Aim Higher with Soaring Coaching
The guidance published on this webpage is designed to support those at clubs who are involved in helping with the coaching and development of soaring pilots, as well as individual pilots who want to learn more about soaring.
Soaring Coaching?
Once a glider pilot has been taught to fly and having completed the theoretical knowledge and practical flying assessments to become a licensed pilot (SPL), there is an enormous amount of soaring and other gliding opportunity ahead. Most people are involved in gliding because of soaring aspirations.
SPL holders continue to develop their soaring skills and experience in two ways. The first is through self-learning. The second is through being shown how. Both pre-suppose that the qualified pilot is aware of the opportunities, how he or she might want to develop as a pilot, and how to get there. Coaching can be transformational.
A soaring coach – the term is used deliberately – can provide the support, guidance and practical help needed by qualified glider pilots who wish to progress in the sport. This can be as straightforward as chatting through the opportunities and helping a pilot to decide what they want to achieve. And it can get a bit more complicated when a coach gets airborne with a qualified pilot to encourage and help the pilot to develop soaring and cross-country skills.
Does a soaring coach need to be an instructor?
Helping an SPL holder to improve their own soaring technique and skills is best carried out by highly experienced and current soaring and cross-country pilots who have the personal attributes that can support another pilot. Whilst it can obviously be helpful if a coach holds an instructor rating, an instructor rating is not required to coach a qualified pilot to improve their soaring techniques. Clearly any instruction for flight training, recency purposes or additional pilot qualifications, eg for aerobatics or cloud flying, does require an appropriately qualified instructor.
Does a soaring coach need to be formally qualified?
In a club environment, where club members engage with club activities in good faith, it is reasonable if the CFI locally approves soaring coaches who he or she deems suitably qualified and experienced. Where the coach is not an instructor, it needs to be agreed before flight who is pilot in command and the other pilot needs to be appointed as crew by the pilot in command. See Part SAO.GEN.135 and the associated AMC and GM which must be read by pilot in command and crew.
There must be no doubt before take-off about who is the pilot in command and therefore responsible for the safe conduct of the flight and the safety of the other pilot. In-flight decision making and out-landings are key considerations.
Risk management is a key consideration when carrying out soaring coaching. There are traps when two qualified pilots are flying together that can be managed if they are thought through before getting airborne. BGA guidance on two pilots flying together is available in the BGA publication Managing Flying Risk.
What medical certificate is needed by a soaring coach?
The medical requirement on the pilot in command is the same as that required for solo flight.
What about insurance?
Expert guidance should be sought on the level of insurance cover for gliders used for soaring coaching. Some clubs have increased their second seat liability cover beyond the minimum required by the BGA.
Where can a soaring coach learn more?
There are several good resources available including books by a number of gliding coaches including G Dale and Bernard Eckey, as well as numerous online publications provided by the English language national gliding associations websites. The BGA intends to develop specific resources for soaring coaching. There are a number of existing resources here.
Promoting your clubs soaring coaching activity!
Why not ask your club PR person to list any coaching opportunities open to members of other clubs on your club’s own BGA website page and send the details to the BGA office? We can help you to promote your activity.
More soaring information
Have a look at our Soaring & Cross-Country webpage