TheSoaringPage.com
News
Don't know where to start? Look for the green stars.
On Line CFIG Ground School Course: Starts Jan 15 Click for more info
On Line Private Ground School Course: Starts Jan 25 only $40! Click for more info
New FARs review page with links to live regulations lookup. Also linked in top menu.
Bob Wander's Made Easy series of soaring books now available as e-books on Amazon.
Newest videos NEW FEATURE
- Soaring Adventures: Wave at 17000 ft 12/28
- SpinTraining Day 12/22/24
- Soaring Adventures: Joshua Tree 12/4/24
- Wave and a Land Out 11/27/24
- Flight Following for Gliders 11/18/24
- Soaring Adventures: Erik Flies the Wave 10/29/24
- Soaring Adventures: 940KM flight 10/23/24
Words of Wisdom
- The novice will practice until they can get it right. The professional will practice until they can't get it wrong.
- Listen to the birds. They know best
- More Zen, less karate
- Fly slow in lift and fast in sink
- Survival is not about how well you do at your best, but how bad you do at your worst.
- Superior pilots use their superior knowledge to avoid situations that require their superior skill
- You won't get hurt if you land in the dirt
GLIDER SWAG
The Soaring Page Store
the-soaring-page.creator-spring.com
Also see the SHOP section
Custom T Shirts & Apparel
Contact Rick Schwemmer
Support this Page
You can support this page with a donation via Venmo to @wfpalmer
Learning/Ground Study
- Sky Sailing Handouts Page Sky Sailing specific procedures §
- This Page's YouTube channel
- YouTube CFIG Playlist: Educational
Ground Schools
- Saint Louis Soaring
- Free Pilot Training youtube channel Airplane based, but good
- Dauntless Aviation Test Prep
- Gliderbooks Academy (Russell Holtz)
- Soaring Society of Boulder video series
- MIT Pvt pilot ground school (airplane centric)
- Also see Knowledge Test section under Test Prep Airspace & Navigation
- Airspace for Glider Pilots:
- Part 1:
Classes A-G video
- Part 2: Special Use Airspace video
- Airspace Quiz
- Airspace diagram
- How to Memorize Airspace in 5 minutes
- How to read a VFR sectional chart
- TRSA Airspace (e.g. Palm Springs)
- VFR flight near noise sensitive areas (AC 91-36D) Aerodynamics & Turning Performance
- Stall Speed?
- We mad a 2-33 Angle of Attack indicator
- The Awesome Power of V² video
- The Magic of V Squared (article)
- What's so special about a 45° bank turn?
- The 5 Undesired Side Effects of a Turn
- Bank angle & performance sheet:pdf | excel
- Glider Flight Optimization for Recreational Pilots
- Aerodynamics Puzzler articles Updated 11/6/24
- Glider Performance Airspeeds (STL Soaring)
- SGS-233 Polar diagram
- Determining glide ratio from polars
- 2-33 Polar Study (excel)
- Glider Polars and Speed-to-Fly Made Easy!
- Speed to Fly in sink proof (excel)
- Glide Ratios (ft/mi & mi/1000')
- Glider wing flutter video
Weight & Balance
- Glider weight and balance video
- Weight and balance formulas
- Weight and balance spreadsheet (2-33, 2-32, 1-26, 1-36, G103)
- Schweizer interactive W&B forms
- Weather
- Aviation Weather Basics
- Weather and Climate lectures
- Reading clouds
- Understanding Atmospheric Stability
- Skew-T Intro Video
- 3 Articles on Skew-T: 1 | 2 | 3
- Using the SkySight Skew-T Cursor
- Adiabatic lapse Rate Charts: Blank | Instructions
- Reading METATRs & TAFs
- Course: Conducting preflight self-briefing for student and VFR pilots
- Thermal Index worksheet
- Trigger Temperature Regulations
- FARs for Glider Pilots: PDF | Interactive (an outline of the important regs to know)Updated 1/6/25
- FAR Quizlet part 1 | Part 2 NEW 4/21/24 Scholarships
- SSA Scholarship list
- Giving Kids Wings Flight Academy Miscellaneous
- ARROW (requied aircraft documents)
- Study Flash Cards by Erik Burrows
- Airport markings and signs
- Webinars on SSA.org (lots of subjects!)
- David Nadler's page (many interesting subjects, motorgliders, FLARM, ADS-B, safety, etc)
- See also FAA Free Resouces tab
Flight Training
- (Checklist use, boxing the wake, slack line, slips to landing, & more)
- 233 Preflight Review
- Schweizer Tow Hook Operation and Inspection
- Glider Checklists
- Checklist card
- Before-takeoff Emergency Plan
- What's the worst thing that can happen and how will I deal with it?
- Decision Making in a Glider Emergency
- Turn Coordination and skidding Local Navigation and Minimum Altitudes
- Construct a Required Altitude Grid
- Warner Springs "Circle Chart"§
- Warner Springs landmarks: Google Earth § Signals
- Standard SSA Signals
- Warner Springs signals review card §
- Warner Springs Tow Card back § Tow
- Glider Launch & Tow (STL Soaring)
- Turning with the Towplane
- Boxing the Wake (article)
- Soft Release
- Boxing the wake
- "Rock off" examples 1 | 2
- Actual Rope break at 100 ft (Aryanna @ Warner Springs)
- 500 Foot Rope Break
- Tow rope presentation
- Tow Pilot Safety and Schweizer Tow Hooks
- Tow Accident report due to glider "kiting"
- Tow release before takeoff
- Double Release Failure - landing on tow
- Warner Springs East Wind Operations Updated 1/7/25 Landing
- Traffic Patterns AC 90-66C
- High or Low, it's 5:2
- Off Field Landings Spins & Spin Training
- Spin video with tufts on wing
- Analysis of an actual Stall Spin
- Spin Training Flight example NEW 12/22/24
- Classic spin due to skidding turn low & slow
- Actual stall spin accident video
- The Most Dangerous Turn in Gliding
- Parachutes Solo NEW 12/20/24
- Pre-Solo knowledge test (A take-home exercise required before solo)
- Solo Notes Talking to ATC
- AIM Radio Communication Phrasology & Techniques
- Live ATC.net (listen to live ATC, select "coverage map" to choose airport)
- Many "Talk to ATC" videos on YouTube (here's a good one)
- ATC light gun signals: video | chart | FAR 91.125 | AIM 4-3-13
- Listen to an AWOS broadcast (760) 767–3308 (Borrego Valley, CA)
- Listen to an ATIS broadcast (619) 449–1228 (Gillespie, San Diego) Condor glider simulator
- Condor Website
- Condor Club (support & landscapes)
- Simulation-based Glider Flight Education
Flying in Lift
-
G Dale Presentation Series
- Part 1 variety of subjects 2:20 run time
- Part 2 mostly thermal subjects 1:40 run time
- Thermals and how to centre within them. NEW 1/1/25
- The interplay between the atmosphere & ridges NEW 1/1/25
-
Driving around in WaveNEW 1/1/25
- Wave & ConvergenceNEW 1/1/25
Thermalling
- Introduction to Thermalling
- How to Thermal 1, 2, 3 method
- Thermalling Basics (nice annimations)
- Thermalling Advanced (nice annimations)
- Flying Further and Faster pt. 1 (page 45-54)
- Finding Thermals
- How to thermal a glider
- Thermalling Etiquate video
- Thermalling Etiquatte rules
- The Art of Thermalling - Bob Wander
- "Cross Country Soaring" Helmut Richmann (pdf) pg 3-
- Circling the Halighaus Way (with a slight slip)
- Sailplane Thermalling Procedures (Soaring Feb 1997)
- When and how to leave lift
- YouTube Thermalling Playlist
- What Glider Pilots see: Wave
- Intro to Wave Soaring video
- G Dale: Wave Flying Lecture :48m run time
- "Cross Country Soaring" Helmut Richmann (pdf) pg 31-
- Warner Springs Wave Flying Videos <
Wave Flying Playlist - California Wave Window Info
- Keith Schwab: High alt. wave presenation | wave soaring notes
- Hydraulic Jump
- Altitude chamber training
Convergence - Soaring in Central CA Using Convergence
- Soaring along a convergence zone
- Convergence Causes ("Air-masses Collide")
- Convergence causes and dangers
- W&W Blog Convergence Line flying Ridge Lift
- Soaring the Ridge
- Understanding Ridge Soaring
- "Don't Smack the Mountain"
- Cross Country Soaring: Slope Soaring
- "Norm's Last Flight"
- That Beautiful Mountain and her Sinister Trap
- Ridge Soaring Briefing (C Badge item) (draft) Mountain Flying
- Safety in Mountain Flying
Wave 
Test Preparation
- Certificate experience requirements
- IACRA Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application Knowledge Test
- Practice FAA Test Questions (PSI exams)
- Practice FAA Test Questions (St Louis Soaring)
- Practice FAA Test Questions (MyWrittenexam.com)
- Dauntless Aviation Test Prep
- ASA test prep books
- ASA PrepWare software
- ASA PrepWare practice tests (offers ASA test signoff)
- Testing Centers & requirements
- Knowledge test graphics supplements
- Knowledge test learning statement codes
- Understanding VORs for Glider Pilots NEW 12/14/24
- VOR Simulator NEW 12/13/24
- Practical Test Standards (PTS) [PVT] [COMM][CFIG]
- Steps to a perfect checkirde (oral & flight)
- Private/Comm Pilot Checkride Made Easy at BobWander.com and PVT|COMM
- Applicant Checklist PVT | COMM
- DMS Template info for the DPE
- DPE Corner
- Certification of Ground Instruction: Private Comm Oral Exam Portion
- Practice Oral Questions
- Commercial Oral Quizlet
- Oral Questions (Cypress Soaring)
- Glider Check Ride Oral Prep Ground School (Soaring Society of Boulder)
- Airspace Quiz
- Planning your first cross country flight
- XC Planning Worksheet
- XC worksheet example Updated 11/25/23
- Sample SGS-233 Assembly Checklist (MS Word)
- 233 Assembly Slideshow Flight Portion
- PTS performance standards (feet, degrees, knots)
- Sample Checkride Scenarios
- Checklist Use on the Practical Test After the Rating
- AC 61-142 Sharing Operating Espenses
Practical Test
General Test InfoPreflight Planning
91.103 Preflight action.
Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight.
- IMSAFE Personal Preflight Health Checklist
- OTC Medication Reference Guide
- NOTAM search
Easy Notam Search video
- Weather
- 1 800 WX Brief.com
- NOAA Aviation Weather
- NOAA Hourly weather forecasts
- San Diego NOAA Soaring Forecast
- Skysight.io subscription weather forecast
Skysight youtube channel - how to
code for 2 months free with annual subscription - SkyVector.com WX, Airmets, TFRs
- XC Skies subscription weather forecast
- Windy.com
- NOAA Skew T soundings
- GEOS West satellite view
- HP Wren webcams
- Dr. Jack Forecasts Airspace
- TFR Graphics (tfr.faa.gov)
- TFR file download for flight computers
- FAA Special Use Airspace (sua.faa.gov)
- on-line sectional charts VFRmap.com
- SOCAL ATC for Gliders Route Planning
- SeeYou.cloud | SeeYou PC software (flight planning and analysis)
- WeGlide.org | WeGlide Magazine | Documentation (How-to, etc)
- GlidePlan.com (Altitude circle plotting PC software)
- Glider Flight Planner (web based altitude circle plotting)
- Soaring Turnpoint Exchange
- Warner Springs turnpoints CUP file
- AirNav.com (airport arrival, departure, and fix location information)
Proficiency and Adding Skills
- Things Every Glider Pilot Must Do At The Beginning Of The Season - Garret Willat
- Wing Runner Course | Sky Sailing Differences §
- (ask about local field differences) WINGS Program
- FAA WINGS Proficiency Program (good way to complete a BFR)
- WINGS User Guide
- WINGS Terminology
EZWings.net (overlay for easy WINGS navigation)
WINGS Glider Activities - BFR knowledge Review (a take home exercise) § Glider Checkout Info
- Transition to Single Seat Gliders Made Easy - Bob Wander ebook
- Pilot Induced Oscillations and Grobs NEW 12/1/24
- G-102 Johnson Report
- G-103 Johnson Report
- SGS 1-26 Briefing notes §
- SGS 1-26E Johnson Report
- 3 Diamonds in a 1-26 (inspriation!)
- SGS 1-36 Briefing notes §
- SGS 1-36 Johnson Report
- Grob 103 Briefing Notes
- Grob 102 Briefing Notes
- Duo Discus Johnson Report
- Duo Discus Sky Sailing briefing § Updated 10/15/23
- Motorglider Certification Winch Launch
- Intro to Winch Launching Video
- Winch Launch in 360° video
- British Gliding Association: Winch Launching Mountain Flying Go to France and learn mountain flying CNVV.net
Badge and Cross Country Soaring
-
Badges
- Badge Soaring Video
- Badge progress record
- Badge Soaring at Warner Springs §
- SSA ABC & Bronze badge requirements
- B & C Badge duration times (excel)
- Bronze Badge study and test
- Bronze Badge study questions (pdf)
- FAI Contest and Badge rules
- SSA Badges page & application (Silver—Diamond)
- Glider Performance Airspeeds
- Paul Remde's Polar Analysis info
- Fly Faster (McCready presentation)
- Speed to Fly Webinar
- McCready Theory Article
- Using the MacCready
- Using a "Safety MacCready"
- Speed to Fly (Soaring Society of Boulder)
- "Cross Country Soaring" Helmut Richmann (pdf) pg 56-
- Wings and Wheels Blog (lots of XC articles)
-
Landouts
- Outlanding Techniques (W&W Blog) Part 1 | Part 2
- Landing Away from the Airport
- Glider Field Landings
- Off Airrport Landings
- Off Field Landings §
- Off field landing example
- Outlanding Compliation
- Actual bailout aftermath presentation
- Warner Springs area landout airports
XC Performance
- Flight Following for Gliders
See Glider Checkout Info for Duo Discus breifing
- Introduction to Cross Country Soaring (SSA)
- SSA Cross-Country Handbook for Pilots
- Air Sailing XC Camp workbook (79 mb zip)
- Hazards of Cross Country Flying (C- Badge item)
- Getting Started in Cross Country at Warner Springs §
- Williams Soaring Center XC Training playlist
- "Cross Country Soaring" Helmut Richmann (pdf)
- Planning your first cross country flight
- XC Planning Worksheet
- Does Soaring Have To Be So Dangerous?
- Soaring Saftey article Read before your first XC!
- Secret Tips from Sebastian Kawa
- Eric Carden's Thermal/XC course lectures YouTube playlist
- Also see route planning section under Preflight Planning
- Intro to XC soaring (recorded webinar)
- How to pee in a glider
- Glider Pilot Pee Systems
See SHOP section for supplies - .
- "The Paths of Soaring Flight" (pdf) quite technical
- Flight Recorders: navITer, LXNav, training
- Intro to Portable Flight Computers
- Oudie Simulator (free download for PCs)
- SeeYou Navigator (IOS/Android)
- LK8000 (Android)
- iGlide (IOS)
- Worldwide Turnpoint Exchange
- SeeYou, (free trial and free versions see here)
- OnlineContest www.onlinecontest.org (free)
- Weglide www.weglide.org
- https://igcviewer.bgaladder.net/
- https://e-logbook.org/
- https://www.soaringlab.eu/viewer.php
Cross Country Training
Communications & Sharing
- Warner Springs Soaring Group § (please join!)
- Soaring the Sky Podcast
- My Episode #88
- AVSC Porch Chat playlist
- Paul Remde's Soaring News Share IGC flight files
- On Line Contest (OLC)- Warner Springs Gliders
- WeGlide | Warner Springs flights §
- SSA WeGlide Subscription
Active Flight Tracking
- PureTrack.io
- WeGlide.org
- Glideport.aero (shows registered GPS trackers)
- GlideandSeek.com
- https://live.glidernet.org (Open Glider Network)
- FlightRadar24.com
- FlightAware.com
Shop
I may receive a commission on the sale of some items below.
- The Soaring Page Store - glider swag!
- Custom T Shirts & Apparel: Contact Rick Schwemmer
- SafeLog e-logobook FREE TRIAL
- Custom stickers and more Sticker Mule $10 off offer
- BlueFly pocket audio vario
- Blue Lizard Sunscreen (doesn't sting eyes)
- Current Los Angles sectional chart
- Sectional Charts
- ASA kneeboard
- Pulse Oximeters
- Fancy Pulse Oximeter with app
- Urine Collection
- BioRelief.com (catheter & bag supply)
- 3/8" inline connectors US Plastic | Cumulus-Soaring
- Urine bags - Restop 1
- Apparel
- Sunday Afternoons Sun Protective hats
- Cooling Shirts (Arctic Cool brand)
- GlideGadgets.com
- Communication
- Handheld VHF radios Yaesu, Icom
- Garmin InReach Satellite Trackers
- SPOT Satellite Trackers
- ZOLEO Satellite Communicator
- Books
- Bob Wander's Made Easy Series
- Soaring: Beyond the Basics Dale Masters
- Understanding Air France 447 (Bill Palmer)
- After Solo by Tom Knauff
- FAA Glider Flying Handbook
- FREE glider books from BGA
- Stores
- Glidersource.com (soaring classifieds)
- Bob Wander's Soaring Books and Supplies
- Cumulus-Soaring, Inc (store and resources)
- wingsandwheels.com (store and sailplane classifieds)
- soaringxx.com/
- McMaster-Carr (wide catalog of supplies, electrical, etc)
Learning from Accidents/Incidents
- Safer Soaring Made Easy
- SSF Flight Safety videos
- NTSB Accident database search
- Millet Software Glider accident database | demo video
- Stall / Spin
- Analysis of an actual Stall Spin
- Tow Accident report due to glider "kiting"
- Stall during landing
- Weather
- Are Dry Microbursts Really An Invisible Trap?
- Invisible Trap Kills Glider Pilot – How To Avoid Microbursts
- Into the Bowel of Darkness (cloud suck story)
- Landing a Sailplane in a Downburst
- EXTREME TURBULENCE While Towing Through Mountain Wave Rotor!
- Other
- What I learned from Landing Gear Up
- Tow Plane Flies Too Slow – Glider Heavy with Water Ballast
- Minden glider / Jet crash
- Outlanding crash (anaysis from Pureglide)
- Flight into IMC near ridge (analysis from Pureglide)
- Pureglide's Incidents and Accidents playlist
- Soaring Saftey article Contest crash anlaysis 1986, David Nadler
Power Pilot Transition
- Transition to Gliders (intro)
- Power Pilot Transition §
- Common Power Pilot Misconceptions
- (Sky Sailing notes)
- Transition to Gliders
- (comprehensive 1.5 hr video - 2nd half is a repeat with no sound)
- Power Pilot's Guide To Soaring, Shain, Murray at BobWander.com
- The Everyday Pilot transitoins to gliders - playlist
Notable Soaring YouTube Channels
- Sky Sailing Instagram
- Soaring Saftety Foundation
- Soaring Society of America Many good webinars there
- SSA Webinar recordings
- Bill Palmer (instructional & Soaring Adventures)
- Soaring Society of Boulder (instructional)
- Antelope Valley Soaring Club (porch chats)
- Eric Carden (instructional)
- The Gliding Spirit (instructional & pretty)
- Zak Yamauchi (California)
- Ben Hirashima (Calif. XC pilot & Instructional)
- Orange Pants (California)
- Igor Volkov (France)
- Rudi's Gliding Adventures
- Pure Glide (wide range of soaring subjects)
- Glide with Tom (Australia)
- The Flyneur - Gliding Stories (France)
- Feyance Soaring (French Alps)
- Stefan Langer (German Racing pilot)
- Juliet Sierra (German female racing pilot)
- Balleka (beautiful soaring videos)
- Cumulus Productions (lots of Condor2 videos)
- Chess in the Air (Soaring tips) blog
- Bruno Vassel (Western USA XC pilot)
- Szybowcem
- SkySight.io (how to use SkySight weather app)
- Free Pilot Training youtube channel Airplane based, but good
- Williams Soaring Center
- History of Soaring in So California
- Let me know of other favorites!
Eye Candy Soaring Videos
- Youtube Soaring Playlist
- Flying So Cal Wave
- To Crystal and the Border
- Avenal Contest with landout
- Pure Epicness - What soaring means to me
- Flying the Convergence Warner Springs
- Warner Springs Wave Day
- Cloud Surfing
- The Flying Reporter experiences gliding
- The Flying Reporter: Riding the Winch
- This is Gliding
- Soaring in the French Alps Low Level Flying at the Beach
- Gliding Lisie 2016
- ASG29 Takeoff and Tow 360° VR
- ASG 29 Landing 360° VR
- Swoop by for a photo op 360° VR
- Ridge Soaring on NoName
- Ridge Soaring on Hot Springs Peak
- Toro Peak Climb (example of ridge soaring until high enough to thermal ) (360° VR version)
- Soaring Movies
- YouTube Soaring Movies playlist
- CloudStreet: Soaring the American West
- The Boy Who Flew with Condors
- Blue Hearts - a film about soaring
- Zulu Romeo -Good Start 1974 World Championships
- Glider documentary "Soaring"
- The Sun Ship Game (trailer)
- Sailplanes and Gliders (1940)
- Riding the Wind (1954)
Soaring Organizations
Glider Ownership & Rental
- Cumulus-Soaring, Inc. Soaring products support and training
- Aviation Safety Reporting System (NASA ASRS) AC 00-46f FLARM
- Flarmnet.org (ID files)
- FLARM.com (firmware | config tool & range analyzer) Ownership
- Tips on Buying a Glider
- Tips on Selling a Glider
- FAA "Plane Sense" New aircraft owner's guide
- Maintenance Aspects of Owning your own Aircraft (FAA)
- Airworthiness Directives (AD) Lookup
(Look under "AD Final Rules", Schweizer gliders are listed under K & L Soaring LLC) - Dynamic Regulatory System (new reg & AD location)
- Preventative Maintenance
- FAR Part 43 - Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, And Alteration
- ADS-B Performance Report Request
- Also see sale, registration, and Airworthiness forrms under Forms tab
- Owner and Renter's Insurance
- Costello Insurance Associates
- AVEMCO Aviation Insurance
-
FAA
- IACRA Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application
- FAA Pilot Records Database
- FAA Aircraft Inquiry
- Aircraft Bill of Sale
- Aircraft Registration Forms
- Airworthiness Certification Portal NASA
- NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) SSA
- SSA Badge and Award Application
- SSA Membership Application
- FAA Aviation Handbooks & Manuals (all)
- Aeronautical Information Manual
- Federal Aviation Regulations parts 61, 91, NTSB part 830
- Dynamic Regulatory System (new reg & AD location)
- Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES)
- Practical Test Standards Books
- Glider Flying Handbooknew edition Updated 12/23/24
- Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
- Aviation Weather (knowledge)
- Aviation Weather Services
- Sectional Chart downloads
- Aeronautical Chart Users Guide
- Airport Facilities Directory (digital chart supplements)
- Risk Managment Handbook Brochures & Handouts
- Aeromedical Safety Brochures
- Oxygen Equipment Use in General Aviaiton (includes PRICE checklist)
CFIG Resources
-
Tools
- Glider Altitude Grid Calculator (google sheet)
- Altitude grid calcualtor with STF factor
- BFR/Flight Review requirements and sample scenario
- Conducting an effective flight review (FAA)
- Renew your CFIG with WINGS
- Solo Flight Restrictions Sheets SSA/SSF
- SSA Instructor Application
- SSA Cross Country Instructor Program
- Cross Country Instructor/SME Application Shop
- Mini Clipboards FAA
- FAA Safety Briefing magazine
- FAA part 61 Q&A
- FAA letter: parachutes for spin training? NEW 1/7/25
- AC 61-97K WINGS Program Updated 11/4/24
- AC 61-65J Certification and endorsements Updated 11/4/24
- AC 61-98E Currency and FR guidance
- SSF Endorsements page
- Aviation Instructor's Handbook
- Power Pilot Txn solo signoff
- Aviation Instructor's Handbook (FOI)
- Glider TSA exemption letter
- FAA FAQ
- CFIG PTS CFIG Training
- FOI Study: Sheppard Air
- Flight Instructor Glider Checkride Made Easy | ebook version
- Tom Shellnut CFI training channel
- Certification of ground training
- CFIG Training Notes§
- Sky Sailing Knowledge Items§
- Sky Sailing Flight Items §
- WS Instructor Standardization§
- Ask about my CFIG Dropbox folder
