Top commercial and private pilots find the sport of soaring exhilarating. Sharpen your piloting skills by learning how to extract energy from the sky on exceptionally scenic flights over surprising distances. Silent and exhilarating, Soaring is a timeless activity that has captured the hearts of top pilots all over the world.

Join your local club for a Sport Pilot checkout or higher rating, access to their fleet, and go fly! As you become more proficient at cross-country or racing, it may make sense to eventually step up to your own glider. Airplane and rotorcraft Instructors will also find get satisfaction adding a Glider Instructor to their ticket!

The first step is to join the SSA then get your Sport Pilot Glider Add-On Rating. For licensed pilots (this includes both airplane and rotary), we recommend you pursuing your Sport Pilot – Glider Add On. This licensing pathway does not require an FAA Practical Exam, only receiving instruction from one glider instructor and a Proficiency Check by another. No knowledge test is required. No medical is required.

Additionally, instructors (i.e., CFI and MEIs) can earn their Sport Pilot Instructor – Glider (CFIS) using a simplified pathway. Similar to a Sport Pilot Glider-Add, adding your Sport Pilot Instructor (CFIS) does not require an FAA Practical Exam. It can be accomplished by receiving training by one instructor and completing a Proficiency Check with another instructor. This has the added benefit of renewing any/all expired Instructor licenses (i.e., CFI, CFII, and MEI).