Glider Pilot License (GPL)

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 us if you have any questions. If you already hold an aviation license (e.g. PPL, CPL), please contact us for the specific conversion process.

The entire GPL flying curriculum can be completed with our club owned Grob Twin Astir 103 fiberglass glider.

Solo Requirements 
  • 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. This is available from most powered flight schools, or there are online options as well. Please contact us for details. 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.
Hooray!  You are then permitted to solo with an instructors approval and supervision.  Further training flights will be necessary to help you practice, learn new maneuvers, and prepare for your flight test.
Glider Pilot License Requirements
  • 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 can make an appointment at Excel Flight Training to write the exam, and most other powered flight schools offer this as well. The results of this exam are valid for 2 years, so we suggest writing it after soloing. The study and reference guide is linked here. Contact us for more study resources.
  • 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.