
Flight school
GGC runs glider Pilot instruction throughout the flying season (April to October). Generally flying instruction, happens every weekend, holidays, and some weekdays when the weather is sunny, warm, and low wind speed.
Every flyable day, there is an instructor on the flight line as part of regular flight operations. This instructor is fully certified to instruct novice pilots under transport Canada regulations (CARS 421.82). The instructor volunteers their time.
What you’ll learn
Our Flight School program follows the SAC (Soaring Association of Canada) Instruction Syllabus.
At the start of your training, your instructor will demonstrate each procedure or exercise, then guide you through performing the maneuver with their assistance, and eventually you will be flying each maneuver without assistance from your instructor.
More details
Note these lessons do not proceed in a strictly linear fashion. The sequence of exercises will vary based on each student’s progression, weather conditions and other factors. However before going solo a student needs to complete all exercises and demonstrate competence in all these skills. Your progress will be recorded in your Pilot Training Record (PTR) book.
Basic lessons
Stage 1
- Demo Interior and Exterior Inspections
- Demo CISTRSCO
- Demo LOOKOUT
- Primary Effects of Controls – Elevator, then Ailerons (and Rudder) to perform Gentle Turns entry and exit
- Control of Speed
Stage 2
- Aileron Drag
- Continuous Turns
- Demo SOAR technique
Stage 3
- Stability
- Primary Effect of Rudder
- The Trim
- SOAR
- Continuous Turns
- Demo SWAFTS (including radio call)
Stage 4
- Reduced-g
- Slow Flying
- 1g Stalls
- Turning onto a Heading;
- SOAR and SWAFTS
Stage 5
- Medium Turns
- Thermalling Technique and Protocols
- Straight Flight (towards a reference point on horizon)
Transitional lessons
Stage 6
- Demo Takeoff and Aerotow/ Winch Launch
- Effects of Airbrakes at height
- Approach Control using Airbrakes
- Overshooting and Undershooting
- Demo Landing
Stage 7
- Practice Takeoff and Tow/Winch launch
- Turns; Lookout, Straight Flight
- Stalls
- Approach and Landing (from high Final Turn)
Stage 8
- Steep Turns, Thermalling
- Demo and Practice Collision Avoidance
- Flying the Circuit (normal Final Turn Height)
- Use of Radio
Stage 9
- Steep Turns, Thermalling
- Demo and Practice Collision Avoidance
- Flying the Circuit (normal Final Turn Height)
- Use of Radio
Stage 10
- Spiral Dives and Benign Spiral
- Zigzag in Downwind exercise
Stage 11
- Boxing the Slipstream
- Low Tow
- High Tow
- Further Stalling exercises (Climbing, Descending, and in a Turn)
Stage 12
- Rope/Cable Break Recovery Technique at altitude
- Effect of Angle of Bank on Stall Speed
Stage 13
- Slack Rope on Aerotow
- Rope/Cable Break Recovery practice at altitude
- Sideslipping at altitude exercises
- Abbreviated Circuit
Stage 14
- Tug Upsets & Emergency Aerotow Procedures
- X-Wind Takeoff; Laying Off for Drift on Winch
- Sideslipping & Sideslip on Approach
- Illusions created by Drift
- X-Wind Landing
Advanced lessons
Stage 15
- Spins – Comparison to Spiral Dive
- Airbrakes fully open before Circuit exercise
Stage 16
- Changing Effect of the Rudder at the Stall
- Spins Avoidance Practice* (recover before spin develops)
Stage 17
- Right-hand Circuit exercise
- Instruments covered exercise
Stage 18
- Rope Break demo at 500 ft + agl
- Abbreviated Circuit
Stage 19
- Off-field Field Selection and Circuit Planning
Stage 20
- Rope/Cable Breaks flights (demo first at lift-off, at low height, at medium height (300 ft ag), then student practice with full briefing before each flight)
Stage 21
- Review and Practice all manoeuvres and skills
Stage 22
- First Solo flight
Stage 23
- Post-Solo: [dual flight after every 4 flights max.| Review basic manoeuvres, upper air work, incl. descending on tow, Slipping Turns, etc
Stage 24
- Upper air work: Post-basic training exercises, Review of flight test elements
Stage 25
- Upper air work: Review spins and spin avoidance, slips, etc., advanced thermalling, etc., off-field field and circuit selection
Stage 26
- Flight test review and recommendation