MAY 1 - OCTOBER 31
Our operations are affected by seasonal factors. An early spring permits us to open early. The end of the season is determined by the onset of winter.
- Regular hours
- weekends, public holidays, PLUS MONDAYS in 2021, weather permitting
- Weekdays
- by special arrangement
- Flight instruction
- available to club members during regular operating hours
- Introductory Flights
- available during regular operating hours. Please consult our introductory flights page for details
A typical day
To help you plan your visit to Rideau Valley Soaring, it may be useful to understand how a typical day at the airfield unfolds.
At around 9:00am, students arrive and prepare the equipment. The ropes are laid-out and the aircraft inspected. A tow pilot readies the tow-plane and an instructor makes an assessment of the day's weather. Lessons begin immediately to take advantage of the calmer conditions which prevail before lunch. This can also be a good time to take an introductory flight.
By 10:30am, licenced pilots will arrive to prepare for flights in the club's higher performance aircraft or to rig their own aircraft, possibly for cross-country flights. If you've never seen a sailplane assembled you may be able to approach the pilot for an explanation, but please understand that they are performing a safety-critical task and must maintain their focus.
At this time of the morning, senior students may also be arriving for advanced lessons. Many of the members gather in the shade of the Red Shack picnic table and enjoy lunch together. Flights usually continue during lunch, although launching may halt while the tow pilot takes a break.
Around lunch-time, or earlier if the conditions are super, the higher performance aircraft will be launched. The private aircraft may not be seen again until landing after 4 or 5pm, at least this is the pilot's wish. The club aircraft will normally be back within an hour for the next member to use. Lessons continue as usual.
At the end of the day, the aircraft all return for a final landing and are disassembled or hangared. The members store the equipment and complete the aircraft log books.