After climbing several thousand feet above the valley below, you begin a straight glide towards your destination many miles ahead. You will not have to circle again for 15 miles. Then, you begin yet another graceful climb followed by another long glide. This is the sport of cross country soaring. The primary mission of the Penn State Soaring Club is to provide quality flight instruction at the lowest possible cost.
Membership is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and immediate family members.
We are an active flying club that promotes primary flight instruction, advanced cross country training, FAI badge attempts as well as competition flying. We fly out of Ridge Soaring Gliderport which is well known because of the many State, National, and World records set there. Located next to the Bald Eagle Ridge, Ridge Soaring provides us with outstanding soaring conditions including Thermal, Ridge, and Wave. It is possible to complete all the FAI badges from this one location, including Diamond Altitude without needing to exceed 18,000 feet. Training Some information about our training program.