We teach the fundamentals: true “stick and rudder” flying skills, critical thinking, situational awareness, judgment, discipline and the understanding of winds and weather that are applicable in both gliding and powered airplanes. Instructional flights are conducted by our highly experienced, FAA-certified flight instructors in two-seat gliders (one ASK-21, two PW-6s and two SGS 2-33s). Advanced, qualified students may also fly in our newly-restored SGS 1-26.

Each camper receives ten instructional flights and daily ground school sessions over the course of a week. Topics include aerodynamics, airspace, FAA regulations, glider/aircraft components, launch and recovery procedures, glider maneuvers, weight and balance, weather, soaring techniques and aviation career options. All flights are logged as instruction and count towards total flight time for the FAA.

Due to our location in the Mad River Valley and depending on the weather, on any given day students could experience any of the three forms of soaring lift – thermal, ridge and mountain wave (or in some cases, all three!)

When not flying, the campers are helping run the ground operations, launching and recovering gliders, tracking flights in the day sheet log, receiving formal and informal ground instruction and hanging out with each other.

As available, the group will take an off-site, aviation-related outing. Previous trips have been to visit Burlington International Airport (BVT) for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Tower and Approach Control Facility and to BETA Technologies to fly their VTOL simulator.