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