Soaring Society of America National Convention, Feb 10-12 Ontario,CA

Ontario, CA -- By choice rather than bad weather or negative action
taken by the FAA or TSA, over one thousand glider pilots will be
grounded in Ontario on February 10 – 12, 2005. They will be attending
the annual national convention of the Soaring Society of America, open
to the public from 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Ontario Convention Center.

Of special note is the Saturday evening Awards Banquet, featuring
keynote speaker Mike Melvill, pilot of SpaceShipOne. This dinner is open
to all with separate advanced ticket purchase.

The convention features indoor static displays of approximately 30 of
the most advanced sailplanes and motorgliders. Additionally, historic
sailplanes will show the development of soaring over decades, and a
two-seat sailplane modified as a computer flight simulator will be
available for all to “fly.”

Speakers include luminaries such as aerodynamics visionary Paul
MacCready and Russell Lee, curator of the Smithsonian National Air and
Space Museum. Presentations will cover topics of general interest to all
pilots, such as pre-flight weather analysis, flight training, aviation
safety, and restoration of bald eagles to the Channel Islands.
Soaring-specific subjects such as use of GPS displays and in-cockpit
computer glide calculators will also be presented.

Southern California boasts some of the best soaring weather in the U.S.
Power pilots find adding a glider rating is easy, fun, and renews their
BFR. Learing to soar improves understanding of micro-weather, and
sharply hones landing skills. A medical certificate is not required to
fly a glider, a motorglider is considered a glider by the FAA, and
adding a glider rating renews your BFR.

For detailed information regarding the Soaring Society of America
National Convention and to purchase tickets, visit
www.ssa.org/convention or call 505-392-1177.