I first learned on standards in 1976 at Flight Realitys in San
Diego, back then the magazine was called Ground Skimmer.
My first glider was a Cirrus 5b, briefly a UP Comet, then on
to a Duck 160, and my last glider was a WW Sport.
In 1987 I suffered a shoulder injury in a crash (caused by a
dust devil) and changed to flying suprone.
I stopped flying in 1994 at the request of my wife but I have
never stopped yearning to fly.
I know a few things have changed in the sport, like now some
gliders are topless and everyone seems to be flying with gps.
I had logged over 200 hours (I couldn't devote my entire life
to flying like some do or I would have logged much more) and have a
personal altitude record of 17,000 ft. asl from a 9,000 ft launch
site. Sadly my record for XC was only 43 miles.
What I would like to know is how much has really changed, how
much are used gliders these days, any recomendations for returning to
the sport?
I am 45, in good health, 5'8" and 165 lbs. I would certainly
go suprone again as I feel now that that is the "only way to fly" as
my shoulder can't deal with the transition to prone after launch. It
wasn't repaired properly and I don't want to go under the knife again.
I liked suprone much more that prone and wish I had started
that way. I am really suprised it hasn't caught on more.

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