ABOUT OUR CLUB?
Central Coast Soaring Club was founded in 1981; The Club prides itself on its safe and friendly culture.
Gliding is a team sport and the joining the Club means that you are willing to support each other with flying activities as well as help out with ground related activities (maintaining equipment, mowing, handyman type tasks
Whether you have an interest in enjoying our Air Experience Flights or becoming a fully qualified glider pilot CCSC can accommodate your needs. The club also conducts camp getaways usually every year and these locations can include Gloucester NSW, Lake Keepit or Hunter Valley.
WHAT MEMBERS DO?
The Club is a registered non profit association run by a Committee elected by the Members.
Members join the club for lots of reason. What we all have in common is a passion for aviation, an enjoyment of the outdoors, the desire to be in a community and the willingness to volunteer.
A typical flying day:
Members arrive from about 0830 on flying days, to assist in preparing aircraft for flying, checking out the winch equipment and vehicles and doing a safety briefing.
Flying will commenc at about 1030 continue throughout the day finishing before sunset.
Members help by manning ground equipment, towing gliders to the launch point, signalling for launches and assisting in moving aircraft onto the launch grid. Members take turns at flying in the Club gliders and when it is your turn other Club Members will help you get launched.
The Club has a relentless focus on safety. Both on the ground as well as in the air. All flying is conducted under the supervision of accredited Instructors. The Club is overseen by Gliding Australia and all aspects of the operation are subject to safety audits.
Flying members: These may be our student pilots who are learning learn to fly under instruction, More advanced pilots will fly solo and on a good soaring day will disappear from the club for hours.
Instructors: These are pilots who usually have long experience of flying gliders (and also in some cases power aircraft) and who have attended training courses provided by Gliding Australia to reach the required standard to training other pilots.
Winch Drivers: An important function is launching our gliders which is done by a winch. Once members have reached a suitable amount of experience, they may become accredited as winch drivers.
Cable retrieve drivers: The launch cable needs to be pulled back from the winch after each launch ready for the next one. All members are expected to become accredited for this function,
Hook up, lookout and wing running for launches: This is an important task requiring the wing runner to ensure the glider is properly hooked on to the launch cable before launch and, most importantly, ascertaining that the surrounding airspace is visibly clear before a launcg takes place.
Pushing and towing gliders around: Gliders have to be towed to the launch point, requiring a car driver and wing runner.
Maintenance: The club relies on members to maintain and look after our gliders. Suitably qualified members can perform maintenance and inspections on the aircraft. Others can do things like keeping aircraft clean and assisting in rigging and derigging gliders when required.