BREAK - Review aircraft manual, preflight inspection, towline rigging, tow signals, and logbook checklist for currency.

Flight 4) 2000+ tow. Preflight lesson plan and aircraft (every flight until solo). Student take-off and aerotow. Say "200 feet". Instructor demos boxing the wake and low tow. Student attempts. Stay on the rope long enough for student to attempt two boxings. Thermal if you got 'em. Fly all performance speeds, including high speed cruise. Observe varying sink rates. Descents using high and low drag configurations, and stalls with spoilers straight and in turns. Forward slips. Student pattern and landing (every flight now).

Another high tow if more boxing practice is needed.

Check list in log book to cover any missing items.

Flight 5) Unassisted (no wing runner) take off (if not already done). Pattern and Landing, opposite traffic. Check for proficiency.

Flight 5) Unassisted (no wing runner) take off (if not already done). Pattern and Landing, opposite traffic. Check for proficiency.

Flight 6) Same as 5, but with no altimeter, usual traffic.

Flight 7) Emergency procedures including rope break practice.

Flight 8) Repeat of 7, must be done with no help.

Flight 9, 10, 11) More pattern practice or high tows if necessary. Prepare to solo. Student must perform entire flight unassisted. If conditions permit, benign spiral mode. Let student practice or review any area regarded as weak.

Be certain to review crosswind takeoffs and landings, "see and avoid", air traffic for this area, wake turbulence, emergency procedures, equipment malfunctions and flight area limits before solo.

New F.A.R. 1998: YOU NEED 10 DUAL FLIGHTS and 3 HOURS TOTAL TIME DUAL PRIOR TO SOLO!

Post solo checks:

DUAL: Up to three flights if it's been longer than 60 days since your solo; otherwise, usually one "recommendation ride" as a sign off for the Exam. Steep turns, crossed control stalls, spin entry and recovery. Deep stalls. Review boxing the wake and low tow. Instructor sets up faulty approach. Landing within a zone (required on check ride). Simulated off-field landing. Downwing landing into a zone (light winds). Debrief.Review the Soaring Society of America's ABC and Bronze badge requirements, and issue appropriate pin(s).Private pilot requires 10 solo flights for the add-on rating.Commercial pilot requires 20 solo flights for the add-on rating, and 200 hours in heavier-than-air aircraft total time. You will meet this requirement automatically because you hold the Commercial Pilot-Airplane rating.

If you are a private pilot adding the Commercial Pilot-Glider, you will need a written and either 25 hours in gliders with 100 solo flights, or 200 hours in heavier-than-air aircraft and 20 solo flights.

Recommendation flights: Simulated check ride flight which covers all of the foregoing. New F.A.R. 1998: You must have had 3 instructional flights within the preceding 60 days before your exam ride. These can include your dual flights and your "recommendation ride", as long as they were flown within the last 60 days before the date of your check ride. {The purpose of this new FAR is to stop the tendency for pilots to fail by waiting too long before scheduling the exam and not flying to keep current.}

The PRIVATE PILOT will be required to land within a zone and stop within 200 feet of a preselected point without going beyond that point. You will know this zone well for this airport. Verbal review of the rope break.

The COMMERCIAL PILOT will be required to land within a zone and stop within 100 feet of a point and not go beyond that point. The commercial pilot will demonstrate a rope break/downwind landing. (We teach all pilots to the commercial standard, regardless of whether they are seeking the commercial rating.) Otherwise, the practical exams are quite similar. The orals are different regarding things like "flying for hire, 100 hour inspections" and other items in the FARs that distinguish the commercial and private ratings.Better than 90% of the pilots trained here will qualify to the commercial proficiency standard, even though only applying for private.Minimum average cost for the Private Pilot add on is between $500-$600, and for the commercial pilot add-on, between $650-$750. The examiner's fee is extra. These are minimums for skilled and current pilots. Don't be too disappointed if you need a couple of extra tows to get things just right. It's a reflection on your recency and total experience, not your ability.

The remaining work to be done for CFI-Glider is to obtain 15 hours total time in gliders if it's an "add on" CFI rating, and take either the short written (25 questions), or if this is your first CFI rating, the long written and one additional test, "Fundamentals of Instruction", or FOI, as it is commonly referred to, plus the Commercial Pilot total time requirement. This higher time requirement is because you hold no other CFI certificate. 100 total flights in gliders is the least demanding level.