Visiting Glider Pilots

The SGC welcomes expeditions and individuals from other clubs in both the UK and overseas. Many clubs bring expeditions of relatively low hours pilots in order to take advantage of our extensive ridge soaring with the large airfield at the bottom of the ridges. Others come in search of wave for both height gains and cross country. Our position in the lee of the large mountains means that early wave cross country tasks can be planned away from the difficult landing terrain of the mountains. One or two of the more experienced pilots come to try their hand at thermal flying in the mountains. Again, our position allows them to tip toe into the mountains and build their experience and confidence in relative safety.

Facilities

We have winch launching available 7 days a week from 09:00 to 17:00. Launching outwith these hours or by aerotow may be available by special arrangement, but is not guaranteed. We have a large trailer park capable of accommodating visiting gliders and are generally able to offer limited availability of club aircraft to suitably qualified pilots (on a flying list basis), but cannot offer exclusive use.

Booking

It is essential that visitors make a booking with the club office prior to their visit. At busy periods, we limit the number of visiting aircraft in order to avoid excessive queues at the launch point.
Booking requests should give details of:

Names of all pilots together with contact details and email addresses
Pilot qualifications
Details of aircraft to be brought by each pilot and club aircraft to be brought by the expedition.
Any instructor wishing to instruct whilst at Portmoak

Pilot Supervision

Club expeditions will need to bring sufficient instructors to supervise their own pilots. Any pilot who has not flown at Portmoak before will require a site check with an SGC instructor or with one of their own instructors who has been previously approved by the SGC CFI.
Where a club brings its own club aircraft, the visiting club will be responsible for providing adequate supervision of their club aircraft and pilots. Individuals arriving on their own are advised to ensure that they arrive in time to obtain a site check during the first weekend of their visit in order to ensure that they will be permitted to fly their own (or club) aircraft during the following week.

Pilot Experience

Please note:

All visiting pilots must show the duty instructor their log book and medical certificate as well as proof of their gliding qualifications before flying. The duty instructor shall sign the log book to confirm this has been done. No exceptions will be made.
In order to ensure adequate supervision of flying, the SGC does not permit pilots of less than Bronze standard plus 50 hours P1 to fly privately owned (syndicate) aircraft.
The minimum qualification to fly the SGC single seat aircraft is

SZD Junior - Approval of an SGC instructor
Discus - Silver Badge and 100 hours P1

There is no hangar space available for visiting aircraft at Portmoak