See the latest announcemnts regarding this Seminar Series on Williams Today/ The Forum.

The Second Annual Winter Seminar Series
2009 Events

Each event includes Soaring Seminar, appetizers, dinner, and dessert.
Come out and fly, socialize, enhance your soaring knowledge!
Student pilots, pilots and soaring enthusiasts invited.
VSA membership recommended, but not required.
Cost is $15.00 for dinner/seminar.
Events held at Williams Soaring Center
Dinner at 5PM, seminars to follow.
Fireside discussions…
RSVP noelle@williamssoaring.com or (530) 473-5600

January 17, 2009 - Saturday
Speaker: Rex Mayes
Topic: Glider and Trailer Maintenance
What you can do to keep your glider and trailer in great shape? Is your trailer ready for that road trip? Come and find out! Rex Mayes, owner and operator of WSC, FAA Certified Repair Station, will share some of his expertise and wisdom with us. Bring your questions – get some answers!

 

January 31, 2009 - Saturday
Speaker: Walter Cannon, MD
Topic: Physiological Factors Effecting Glider Pilots
What should you anticipate during soaring flight? How do you prepare for the changing conditions encountered on long soaring flights? Walt is an accomplished competition soaring pilot and thoracic surgeon at Stanford University. He will share his experience and knowledge in this lecture and will address some of the situations encountered soaring the Mendos and beyond, with a focus on promoting safety.

 

February 28, 2009 - Saturday
Speaker: Darryl Ramm
Topic: Getting your FAI Silver and Gold Badges and Diamonds
The FAI badges and diamonds are great motivational stepping-stones that can help pilots improve their cross-country skills. This talk will help both new and experienced cross-country pilots try for their FAI badges. The talk will explore the authoritative (and useful) official rules and guides. Possible badge flights out of Williams will be covered, as will the requirements for different badges, IGC approved loggers, task declarations, and official observer duties. The talk will demystify common points of confusion including the 1% altitude rule, FAI sectors verses cylinder turn-points, logger and calibration problems, submitting flights for multiple awards, etc. Darryl holds FAI silver and gold badges with diamonds for goal and distance.

 

March 14, 2009 – Saturday
Speakers: Peter Kelly and Bob Ireland
Topic: VSA Race Series – Racing in the Sacramento Valley and Mendocino Mountains
The VSA Race Series was started in March 2004. The 2009 Soaring Season will mark the fifth consecutive year of this popular event. This racing series is intended to encourage soaring pilots to enjoy cross country flying. The tasking format is designed with safety, flexibility, probability of completion, strategy, and variable degrees of challenge. Peter and Bob are both champions of the VSA Race Series. They will discuss goals, strategies, and the structure for the 2009 series. Come to this seminar prepared to participate in discussion about racing, honing skills, setting and achieving goals. Whether you plan to race or not – you will learn a lot! Let’s Race!!

Point of Contact for this web site: Peter Kelly