Training Tomorrow's Pilots Today
CMNSF is dedicated to making training opportunities available to New Mexico pilots at all levels of experience. This includes individuals taking their first flight, earning a rating or endorsement, participating in competition, or attempting personal or world records. The advantages of glider instruction are myriad. It is less expensive than power and faster to learn. It is especially advantageous in attracting young students to aviation since glider pilots can solo at 14 yrs of age and earn their rating at 16. All the skills learned in soaring transfer directly to powered flight including: Stick and Rudder; Situational Awareness; Aeronautical Decision Making; Emergency Preparedness; Aviation Weather; Federal Regulations; Communication; Navigation; and Teamwork.
CNMSF does not provide glider training directly but works closely with organizations and businesses local to central New Mexico including the Albuquerque Soaring Club, Merlin Aviation, and/or individual Certified Flight Instructors. .As funding allows, CNMSF may contract with other organizations to provide ground training seminars.
Keeping Soaring Affordable
CNMSoaring is partnering with the local providers to keep rental gliders airworthy, affordable, and accessible to the soaring community. One of the biggest barriers for student and newly licensed glider pilots is the scarcity of suitable sailplanes for rent. The lack of rental aircraft can be a significant barrier to individuals, especially young people, who want to continue soaring past the initial training phase.
Sailplane ownership is expensive. The cost of a new sailplane is often prohibitive. Well maintained used gliders are scarce. Maintenance, insurance, and hangar rental all add to the cost of ownership. The Albuquerque Soaring Club is the only organization offering low cost rental gliders in Central New Mexico. The ASC waives the initiation fee for students under 24 years of age. Instruction is free and the club works hard to keep tow fees and rental fees low.
ASC’s current two place trainer, Grob N427BG, is heavily utilized for dual instruction and flight reviews. As a result, individual training sessions must often be kept short due to the high demand for the aircraft. It can be difficult to schedule longer sessions for the more advanced concepts needed for true cross-country soaring flights. This aircraft has recently undergone an extensive and expensive life-extension inspection and maintenance. The club’s second Grob, N94BG, is currently grounded until a similar life-extension process can be financed and executed.
The club Schweitzer 1-26 is often the first single place glider pilots have access to. Students can get checked out in the 1-26 as soon as they have successfully completed their first solo flight.
ASC's Libelle is heavily utilized by newly licensed pilots. It has sufficient performance to allow new pilots to strike out on cross-country flights on their own. And the club owns a trailer and provides a retrieve crew should the pilot land out.
Donations are Tax Deductible
Central New Mexico Soaring Foundation is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes and qualifies as an exempt organization as described under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations to CNMSoaring are tax deductible.
Cash donations can be submitted online using Paypal. For donations of goods or services please contact us at:
CNM SoaringFoundation
Hangar 6
506 George Applebay Way
Moriarty, New Mexico 87035
Phone: 505 690-7886
Email: cnmsoaring@cnmsoaring.org