About Us
Truckee Tahoe Soaring Association (TTSA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is a world-renowned glider port at the Truckee Tahoe Airport in Truckee California. Also known as "Soar Truckee", we offer scenic glider rides, glider flight instruction, and youth STEM education programs, along with tows and other services for the private glider pilot community.
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Our Mission is to advance the science, art, and safety of soaring flight in the Northern California and Nevada regions, with a focus on inspiring our area youth’s interest in STEM, and helping them pursue careers as pilots, scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and in other STEM-related jobs that are needed to help our communities and country prosper.
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Our Vision is to be the preeminent glider training and flight facility in the Northern California/Nevada region.
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Our History
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Soaring has been an organized activity at the Truckee-Tahoe airport since the early 1960s. Back then, various fixed base operators managed glider operations for private glider pilots until Soar Truckee, Inc. was incorporated in the early 1980s. This organization provided glider rides to the public, gave flight instruction, and launched private pilots in their gliders until 2015 when the organization was re-structured as Truckee-Tahoe Soaring Association, and as a 501c3 non-profit organization.
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Our Supporters
We are a grateful recipient of funding and other support from the following organizations:
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Our Board of Directors ->
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As a 501c3 non-profit organization, the dedicated members of our Board of Directors serve without compensation.
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About Soaring
Glider Basics and Flights
Gliders are extremely efficient flying machines without engines. They are elegant, simple, and sleek. Gliders are very quiet, the only noises being the variometer audio, occasional radio chatter, and the gentle whoosh of the wind. Some of them have a motor. You can soar for hours enjoying the peaceful quiet and the beautiful views. You can also challenge yourself on cross-country adventures hundreds of miles out and back to the home airport. You can climb in mountain wave up to 18,000 ft! You can even do aerobatics.
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​Glider Flying Costs are Lower
Costs are a fraction of flying powered aircraft. There are many clubs that offer access to gliders through memberships at very reasonable rates once you are certified. Certification is also much faster, requiring just 10 hours of solo flight compared to 40 in powered aircraft. It is also an ideal entry into flight for kids 12 years old and up, able to solo at 14 and earn their FAA license at 16. Do you have or know somebody who has a young soul who might become a good pilot?
Glider Flying is Special
Glider flying – aka Soaring is about being viscerally connected to the aircraft in a full mind and body experience. You will engage all STEM disciplines, learn precision flying and feel the air. You will learn the sixth sense of seeing rising air. Soaring is freedom: learn to create your own flight moment by moment.
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Click Here to read a great article by Bold Method on Glider Flying!
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Did you know that astronaut Neil Armstrong was a Glider Pilot?
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