Step 1: Going solo

Step 2: The written GLIDE examination

Step 3: The glider pilot’s license

Some MSC pilots can fly for more than 8 hours at a time without landing, and cover more than 500 kilometres! Soaring is an exciting stimulating sport, open to all.

Please follow this link to the excellent "What is soaring" presentation from our friends at the York Soaring Club

How can a glider stay in the air without a motor?
A glider is always sinking slowly towards the ground at its designed rate of descent. To stay in the air we have to find rising air currents, called thermals, and stay within them. If the upward force from the thermals is stronger than the descent rate of the glider, the glider will gain altitude. By flying from one thermal to another it is possible to stay in the air for hours and to cover hundreds of kilometres.

How do glider pilots find thermals?
All gliders have an instrument called a variometer; sometimes they have two. These instruments show the pilot how quickly the glider is ascending or descending relative to the surrounding air mass. These instruments are very sensitive and can indicate tiny variations in the vertical ascent or descent rate of the glider.

Also the glider pilot can get a good idea of where the thermals are by observing the clouds or the nature of the ground below. An experienced pilot can therefore find thermals more easily than a beginner.

Two-place gliders have a tandem configuration with one seat behind the other. The pilot in command sits in the rear seat which allows him to observe you and you sit in the front seat which gives you the best visibility and facilitates instruction. All the controls and instruments are duplicated for the two seats.

During the flight the pilot will explain how to keep track of where the airfield is with reference to points on the ground. The pilot will also show you how the controls work. At a satisfactory altitude, if you like and with the agreement of the pilot, you can try the controls for yourself to better understand how they work. But the pilot in command can take back control of the glider at any time to make sure that the flight is carried out safely.

The duration of an introductory flight is usually 20-25 minutes, depending on conditions, and the maximum duration is fixed at 30 minutes. Come and try it!


How much is an introductory flight?
An introductory flight costs only $99 including tax. If you’d like to do more than one flight on the same day, additional flights cost only $87.45. You can also benefit from our 5-flight instructional package which costs only $380. These flights can be taken any time during the year. Soaring is accessible to everyone – come and try it!

Consult the Membership Rates page for more details and for the most current fee schedule.

Check our road map to find your best route.


What should I bring for my introductory flight?
You don’t need to bring anything special. We do suggest that you wear sunglasses and a hat to protect you from the sun. Sunscreen is essential, because the canopy doesn’t protect you from the sun’s rays. Bring along a camera if you want to take some great souvenir pictures of your introductory flight!

When a member has gained the required skill and has obtained the required up-to-date documents (medical certificate, student glider pilot’s license, radio license) then a Class 1 instructor can authorize her to fly her first solo.

Instruction is carried out according to the standards set by the Canadian Department of Transport and the Canadian Soaring Association. Following are the steps that lead to obtaining a glider pilot’s license.



Step 1 – Going solo
The first step starts with flying together with an instructor until such time as the instructor judges that you are capable of safely flying solo. The length of this dual-instruction stage varies from one person to another. It may take 30 to 50 flights for new student pilots, depending on how frequently they fly, or 10 to 20 flights for licensed power pilots, depending on their level of experience.

You must have your student pilot’s license to be able to carry out solo training in a glider. During this period you must be under the supervision of a glider instructor and you cannot carry a passenger.

To fly solo, you must:

· be 14 years of age or more
· successfully complete the PSTAR theory exam with a score of 90% or better
· successfully pass a pre-solo flight test
· have a student pilot’s license

The holder of a valid power pilot’s license, private or commercial, has the privileges of a student glider pilot, and is subject to the same restrictions as a student glider pilot. To fly solo however, a power pilot is only required to pass the pre-solo flight test.
To obtain a student pilot’s permit, you must submit the following documents in triplicate to an authorized person of the MSC.

· Proof of citizenship and age (copy of passport, birth or baptismal certificate)
· Results of the PSTAR exam showing a result of 90% or better
· Medical permit, Class 4 or better
· Attestation, submitted by an authorized person.


Step 2 – The written GLIDE exam
The second step towards becoming a glider pilot consists of passing the GLIDE exam, which is set by Transport Canada. To write the exam, you must arrange a time with Transport Canada Dorval at 514-633-3863.

To write this exam you must:

· Have followed a theoretical course of at least 15 hours. This ground-school course is given by the club every fall
· Have successfully carried out at least 10 solo flights representing a minimum of one hour total solo time.
· The cost for the exam is $105, and the required pass level is 60%
· Present a letter of recommendation from the Chief Flying Instructor of the Club, authorizing you to write the GLIDE exam.


Step 3 – Obtaining a glider pilot’s license
Once these two first steps are complete (note that power pilots are exempt from steps 1 and 2), the next task is to pass a flight test to the satisfaction of a Class 1 instructor at our Hawkesbury Airfield.

Requirements to obtain a glider pilot’s license

· Be 16 years of age or older.
· Have carried out more than 6 hours of flight (3 hours for a licensed power pilot) including 20 solo flights and 2 hours solo flying time.
· Have passed the flight test (see the procedure above).
· Have passed Transport Canada’s GLIDE exam.

All that’s left is the paperwork! To obtain your glider pilot’s license you must now submit the following documents in triplicate to the authorized MSC person:

· A letter showing that you have passed Transport Canada’s GLIDE exam (power pilots are exempt from this requirement).
· A photocopy of all the pages of your log book.
· An attestation in your log book by a Class 1 instructor of your having passed the required flight test, together with the Club’s stamp.
· Certification of the hours and flights in your log book by an instructor, together with the Club’s stamp
· A letter signed by the Chief Flying Instructor attesting that you have the required skill and competence for the license.
· A cheque or money order for $55 payable to the Receiver General of Canada
· Completed forms required to obtain the license, which are submitted by the authorized person of the Club