Soaring
So you are interesting in flying a glider? Here at Barron Aviation Private Flight Services, we have a exceptional glider training program. Soaring is a very relaxing type of flying, and the requirements set forth to gain your glider rating are easy to meet in a relatively short amount of time. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires the following:
Private Glider Pilot Eligibility
· 14 years of age to fly a glider alone (solo)
· 16 years of age to gain the FAA glider rating
· Pass a written knowledge test
· Pass a practical flight test with an examiner
Soaring Flight Experience
· At least 10 hours and 20 total flights in a glider
· Two hours of solo flight time with at least 10 launches and landings
· Three training flights in preparation for the practical test
· Current airplane pilots need only 3 hours and 10 solo flights to transition to a sailplane
All of the above requirements can be completed in the local area so no long trips are needed. A medical is not required. Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions.
Skydiving
Rapid Descent offers several options for skydiving instruction along with an experienced staff of instructors and first class equipment. The atmosphere here is professional but very fun! Safety and thorough training are our primary concerns and these objectives are best accomplished in an entertaining relaxed environment. Our instructors have worked very hard in an effort to create a syllabus with training aides that is second to none.The sport of skydiving requires confidence. Confidence comes from proper training and experience. Rapid Descent is an excellent choice for both!
AFF Training Program
The Accelerated Free Fall program is the preferred skydiving training method at Rapid Descent. This program takes you, as a student, right into the heart of skydiving with two instructors at your side. Confidence and proper techniques are instilled right from the start, unlike other training methods used in the past. Most students prefer the AFF training as well. It is shorter and much more fun!
IAD Training Program
IAD stands for "Instructor Assisted Deployment" and is a training method developed from the static line training where there is a line tethered between the aircraft and the parachute deployment device. In this case your instructor is responsible for the line that deploys your parachute (be nice to your instructor!). This program has you jumping solo right from the start and is cheaper for each jump. The down side is that it takes longer overall and can allow some bad habits to develop that must be re-learned later. Most of the people that choose this method do so because of the lower per jump costs. They can jump more often for the same money.
Many people don't realize how quickly training for skydiving can progress. It actually works better to start the training and follow through with it at a fairly good pace so everything learned stays fresh. We would ultimately like to see a new student progress through solo within 1 to 3 weeks. Rapid Descent offers training for all skydiving license levels, instructor ratings, and professional parachute packing taught by senior rigger, Kevin Hennen.