Gliding is an exciting and rewarding sport for people from 14 to 85, male and female. It is very affordable and not just a sport for the rich and privileged alone. Flying in gliders is not at all like flying in commercial airliners. When gliding you're part of your surroundings, not just a passenger. It's "seat of the pants" flying, rather like that enjoyed by pioneer aviators. Flying a glider well depends on your aptitude, skill and judgment, coupled with a thorough training. At the Fun Country Soaring Club we specialize in training pilots at all levels from beginners to advanced cross-country soaring.

Learn to fly for a total beginner: Fun Country Soaring provides a FAA certificated instructor who will develop your knowledge base and flight proficiency in the classroom and in a two-place glider to prepare you for solo flight and then to pass the FAA written and flight examinations. Our 5 instructors have many years experience working with people who have no flying experience and preparing safe, certificated pilots.

If you have a power aircraft license, you can be recommended for your glider certificate after as few as 10 flights, without a second written test. It's worth noting that obtaining a glider license is an acceptable substitute for your biennial flight review, and most pilots feel glider experience improves their power flying.

Expect approximately:
10 hours in the classroom, less if you study at home
30 to 50 flights to get to the solo stage
24 flights to prepare you for the FAA flight exam.

At the solo stage you will be flying on your own,developing skills you need for all your later flying. After you pass the flight exam you will be qualified to take friends up in the glider and show them the sites of Wellington from one of our high performance gliders, or to transition into a single-place glider and begin preparing for the next stage of your flying experience: cross-country flight away from the vicinity of the airport.