New Pilots
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Pilots with Other Ratings
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How lessons work at NCSA
First Lesson
Come out for an introductory lesson. You'll take the controls and see what flying a glider is like. Email norcalsoaring@gmail.com to schedule your introductory lesson. Additional Lessons If you liked the first, we recommend joining as a trial member for several more. See our Membership page for details. You'll be back in the airplane and start to feel a little more oriented. From here each student will progress at their own rate and instructors will determine each student's progress. Instructors have the final say for what their student is ready for next. Schedule Additional Lessons (members and trial members only)
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Post-Solo
Flying solo is just one step on the way to becoming a pilot. There is a lot to learn still. You'll fly solo more building confidence and situational awareness, but will be flying with instructors a lot as well. Instructors will want to see your flying becoming more precise, and will also challenge you with new situations you haven't yet seen.
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Final Exam, Getting Your License
The final step in getting an airplane license or rating is called a "check ride." To get here you'll need to demonstrate consistent precision in your flying both solo and with instructors, have the knowledge, awareness, and confidence to act as the pilot in command (PIC) when planning, pre-flighting the airplane, briefing passengers (your instructors), and all phases of flight. Instructors will only move a student pilot to this step when the student pilot begins acting, and performing, like a licensed pilot.
Your exam will be with a FAA "designated pilot examiner" (DPE). This will be several flights, and two or three hours of spoken/oral tests. It's challenging, but when you are ready for this it will be easy! |
Post-License
Now the fun really begins! You have a lot to learn by experience now. The fresh pilot is humble, safe, and consults knowledgeable people in the glider community about any new type of flight they are thinking about. With your new skills, NCSA's airplanes, and the NorCal glider community you can start doing great soaring flights out of Byron and our mountain sites.
Most pilots spend a season or a few staying local to the airport they started from, and then transition to flying cross country hopping from airport to airport! |
Schedule an Intro Lesson!
Email us at norcalsoaring@gmail.com