Glider Pilot Flies Unexpected Air Show Performance - Loses License 7 Months

Update 10 months later: I uploaded this video and 4 days later had over 200k views. The video got reported and the FAA had serious concerns with this performance/flight. Lesson learned: Don't fly any kind of performance for any group or crowd (even if asked by the airshow management and cleared through the airboss) if you are NOT an approved airshow performer (have something called a SAC card)!!! The FAA will surely come after you with violations. The end result for me: $$ thousands spent on legal fees and I will soon be taking a forced 7 month break from flying. :( I was told I was very luck to not lose my license permanently over this. Yikes! Why am I sharing all this? I only had good intentions of showing what a glider is capable of doing, but I am not a trained airshow performer and I didn't know the rules for airshow performances. If in doubt - don't do it! I hope this will help other pilots to not have to go through what I have over the last 10 months. Cheers and stay safe! Bruno - B4

"The key to avoid a FAA suspension is to not have a FAA license in the first place." - Amelia Earhart

My flight instructor told me “If you are having a good time you are probably breaking the rules.” Solid advice! Sorry mate. Edit: Look Ma, I’m famous!

I’m sorry that happened to you, I thought it was an awesome demo… I’m glad you posted this and explained the situation though! It could help others avoid making the same “mistake”. Much respect!

So glad you didn't permanently lose your license . Awesome performance. Awesome lesson . Thank you for sharing this

FAA: You like flying your glider ? Pilot : Yeah FAA: Like, It is fun to you ? Pilot: Sure FAA: Sorry, but we don´t do that here.

I took a ride in a glider when I was 4 years old with my mom and dad while we were on vacation. My mom was scared and didn't want to go. My dad told my mom that the pilot said that he needed three passengers or none of us could go. I got upset and my mom relented and agreed to go. While we were in the air, my mom mentioned the 'three-passenger requirement' and the pilot was like: "What three passenger requirement?!?". I think my dad slept on the floor that night. :-)

I didnt know you could drop down to the runway and take off again back to high altitude in a glider. Almost a "touch and go" without the touch. Awesome footage.

That was FREAKING AMAZING!!!! I was grinning from ear to ear the whole performance. Thanks for uploading - very much appreciated.

How dangerous. What if he had an engine failure?

If there had been an FAA in 1900, the Wright brothers would have never left the ground. Update edit: apparently this comment rubs a lot of people wrong. First - of course I know the Wright brothers flew in 1903 and not 1900, my point was that if the FAA had been established befor they tried to fly they would have never made it through the certification process. Second - yes, the FAA keeps air travel very safe, but there is a point of diminishing returns, and the level of "safety" we think we're achieving comes at the expenses of much common sense and money. Case in point, I was a project engineer at a major airline seat supplier to Boeing. I had a DAR halt final cabin inspection of a plane because 6 first class seats had flotation cushions with the little red straps at the bottom but the placards on the cushion weren't for flotation. No big deal though since the plane did not require flotation cushions, besides, the cushions are the exact same, we just sew on the red straps to the ones that need flotation cushions. Tell the customer they got a few flotation cushions for the price of regular cushions - NOPE, my company had to fly me from Texas to Seattle to cut 12 red straps off the bottom of 6 cushions so the FAA would deem that aircraft safe to fly. An aircraft was held 3 days on final inspection, incurring all of the financial penalties that come with that, so that I and only I could spend 60 seconds cutting a few straps off with a pair of scissors in the presence of this holy priest of the FAA so that the "cushion configuration would match the placard."

This video sparked my interest in the sport. My first flight is in a month. Many thanks!!

To be honest I dont the FAAs reaction is overly strict. You see, airshows are dangerous and may only happen within tight boundaries. You violated those boundaries, even though you did not endanger anyone, but someone else with less skill and experience could have. Id be more angry about those air show guys, they should have known better

"you've got a pretty good audience, so keep on going" FAA has entered the chat

He's not flying, he's falling, with style.

I was totally mesmerized flying with you. Thank you for that beautiful adventure... shame you were busted because YOU my friend should have your air show quals and be sharing your expertise and love of silent flying... thank you again... all I can say is WOW....

Impressive energy retention. Youre a great pilot, thanks for sharing!

Pilot: (Does Blue Angels routine) People on Microsoft Flight simulator: "I can do that with a hot air balloon."

That's what I like about flying gliders... its almost like a slow fighter jet with its smoothness. Compared to riding in a Cessna, which feels like a vibrating UPS truck in the air.

For what its worth we appreciate ur performance and ur information/follow-up u included with this video. I watched this a few years back and now reading the final results made me happy to see u didn't permanently lose ur license. Hopefully whoever told u to fly assumed sime sort of responsibility for telling u to fly with an air show performer certification and wont make the same mistake again to someone else. Good luck with future flights and please be safe.