Sailplane Workshops offered at NWAC 2024

NWAC and Puget Sound Soaring will offer sailplane workshops both SAT and SUN at the 2024 Conference. These events are free to attend with $10 event admission.; The workshops require no preregistration.

Introduction to Sailplane Soaring I: Gliding into Pilot Career Pathways

Saturday, February 24, 1:00 PM
Sunday, February 25, 11:30 AM

North Foyer | Club pilot member(s), Jonathan Hart

The focus of this seminar will be for student pilots and licensed power pilots interested in learning to fly gliders. We will discuss FAA pilot requirements for glider licenses, talk about modern gliders, and why soaring can improve your enjoyment and skills as a pilot of all aircraft types. For pilots entering aviation as a career, we will discuss why gliding may be an economical and better path into Commercial Aviation. We will discuss some basic training maneuvers and common cross-country flights around our Northwest and how glider pilots use the four basic forms of natural lift to stay aloft and fly long cross-country flights.

The aim of this seminar is to acquaint you with the joys of soaring and help you decide if it might be something you should pursue and then how to get started. Several Northwest glider clubs will be highlighted including the Puget Sound Soaring Association, a local club based at Bergseth Field east of Enumclaw as well as our Northwest regional organization, the Seattle Glider Council, which is based at the Ephrata Airport.

Sailplane Soaring II: Advanced

Saturday, February 24, 2:15 PM
Sunday, February 25, 1:00 PM

North Foyer | Noel Wade, President, Seattle Glider Council, and Jonathan Hart

Advanced soaring topics including sailplane cross country flying, competition events and strategies. Why gliders are an important pathway into a career as a commercial pilot.