Soaring & Cross Country Flying

Ian Grant is an Ottawa-based pilot who has been flying for more than thirty years. Ian's accomplishments include an instructor rating, a FAI Silver badge with two Diamonds and some 600 hours in sailplanes.

An interactive web page taken from a seminar Ian Grant gives during the glider pilot ground school. 

This interactive article covers the basics of soaring practice and technique. It covers the following topics to prepare you not just for your first soaring flights, but also leads you into the basic skills required for your first cross-country flights. 

1. flight preparation

2. thermals and thermalling

3. glider performance and calculations 

4. navigation and airmanship 

4. off-field landings 

5. skill development. (this section includes bibliography and web links)