Wanting to start a new glider club

On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 4:56:24 PM UTC-4, John Foster wrote:
Hi everyone

I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!! Unfortunately, the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area that looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of mountains facing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer. We have an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of the mountains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his "glider ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have expressed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently stands, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked to) in the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go about doing this?

Excellent idea on forming a new club! My friend and fellow glider pilot did just that about 16 months ago and things have exceeded our expectations. The winch idea may be the way to go, it all depends on your location and airport facilities.
The tow plane may be more readily available than you might think. Try working out a tow contract or agreement with a local power pilot that may have a plane suitable for towing. You may find people willing to buy gliders and lease them back to the club. That is exactly what we did here in Vero Beach,Florida.
We may just be the fastest growing club in the country and we have big plans for the future. Check us out at Treasure Coast Soaring, and good luck on forming a new club. Bob

Lethbridge Soaring Club operates most decent Saturdays out of Cowley
Alberta
with a Roman winch. Great winch, but after sale support thin.

lethbridgesoaring.ca

Check with us and come up for a Saturday. We also have flying weeks which
might justify the drive from Ronan. We are adding instructors and hope to
offer
more flying days during the week.

Unfortunately this year the field is still under so much snow we haven't
even
been able to get to the hangar (built two years ago).

We know all about starting a glider club.

On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 1:56:24 PM UTC-7, John Foster wrote:
Hi everyone

I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!! Unfortunately, the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area that looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of mountains facing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer. We have an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of the mountains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his "glider ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have expressed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently stands, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked to) in the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go about doing this?

On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 1:56:24 PM UTC-7, John Foster wrote:
Hi everyone

I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!! Unfortunately, the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area that looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of mountains facing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer. We have an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of the mountains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his "glider ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have expressed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently stands, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked to) in the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go about doing this?

I'd fly my Lake 12 over from Spokane if you get a tow plane going there.

On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 2:56:24 PM UTC-6, John Foster wrote:
Hi everyone

I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!! Unfortunately, the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area that looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of mountains facing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer. We have an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of the mountains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his "glider ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have expressed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently stands, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked to) in the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go about doing this?



Hello John. I just learned about you from friends in Colorado today. While we are not a formal club, Big Sky Soaring is a small but active group of glider pilots, tow pilots and instructors operating here in Bozeman. We train in a 2-33 and a Duo Discus out of Bozeman and Three Forks Airports. We tow with a 260 Pawnee and we also winch launch on weekends at the Three Forks Airport with a winch that I designed and built. The winch has been highly successful. I designed and built it and would be happy to assist you in building a winch. Bottom line is that we as a group would be very happy to assist you get started. We can provide instruction for gliding, Tow pilot check outs, mountain flying and Winch launching at both ends of the rope. We train pilots for ridge and wave soaring on the Bridger Mountains. I am a glider DPE for all glider ratings including initial CFI. Check us out facebook.com/soaringbozeman/

If interested I can tell you the history of the club Kalispell club and the operation that was in Hamilton.

On Monday, April 30, 2018 at 10:16:53 PM UTC-6, wrote:
On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 2:56:24 PM UTC-6, John Foster wrote:
Hi everyone

I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!! Unfortunately, the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area that looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of mountains facing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer. We have an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of the mountains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his "glider ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have expressed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently stands, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked to) in the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go about doing this?



Hello John. I just learned about you from friends in Colorado today. While we are not a formal club, Big Sky Soaring is a small but active group of glider pilots, tow pilots and instructors operating here in Bozeman. We train in a 2-33 and a Duo Discus out of Bozeman and Three Forks Airports. We tow with a 260 Pawnee and we also winch launch on weekends at the Three Forks Airport with a winch that I designed and built. The winch has been highly successful. I designed and built it and would be happy to assist you in building a winch. Bottom line is that we as a group would be very happy to assist you get started. We can provide instruction for gliding, Tow pilot check outs, mountain flying and Winch launching at both ends of the rope. We train pilots for ridge and wave soaring on the Bridger Mountains. I am a glider DPE for all glider ratings including initial CFI. Check us out facebook..com/soaringbozeman/

If interested I can tell you the history of the club Kalispell club and the operation that was in Hamilton.

Thanks Greg. I have chatted some with Ursula but will definitely be talking with you guys in the future. I'm hoping to get my checkride later this summer, so will need to come for a "visit" for that at the very least. I'm definitely interested in getting some training in mountain flying before attempting to fly here in the Mission Valley, and getting signed off on winch launching is also on the list. Thanks.

JF, have you checked with SSA or AOPA on methods to start a flying club? I am members of both, both have some basic guidelines on setting up your situation.

I think talking to locals/other sites not competing with you are a good start.
SSA and AOPA may have more legal info.

Good luck on your endeavor, hope it works out.

I used to fly at a commercial operation in SE NY, it became a club, thus I have seen some of that side.

On Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 12:39:15 PM UTC-6, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
JF, have you checked with SSA or AOPA on methods to start a flying club? I am members of both, both have some basic guidelines on setting up your situation.

I think talking to locals/other sites not competing with you are a good start.
SSA and AOPA may have more legal info.

Good luck on your endeavor, hope it works out.

I used to fly at a commercial operation in SE NY, it became a club, thus I have seen some of that side.

I've had a couple of conversations with John, one on behalf of the SSA. I've actually been working on an SSA project for AOPA for their club map. The info they wanted/needed involved some additional digging and visiting many chapter web sites. I own John more info.

Perhaps he and Greg can get a glider and winch on a 'barnstorming' visit to his location to generate interest and as a proof of concept for the location. Might help generate some interest.

Jim Callaway also reached out John. Jim and friends started the Hamilton Soaring Club, which may be a good model for a small community.

Frank Whiteley

On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 4:56:24 PM UTC-4, John Foster wrote:
Hi everyone

I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!! Unfortunately, the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area that looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of mountains facing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer. We have an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of the mountains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his "glider ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have expressed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently stands, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked to) in the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go about doing this?

Start with one tow pilot, one tow plane, and one glider. Start towing at your field and like, "field of dreams", they will come unless your GP is a sinkhole!

On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 4:56:24 PM UTC-4, John Foster wrote:
Hi everyone

I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!! Unfortunately, the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area that looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of mountains facing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer. We have an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of the mountains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his "glider ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have expressed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently stands, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked to) in the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go about doing this?

I have been reading all the ideas coming from the gallery and people are getting real creative these days. Two years ago myself and another got together in a hangar and said that we were going to start a glider club. We did exactly that, please read July 2018 Soaring magazine and you will get a few of the details. Today we are approaching 80 members, more are showing up almost every weekend to see the activity and X52.
Let me make a few suggestions, #1 you do not need fancy gliders to start, #2 build it and they will come! We started with a couple of members who made an investment in equipment and leased it back to the club. Our initial package was one tow plane and two gliders. Our primary trainer was the 233, the next ship was a 1-26. I bought a Pawnee to get us going and since that time our growth and additional gliders has been steady.
We just completed our second year and we surpassed the 1000 tow mark for the year, not bad!
You will need help, this is not a one person gig. Make sure you start off right, and try to avoid the roadblocks along the way, trust me, there will be plenty. Remember, you are not a commercial operation, clubs are different.. Don't be surprised if I show up there and become a member, Florida is getting too hot during the summer for this weathered old guy.