A unique adventure is available to qualified Cadets in the MNWG Flight Academy with the sailplane, or "glider" as it is erroneously called. Gliding is the original form of flying through history, from Ikarus to the Wright Brothers, although today's sailplanes are of significantly higher performance!

The main difference between then and now is that a Glider was just that! A contraption consisting of a frame work fuselage, a wing and a tail. The glider was pulled up a hill, turned around and launched by 10-12 stalwarts pulling on two bungee cords by running downhill! They were simply gliding down hill and had a glide ration of maybe 8:1. .

A modern sailplane looks like something sculpted out of ice and then put in a wind tunnel blowing hot air! Very smooth and very graceful! Today's state-of-the-art high performance sailplanes have a glide ratio of 60:1 with up to 75 feet wing span. A modern 15 Meter, or racing class, sailplane has a wing span of 45 feet and is capable of speeds up to 170 Knots (195 MPH) and a glide ratio of 1:45.

From a learning standpoint, the glider pilot obviously does not need to spend any time training on the use of an engine, nor is there much use for electronic navigation in a glider. An area where the student spend much time is with meteorology in general and micro meteorology in particular. The ability to "read the weather" is crucial for a budding glider pilot, if he or she intends to do any cross country flying.

A typical student will need between 20 and 25 flights with an instructor before flying solo. The minimum requirement for the private license is 10 hours and at least 20 flights, however, a typical student usually have at least 40 flights before the instructor is ready to "sign off” the student for a FAA check flight.

Flying a 'glider' requires essentially the same learning and skills as those required to fly a "power" air plane. Because of the much slower stall and landing speeds, together with a wider range of glide path control, a glider is considerably safer then a power plane. The FAA allows 14 year olds to solo a glider, CAP is somewhat more restrictive in this area, with a minimum number of 30 flights before Solo. A glider student can obtain his or her Private Pilot license at the age of 16.

The glider stays aloft with help from Mother Nature through:

1) convective heat that create updrafts or "thermals" generated by the sun,

2) ridge soaring made possible by winds hitting a mountain ridge perpendicularly and

3) wave soaring crated by high winds hitting a high mountain, creating a "standing wave" phenomena.

Years ago there was a small glider operation in MNWG, but that glider is long since gone! The present program was started late summer 1996 in cooperation with two of the local SSA clubs. Because of our early interest and entry into the CAP/SSA venture we received our new glider, a "Super Blanik" L-23 in April 2000.

Our objectives for the first couple of years was to build up a staff of instructors, install and obtain FAA approval for a tow kit in our tow plane and building up interest and awareness through various displays and orientation programs. This was all accomplished; in fact we now have two tow planes and have an approved request in to NHQ for a second glider. We also have a “member supplied” single seater for the exclusive use of our students.

Two other early objectives were to significantly increase our flight numbers for the cadet orientation program and to help our cadet students to obtain their Private glider rating.  Both of these objectives have been met through 5 successful years of our summer glider flying program at Redwing and the MNWG Flight Academies .

In 2001 we flew 195 flights followed by 747 in 2003, and since then in the 900+ range through 2006.

Planning for the 2008 MNWG Flight Academy is well under way and we will again have 15 students, 5 instructors, 5 gliders, 3 tow planes and tow pilots, as well as a dedicated glider line crew of 4.

Lt Col Roger Brogren, 
MN Wing Glider Operations