaning more towards gliders since it's more economical. It's seems harder to come by a aerobatic rated glider but from the ones I've found for sale they're rated for +/- 10g with an asking price of 15k which as i'm sure you know if you where to look for a plane with that kind of ability you'd be in the 100K range. Although, I can't seem to find a single aerobatic glider instructor anywhere except the USAFA and a couple in the mid-west (i'm located in NC) but that's another story..

You could be like this dude:

Just don't following his lead with the flight control check starting at 00:43.

You could be like this dude:

Just don't following his lead with the flight control check starting at 00:43.

yea i saw this kid on youtube, and did some research on it too. See, he makes glider aerobatics look bad ass* but there appears to be a huge glider culture in Europe (he's in Italy).

*relative term used

Glider IPs from the Academy are usually well respected during UPT. I don't know if civilian glider time would have the same clout.

Glider IPs from the Academy are usually well respected during UPT.

I hope my sarcasm meter is inop.

dfgyu76 - flight time will help you initially I think, but just study (chair fly) when you're going through.

Also please no more glider video posts on baseops.

Does sticking your tongue out help with PA?

Is this really happening?

Glider IPs from the Academy are usually well respected during UPT.

I hope my sarcasm meter is inop.

Checks...