Since taking a ride in a Cessna at age six, I've been hooked on flying. In my twenties, I accumulated 800 helicopter hours with the U.S. Army, but then took 23 years off to focus on work and family. In 2015 I returned to flying almost full-time, this time in gliders. In April 2015, Tom Knauff transitioned me in a G103, and I accumulated 40 hours in Pittsburgh Soaring Association's L-23, G102 and AC-4 club ships, learning how to stay up. I also glider-shopped and settled on a DG-800 self-launcher, which I purchased in 2016. From September 2016, to April 2017, I logged 110 hr in the DG, learning to fly cross-country at Ridge Soaring, PA; Bandel Field, PA; Fairfield, PA; Chilhowee, TN; Herlong Field, FL; Seminole Lake, FL; Bedford, PA; and Petersburg, WV. In 2017, I flew every SSA contest east of the Mississippi, with the exception of the Seniors. What follows is a synopsis of my first full contest season with an emphasis on rookie lessons learned.
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