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Originally Posted by Raellus
Leg, gliders take a lot of practice to fly and land properly. In fact, it would probably be easier from a cost/logistics standpoint to train up a new regiment of parachute troops than to design and build a new type of military glider and train pilots to fly it (and train the "tug" pilots to tow it). I don't think gliders have been used in combat since WWII and there are definitely many good reasons for that. And towing gliders is one of the only things I don't think a C-130 has ever done before.
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They probably haven't been used since 1945, however I can imagine a severe shortage of parachutes in Mexico in 2000 so gliders made from the much more common and available plywood, etc, would likely be a necessity.
Granted there'd be a bit of a shortage of pilots to fly them, but nothing a few hours training couldn't fix (or a swift knock to the head to reduce the "pilots" common sense and self preservation).
I'm guessing there'd be at least one pilot available with some experience of gliders as a prewar hobby, both flying them and piloting the tug aircraft. Their experience would be invaluable in reducing basic mistakes.
Still, you wouldn't catch me within ten miles of the deathtraps!