How far can you fly in a glider from Harris Hill? How about 1033km 641 miles!On Friday 3/29, with strong winds out of the NW, Harris Hill member Noah Reitter set off on a task that would take him down to the Maryland border twice!After a 60 mile leg to the south via thermals he connected with the Appalachian ridges in central Pa. near Williamsport. Running the ridges to Cumberland Maryland and back to Williamsport Read more…
One of our missions is education about soaring and aviation. This weekend (March 30-31) we will be at the Sciencenter in Ithaca to show kids and grown-ups how to fly like birds! You can sit in the cockpit of a real sailplane, try out the controls, and learn about the instruments. Fly a sailplane simulator! You can create paper gliders and test them in a wind tunnel to learn how flying works. We’ll be at Read more…
On March 16 and 23, Harris Hill members prepped our gliders for the coming flying season. Gliders were buffed, waxed, and inspected to be ready to fly all summer. We will start public rides on April 6, flying weekends until late October. We will also fly weekdays from June 10, 2024 through Labor Day. Rides are $140. All rides are weather permitting and on a first-come, first-served basis.
When you have had a dream for as long as Dan O’Brien has sometimes it seems like it will never come true. But on the afternoon of July 6 Dan’s lifelong dream of becoming a glider tow pilot did just that. At first those who were at Harris Hill that day did not know exactly what was happening. Dan had been on at the airfield all day quietly helping where he could as he usually Read more…
In the February depths of a damp gray New York, 12 hardy members of the Harris Hill Soaring Club of Elmira NY, loaded trucks and trailers with gear and glider to follow the sun to Bermuda High Soaring for some intensive mid-winter instruction. The effort paid significant dividends to those who made the trip and a combined 150 flights. The following milestones reached by club members and much exercise of flight muscle memory by all. Read more…
Summer is almost here! We are now flying seven days a week from 10am – 6pm (weather permitting). This is a perfect time to take a glider ride or learn how to fly!
Our public flying season starts this Saturday, April 2nd! We will fly glider rides Saturdays and Sundays from 10am – 5pm (weather permitting). It’s a great way to see Chemung County from the air and experience the joys of flying like a bird. This video will give you an idea of what to expect on a glider ride.
It’s time to get that FAA written exam out of the way before the flying season starts! We will hold our annual Ground School on Saturdays from 10:00 AM -12:00 PM, starting on Feb 5 and going until March 26. The schedule of topics is below. The school will be held at the flight center and also via zoom. All of our instructors are FAA-certified flight instructors. Everyone is invited whether you are a member of Read more…
How do gliders use thermals to extend their flights? WENY TV News meteorologist Darlene Dittell interviewed us and went for a glider ride to find out! See the video!
Snowbird, our precision flying and landing contest, is coming up on Nov. 26-27. Celebrate the soaring season and enjoy some fun and camaraderie before winter sets in! Pilots’ meeting at 10:00am each morning, with the awards banquet at 6:00pm on the 27th at the National Soaring Museum. You might be full of turkey but you can still fly like a snowbird! Here’s some inspiration from last year!