Editor Note - With schools quickly getting fired up again in some form or another, I thought it might be nice for our readers to read a traditional summer essay written by a newly minted CFI-G who is currently going to college, and represents the future of our sport.  Soaring is not dead, folks, it is simply going through a handoff from the baby boomers being the old heads and mentoring Generation X to Generation X being the old heads and mentoring Millennials.  In some cases, such as Davids, the Millennials are well on their way to taking up the next generation, as well as previous ones under their wings to teach our sport.  And time marches on… -Mitch

Summer Soaring Adventures:  The Plan

My summer of soaring actually started back in January when I got a call from Garret Willet asking me if I wanted to come out to California and work for him as a flying instructor. I replied without hesitation “YES!” However, there was only one problem, at that time I did not actually have my CFI-G. I did not hear much from him after that conversation and for a while knew little about the logistics of the summer ahead. In the following months, I became slightly overwhelmed with my school work, and I, unfortunately, had to put my extracurricular activities on the back burner. The end of my semester was just the beginning of my learning. I wasted no time studying for my CFI-G written exams and took them both in back to back days and by mid-May, I had both the tests passed and was preparing for my check ride. Not wanting to spend any more of my time in New York I packed my car and drove all the way across the county to Warner Springs CA, where I had my check ride scheduled for June 5th. My first day at Skysailing was not spent giving instruction or taking up rides but removing and replacing the siding on their office building! “Come to California they said, there will be thermals to 15k they said,” I say to myself as I’m working the 105-degree heat. My time as a construction worker was short-lived, as soon as I got my rating it was go, go, go from there.

Time to get to Work!

Over the course of the whole summer (June 1st- August 7th), I acquired 170hours and two ratings, my CFIG, and my PPL. There were some days where I spent 8 hrs instructing and then drove an hour to the airport to take powered lessons. With 170 hrs of flight time, I made plenty of memories, learned a lot and developed my skills as a glider pilot. Among my favorite memories include soloing my first student, using oxygen for the first time, flying gliders that I had not flown before, and the best part for me was my job! Teaching people how to fly was far more personally gratifying than I would have ever thought. Sharing my passion for others that are just as passionate is a truly incredible thing. My favorite days this summer was when I was able to take multiple students up for several hours. There was one day where the ridge was working and I took three students up for 2 hours each and taught them how to ridge soar. On a completely different day, I took three different students up for two hours each and taught them how to thermal soar. During that day I took a 2-33 to 12,500 feet (higher than I would have ever dreamed I would EVER take a 2-33) while at cloudbase I had my student snatch open the canopy letting the cool air in, and showing the student that a canopy coming un-latched was no big deal… That feeling of flying that glider that high was euphoric. And then we spoilered down and I did it again with my next student. For all of the instruction, I did I made sure to get in some cross countries in as well.

Going Cross Country and Improving Racing Skills

I was fortunate enough that there was no shortage of racing gliders that I was allowed to fly. The one I spent the most time in was JP, Boyd Willets Discus A. Cross country soaring out of Warner is remarkably tricky if you are unfamiliar with the area. If one stays on the convergence line it is the most ridiculous soaring that I have ever experienced, however, if you fall off of it down ya go. I learned this lesson the hard way, on one of my flights I made my turn and was at 11,000 feet, higher than I had previously ever been, from that peak was a 25-mile dead glide to a farm field. It was a good field and no damage, other than to my ego! The two people I was flying with that day both made it back home because there were just 5 miles to the East. I did not have and crazy long-distance flights however I was able to break my own altitude record a handful of times, with my current best-being 15,204ft! 

Building Our Future Continues

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I was given this summer and will forever be happy that I said yes, and did what I had to do to make it work. My summer of soaring has provided me with life long memories, lessons, and friends

David McMaster is 20 years old, and started flying gliders at the ripe old age of 13. He holds a CFI-G and PPL Single Engine Land. He attends Ohio State University where he is an Air Transportation major. David had 452 hours of flight time under his belt and has competed in three contests. As a proud product of Harris Hill soaring, David hopes to compete on a future U.S, Junior Soaring team.