Gliding (also called soaring) is a wonderful segment within aviation that boasts a very loyal and passionate following. One of the many benefits of flying gliders is that they are generally less expensive than powered aircraft. So how much does gliding cost?
An initial glider license ranges from $6,000 – $9,000. Renting gliders costs around $60 per hour (or less within flying clubs) plus the cost of being towed by a launch aircraft which costs on average $2 per 100 feet. Glider aircraft can be purchased for as little as $5,000 or well into six figures.
As with most things in aviation, the costs associated with gliding really vary based on what type of flying you will be doing and how often. Let’s get more specific into each component of flying gliders so that you will have a better idea of how much it will cost you.
How much does gliding cost?
The cost of flying gliders can be broken down into two components: getting your license, and then renting or owning a glider to fly once you’ve attained your license.
Cost of Glider Pilot’s License
Getting a glider pilot’s license costs around $6,000, comprising of approximately $1,200 in glider rentals, $1,000 for instructors, $3,000 for glider launch fees, and $650 of exams (written and practical flight test).
Attaining your glider pilot’s license typically takes less time than your private pilot’s license. For more reading, see our article on how long it takes to get a glider pilot’s license.
Luckily, flying gliders isn’t especially difficult either, and so most people can be confident that if they invest time and money into training, they will be able to successfully get their license.
The cost of gliding, like much of aviation, can vary widely based on a number of factors. Let’s break down each piece and show what causes higher or lower costs for gliding.
Cost of Glider Rentals in Glider Pilot’s License Training
The cost of rental time for trainer aircraft time is regionally variable averaging $60/hr for trainer aircraft.
Regulations require a minimum of 20 flights totaling 10 hours of flight time for the certificate, but practically speaking the average time to completion is higher than this.
Personally I had 47 flights logged at solo and 79 at time of practical exam totalling 17.7 hours at my check ride. At $60 per hour this is just over $1,000 worth of glider rentals.
The cost of renting will be discussed in further detail later in this article.
Cost of Instructor Time in Glider’s Pilot’s License Training
Gliding instructors average about $50-70 per hour, though regional prices may vary. There are gliding clubs where the instructor costs are considerably less than that (as low as $20/hour), however these would be the exception and not the rule.
At 10 required flight hours, that equates to roughly $500-700 of instructor fees, but as discussed above, averages are much higher than that.
For my glider certificate, of the 17.7 total hours 5 hours were solo. This meant there were 12.7 hours of dual instruction flight time and about 4 hours of ground instruction that ended up at around $1,200.
Launch/Tow Fees in Glider Pilot’s License Training
Every glider flight requires a launch. Most commonly this is accomplished by aero tow (being towed by another airplane to a certain altitude and being released), but in some instances, gliders are launched via a winch on the ground, which can be significantly less expensive.
Aero Tow
Aero tow fees can be the majority of the cost associated with getting your glider pilot’s license.
The main factor in aero tow costs is release height, or how high the tow airplane will fly before the glider is released.
Glider Tow Fees average $2 per 100 feet of altitude, but do often have a minimum of about $35.
Release height depends on the flight objective.
Emergency training such as rope break exercise with an instructor will be 400-600 feet, while pattern tows will typically be to 1,000-1,200 feet. Traditional soaring flights start around 2,000 feet.
A conservative average for aero tows is around $45 per flight.
With a minimum of 20 flights required for your glider pilot’s license that leads to a minimum of around $900 for tow fees alone. Keep in mind the average flights needed for your license are often much higher than the legally required minimum.
For my training, aero tow fees totaled around $3,000.
Winch Launches
For facilities equipped with alternate launch methods such as a winch launch, it can significantly reduce the price of training. Winch launches can be as little as $15 per launch, compared to $35-45 for aero launches.
Unfortunately winch launch is less common in the US and most facilities use aero-tow. Had winch launches been available I would have saved nearly $2,000 getting my glider pilot’s license.
Exams
You are required to pass a written and practical exam to get your glider pilot’s license. The written exam can be done at any point in your training (though there is benefit to completing it before you start your flight training… see our article on “Should I complete my written exam before my flight training?” for more on this topic).
The written exam costs around $150.
The practical exam consists of both a verbal knowledge and a practical flight test (just like with a powered pilot certificate). This is usually done in the same session with the same examiner.
Practical exams vary regionally but average around $500.
Cost of Add-On Ratings for Gliders
If you already have a pilot’s license, glider privileges are considered an add-on rating (different category/class) to your existing certificate.
The add-on private glider pilot rating does not require a written exam, and minimum flight requirements are half that of an initial rating. This translates to an add-on rating being as low as $3,000.
Additional Gliding Ratings
Additional ratings include commercial and certified flight instructor.
The cost of obtaining the commercial add-on based on hour requirements will be approximately an additional $3,000. Certified glider instructor requires you first have a commercial rating and costs around $2,000 – $4,000.
Including first attaining your commercial license, the CFI-G rating can range $5,000-$7,000.
Cost of Renting Gliders
Gliders cost on average $60 per hour of flight time to rent. Flying clubs with monthly membership fees provide discounted rental rates as low as $20-40 per hour. Glider launch fees via aero tow average $35-45 per flight, however winch launches (less common in the US) average around $15 per flight.
Most of the gliders available for rental outside of a club setting will be 2-seat trainer gliders as these facilities are often primarily focused on training with their rental fleet.
Many club settings will have one seat intermediate performance gliders in their fleet as well. Member requirements for use of one seater gilders will vary from club to club based on a number of factors.
As discussed above, glider tow fees average $2 per 100 feet of altitude, but do often have a minimum of about $35. Average release when soaring will be 2,000 feet for an average cost of $45.
So if we combine the tow fees & rental fees, a 1-hour solo flight releasing at 2,000 feet will cost about $105. Since only one tow is needed per flight, longer fights average down on a cost-per hour basis.
For example, 3-hour flight with a 2,000 foot release would cost $225, for an average of $75 per hour.
Cost of Purchasing and Owning a Glider
Much like any aircraft, purchase price can range wildly. So how much does a glider cost?
An older tube and fabric construction ship can be as low as $5,000. Fiberglass gliders can be purchased for $10,000-$20,000. If interested in competitions, capable “club class” gliders are usually $20,000-$40,000. Top-of-the-line gliders with sustainer or self-launch motors can be well over $100,000.
Just like any other aircraft there is a cost of ownership outside the purchase price.
While initial purchase cost can vary widely based on the glider purchased, the annual cost of storage, maintenance, and inspection is considerably less than powered flight.
Not including the initial purchase or financing (if any) of the purchase price, cost of ownership for gliders can be less than $2,000/year for storage, maintenance, and insurance.
Cost of Storing Gliders
Gliders can often be purchased with trailers that allow for storage and transport in a disassembled state and are designed for easy assembly. This means that you do not have to keep your glider in a hangar at the airfield but can instead keep it in the trailer at your house for free or at the airfield for a nominal storage fee.
If keeping your glider in a traditional hangar, prices will vary regionally from $100 or less per month, to upwards of $500 or more per month. However, most gliders are stored at no cost in specially built trailers.
Cost of Maintaining Gliders
An annual inspection for a glider in good condition without a motor averages a few hundred dollars.
One of the biggest factors that can add cost to a glider is a motor. These will typically be seen in gliders priced in the high five to six figures.
There are two types of motors seen in gliders: sustainer motors and self-launch motors.
A sustainer motor is not strong enough for the glider to take off using the motor, but is sufficient to maintain altitude and avoid off-field landing.
Self launch motors are sufficient for the glider to take off under its own power.
Additional equipment like motors adds to inspection requirements and cost.
A Common Additional Expense: Parachutes
If flying in competitions or aerobatic flying, glider pilots are required to wear parachutes. These need to be inspected and repacked every 180 days at an average cost of $100.
Competition flight often has a parachute requirement due to the close proximity flying that occurs while thermalling.
Parachutes are not a requirement for normal flight, though as many gliders designed for competition they will have seating designed to accommodate a parachute.
What to do Once You Have Your Glider Pilot’s License
Even if you’re not interested in additional ratings like commercial or CFI for gliders, the Soaring Society of America (SSA) has a series of “badges” that are earned based on demonstrating skill beyond the initial rating.
These skills include staying aloft for minimum time requirements after release, off-field landing training, and cross-country soaring skills.
Another common pursuit among glider pilots is soaring competitions, where pilots fly “tasks” (designated routes) requiring pilots to stay aloft several hours and cover long distances.
This combines navigation and soaring skills as the courses are purposefully designed to require thermalling to regain altitude and navigate the task as quickly as possible within the confines of the contest rules.
Entry fees average $500 and include the launch fees for the contest.
Ultimately whether using gliding as a less costly entry into the world of aviation or adding a glider rating to your pilot privileges it offers a number of opportunities to explore the skies above. Glider pilots and instructors will often boast that glider training improves stick & rudder skills as well as energy management.
