The Glider Pilot License (GPL) is administered and issued by Transport Canada, the national aviation regulator. Below are the requirements specified by Transport Canada to go solo (fly without an instructor onboard) and to receive your license. Please contact Geoff Minors, our Chief Flight Instructor (CFI), if you have any questions. If you already hold an aviation license (e.g. PPL, CPL), please contact Geoff for the specific conversion process.
The entire GPL flying curriculum can be completed with our club owned Grob Twin Astir 103 fiberglass glider. However, we also have a simulator available for training in Lethbridge. Certain maneuvers may be better taught with the simulator or a different glider (e.g. spin and spiral recovery, trim and airspeed management) with the instructor’s discretion.
- Age: 14+
- Complete a Category 4 medical declaration. The form is attached here. Currently this is acceptable with our club for solo flying and for attaining the GPL. A Category 3 medical, done by a TC approved Civil Aviation Medical Examiner (CAME), will be required to carry passengers and to instruct.
- A club administered pre-solo exam that covers gliding specific content and certain PSTAR items. Two excellent studying resources are flyingstart.ca and principalair.ca.
- Documents that prove your age, citizenship, and name (e.g. a passport). Canadian Aviation Regulation (CAR) 421.06 lists what are acceptable as identification documents. Copies will be made for club records and for Transport Canada.
- You must obtain a Student Pilot Permit (SPP). This is a document that will be issued to you at the club. We require the file number from your medical (see above).
- Take the Aviation Language Proficiency Test. The test can be completed at CuNim Gliding Club or at Excel Flight Training (please contact either organization to make the necessary arrangements).
- Complete your radio operator certificate (ROC-A) through Industry Canada. You can do this any time before soloing. Contact Geoff Minors (LSC president) when you are ready to write this quiz. No fee is required, and we will offer a 1 hour preparation course before you sit the 30 minute test. Please bring identification. The study guide is available here.
- Once all of the above conditions are met, you must pass a pre-solo check flight with an instructor and have your log book signed off for solo flights.
- 15 hours of ground school instruction. We recommend the 2 weekend program offered by the Edmonton Soaring Club. CuNim Gliding Club has one over several weeks in Calgary. Excel Flight Training also offers the instruction at Lethbridge Airport. There is also an online option at PilotTraining.ca. This course can be done at any time during your training, but is required before you are recommended to write the Transport Canada GLIDE exam.
- Write the Transport Canada GLIDE licensing exam. You must make an appointment at Excel Flight Training to write the exam. We recommend writing this exam as soon as you are ready, as it often takes longer than expected to book an examination session. The study and reference guide is linked here.
- Fly at least 20 solo flights.
- Pass the flight test with the Chief Flight Instructor. This test will be conducted over the course of several flights.
- Once you have passed these requirements, a temporary license valid for 90 days will be issued. You must apply for your Aviation Document Booklet (ADB, the permanent license), accompanied by a few forms and a passport-style photo.