Scaled Wings, Big Fun!

The following information is copied from The Torrey Pines Gulls.

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Flying at Torrey Pines provides some unique thrills and pleasures – reliable summer lift, sweeping vistas of some of the best coastline in the West, and the opportunity to fly at an AMA recognized National Aeromodeling Historic Landmark.

The Torrey Pines Gulls welcome RC Glider pilots to come and fly at the Torrey Pines Gliderport.

What Do You Need?

  • Current AMA membership; Open or Student
  • Current Membership of the Torrey Pines Gulls (Gulls) or the Torrey Pines Scale Soaring Society (TPSSS)
  • Current Year Signed Torrey Pines Gliderport Liability Waiver
  • Payment of the Day Use Fee at the Torrey Pines Gliderport
  • Understand and Obey the Torrey Pines Gliderport Site Rules and the AMA Safety Code
  • Pilot Rating

The Torrey Pines Gliderport is a San Diego City Park that requires each pilot to show proof of liability to the Torrey Pines Gliderport Concessionaire (Concessionaire). For RC Glider Pilots a paper copy of your current Open or Student AMA card is accepted at the Concessionaire’s office. AMA Park Pilot Membership does not provide the liability coverage. The office will also ask for a current membership card for either the Gulls or TPGSSS.

The Membership information for the Torrey Pines Gulls can be found on our membership page at: http://www.torreypinesgulls.org/membership

Membership information for the Torrey Pines Scale Soaring Society can be found here: http://www.tpsss.org/#!contact/c1dru

The Gliderport liability waiver is updated at the calendar year start. The Concessionaire requires all Pilots to view a Gliderport Orientation Safety Video, sign the current year’s waiver and read a video recorded statement. The Concessionaire has a different video statement for Tandem Passenger; Paraglider (PG) and Hangglider (HG) Pilots; and for RC Glider Pilots.

The Orientation Safety Video can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbrGcStlKAU

A Day Use Fee is collected by the Concessionaire and is currently $10/day or a yearly pass can be purchased for $200/year.

Understanding and obeying the Concessionaire’s Site Rules and the AMA Safety Code (https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf) is of the utmost importance to the Safety of FullScale, PG, HG, RC Pilots, and Spectators. The Gliderport is one of the few locations where Manned and RC Gliders are flown in the same airspace. One of the important site rules for RC Pilots is the “Blue Sky” rule. Keeping “Blue Sky” between your glider and any other glider in the sky will reduce the probability of collision.

More information on the Liability Waiver, Site Rules, Orientation Safety Video and Day use Fee can be found on the Concessionaire’s website: https://www.flytorrey.com/visiting-pilot

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Contact the Torrey Pines Gulls Slope Coordinator to schedule a Pilot Rating flight at the Gliderport. The Slope Coordinator will walk you through the Concessionaire’s requirements and conduct the Pilot Rating flight. The objective of the Pilot Rating flight is to ensure the RC Glider Pilot understands the Site Rules, demonstrates confident safe control of his glider from launch to landing and CAN ANTICIPATE AND GIVE SIGNIFICANT CLEARANCE TO OTHER AIR TRAFFIC, sometimes in crowded situations.

The Pilot Rating process is not designed to be arduous and is conducted in a friendly, win-win manner, with safety and enjoyment of the sport for all at its foundation.

We expect the RC pilot to be constantly checking their own glider’s path, but also, for other gliders, slow-flying Paragliders, and fast-flying Hang-gliders. Constant adherence to the “blue sky rule” is a must. We also look for a competent landing pattern and landing.

Once you receive a Pilot Rating, you are then cleared to fly on your own.
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