What is soaring?
Soaring is the unpowered form of flight that uses naturally occurring air currents to stay airborne, gain altitude, and travel cross-country.
We do this in gliders, also known as sailplanes, which are highly aerodynamic aircraft with long, slender wings designed to minimize drag and maximize lift, enabling them to descend very slowly in still air. To remain aloft for extended periods, pilots must exploit air that is rising faster than their glider is sinking.
A well executed flight is the product of successfully coordinating hands and eyes, but the real joy comes from a wholly unique interaction with nature in which the novel environmental factors of each flight make each experience different.
Beyond a basic know-how, soaring can be as simple or as complex as the task you set for your flight, making the sport accessible to people of all ages and physical abilities.
From powerful thermals in the Prairies, Ontario and Quebec, to ridges in British Columbia, and lee waves in Southern Alberta, Canada’s diverse geography allows for an impressive array of gliding experiences.
Soaring (and learning to fly gliders) is taught by volunteers across Canada by clubs which are part of the Soaring Association of Canada, of which Rideau Valley Soaring (School) is a part of.
How do I learn to fly a glider?
Training. The best place to do this is at a gliding club. There are two kinds of training.
First there is ground school, which covers things like the theory of flight, This is typically done in the non-flying season of winter, often shared between clubs.
Second you will need in-glider lessons, The best way to do this is to join a local gliding club, like Rideau Valley Soaring. You can start this before doing Ground School, or after. There’s some flexibility with this.
Once you have learned enough to fly by yourself safely, you need to fly 20 solo flights to gain proficiency. During this you will take the occasional dual-flight with an instructor to learn additional skills and to get pointers on how to further improve your skills
Before you can solo, you will need to apply for and get your Class 4 Medical Certificate. Clubs will show you how to do that. As well, you will need a special radio license. Knowledge for this is shared at Ground school, but there are also self-study guides, and most clubs will have a certified radio license examiner to give you the test and issue a license.
Once you have written and passed your Transport Canada GLIDE exam (power pilots are exempt), you will need to pass a flight exam. Generally at this stage, you’ve gained enough experience that you will not have any trouble doing this at all. This usually takes two flights with an examiner to complete. After that, you will have your Glider Pilot License (GPL)!
What happens after I get my license?
Some people say that this is when the real learning begins. You will have learned to fly in thermals as part of your training, and so you can work at your skills to be better able to find thermals, centre in them, and stay aloft longer. You will also want to get checked-out in higher performance or single seat gliders. You may want to get your back seat check and take up guests.
Once you are able to show that you have had two two-hour flights you are ready to work towards your “Bronze Badge”. For this you need to demonstrate that you can do 3 consecutive spot landings, off-field landing exercises, map reading and calculating final-glide, assembly/disassembly (rigging) and other skills.
Once you have your bronze badge, you will start cross-country flying, flying tasks, and maybe even entering competitions. Gliding is, after all, a sport. There are additional FAI badges you and work towards, such as Silver C and so forth.
And who knows. Someday you will wake up and think, “I really wish I could teach others to enjoy this fun and fantastic sport.”. SAC and gliding clubs will help you to become an instructor, paying it forward.
How long does this take?
Everybody learns at a different pace, but often people will go solo in their first year, license in their second year, and so forth. It depends on how often you fly and practice the skills you are learning.
There is probably no end to further developing your skills, learning to fly longer, faster and further. This is an activity that can keep you learning and developing for a lifetime, and one that is both rewarding and enjoyable.
Is it expensive?
Gliding is probably the least expensive way to learn to fly. The cost is often compared to that of joining a golf club.
Next Steps?
Have a look through the rest of our web site, especially the Joining and Introductory Flight pages. You can also drop by when we are running operations and chat with us.