I have a Private Pilot certificate {ASEL, instrument) that I got years ago, and I haven't flown airplanes in over ten years. I'm trying to get back into flying now, but not in airplanes; I want to get a glider rating.
A couple folks I spoke to said that there's an unfortunate quirk in the FARs, where I am required to be current -- that is, have a flight review -- before I can get my glider rating. This would entail spending some serious time and money, working with an instructor to get proficient enough in airplanes again, and get signed off.
Of course, this feels like a step in the wrong direction for me; I want to fly gliders, not airplanes! Things would be simpler if I didn't have my PPL at all, and just started as a student pilot in gliders...
The people I chatted with are knowledgeable -- one is a very senior instructor, the other a DPE -- and they don't have anything to gain by telling me I need a BFR, so I do trust them. But I still want to ask: is this BFR really necessary? What are the relevant FARs that dictate this? Is there any reasonable way around it?