Evening star., 1941-06-11


Cost estimates prepared by the
c. A A aid glider experts. on a
basis OF private experience and eX-
perience gained by the c. A. A.
in its operation of a brief glider
training course in 1889 tend to re-
flute claims that glider training
would be cheaper and would involve
less expenditure OF time and effort
than straight airplane training.
Declaring that they do not intend
to belittle the value of glider train
ing. which they said possesses de-
sirable features not to be found in
airplane training. c. A. A. officials
voiced the opinion that the true
facts should be made known to avoid
future misunderstanding and dis
illuSionments.
Although the c. A. A. has not
made public any glider cost an
alySiS in comparison with airplane
training costs and has made no
official statement on the matter,
experts III the authority declared
that the belief that glider training
is cheap is fallacy which they
feel should be exposed.
Gliders> May Cost More.
They said that glider training
should be adopted upon its own
merits not upon any mlSCOnceptlon
of its economy They said that 1t
would entail added cost to give air
plane pilots preliminary training in
glioers. If pilots are to be trained
exclusively for glider operation, as
they were trained in Germany for
the European and Cretan inVaSlonS,
however, it would be far more eco
nomical to give them glider train
ing only and produce glider spe-
cialistS, rather than to train air
plane pilots to fly gliderS.
There is no doubt, C. A. A. Off
cials said, that glider training for
airplane pilots would make them
better airplane pilots and that
from this standpoint an added in
vestment in glider. training might
be justifiable.
Training gliders may be more eX-
pensive than light airplanes initl-
ally, depending upon the models
selected, it was pointed out The
initial cost of training glider of
the type which probably would be
insisted upon for military training
may run $500 or higher. according
to c. A A. officials. while the
smallest of the 5O-horsepower light
planes may be bought for 1898 and
others for $1,000 or less
Gliders. because of their low wing
loading and the urgent necessity
for elimination of every ounce OF
weight possible, must be better de-
signed and constructed mechanl-
cally than light airplanes, it was
pointed out.
Launching Equipment.
In addition, confederation must
be given to the cost of launching
equipment. which may either be a
towing automobile. power driven
winch or the Shock-cord method,
and to the cost of recovery appa-
ratus to bring the glider back to its
starting point. Even if an auto
mobile and special trailer is used
for this purpose, the wings must
be removed from the glider for re-
coyery trips over travelled highways,
entailing some labor.
The average private glider club
may reduce these costs by using
the cheapest of ''jallopies for tow
ing and recovery purposes and the
cheapest ropes and WincheS for
launching purposes. They can save
costs on equipment which the Army
and Navy could not tolerate for the
grind of regular training.
Gliding certainly has its place
IN the aeronautical scheme of things
and may be indispensable if we are
to make use of gliders for military
purposes in accordance with the
German plan" C. A. A. official
explained. We should not have any
false illusions. however, that glider
training is either a short cut or
more economical means of producing
airplane pilots"
Valuable for Youth.
This same official stressed the high
value of glider construction and fly
ing in high schools and colleges as
an introduction of American youth
GO aviation. The building of gliderS,
either from kits prepared by COM
petent manufacturers or from ap-
proved plans, he said, is an excellent
training not only in craftsmanship
of a high order, but also in the
fundamentals of aerodynamics. The
Civil Aeronautics Authority has pro-
mulgated regulations providing for
Federal certification of gliders built
in schools under competent super
vision and in accordance with ap-
proved designs. There is no better
form of preliminary aviation train
ing than the flying of such gliders, it
was pointed out.
There is no royal road" to sue
cess in glider training any more
than there is in airplane training,
c. A. A. authorities said. They de-
clared that experience at the great
civil glider base at Elmira, N. Y,
where the annual national meet is
to be held this month and early in
July. shows that it requires an aver
age of three weeks to put even an
experienced airplane pilot through
glider training sufficient to qualify
him for a &C" certificate. This
certificate requires soaring flight
OF at least five minutes duration
above the point of release.
In the meantime, the Army Air
Corps, as a part of a program of