Southern California Soaring Academy

I saw a glider flying over when hiking at Baden Powell peak and always wanted to fly gliders. It looked great and I had to do it. So I called & made reservations. People there are very helpful, friendly. I’m glad to know this is a non profit organization that supports wounded warriors & veterans for who can use mush support, I feel.
My friend & I went for 40 minutes flight with Adrian? who volunteers for this academy. He is also a member of Air Force. I somehow learned & knew that gliders are one of safest planes although no guarantee. The first thing Adrian said to us was he has a family and he’d like to come home safely & have dinner with them. It was an assurance of him that the safety is the priority. He was not only a very experienced but professional pilot. He made sure if we’re feeling well, not sick during the flight. When we told him we’re fine and could handle more, he took us for ride of life, awesome, amazing maneuverings. We had so much fun, and time went so fast. When we finally landed (it was perfect & smooth), people on ground told that we’re screaming lots? They heard us on the radio. This was the best ride & experience we’ve ever had by far. We now know how birds fly and catch the thermal air. Thanks Adrian and all friendly staff & volunteers. We’ll be bcak.

If I could give them a negative 10, I would. They have some guy running around that has a «Little Man» complex. I know, as I’ve flown there for years without a problem, but once this new «field manager» came, everything… including where I parked my vehicle became a problem. They make the excuse that everything is in the name of safety. But a lot of the time, they don’t turn on their own radios to hear you entering the pattern to land, overbook and make you wait for your scheduled aircraft, or have their own flight instructors that make numerous and unsafe mistakes, but that’s all quite alright, to them… Don’t walk from this place, RUN!

I took my first sailplane ride with Southern California Soaring Academy. It was almost a two hour drive from Huntington Beach, but definitely worth the trip. Everyone there was really friendly and laid back. I went there for a 20 minute scenic ride, but they also offer lessons if you are completely hooked. The sailplane had two sets of controls so I could fly the plane for a bit on my first trip or hand the controls back to the instructor when I just wanted to enjoy the view.

Went out for a glide with Stewart who was very nice and helpful. Everyone at this establishment was extremely friendly and knowledgable. We had a great time on our glide and it was a reasonable price for our time. Highly recommend this place if you want to take a stab at thermal gliding! We will be back!