1. United States Air Force Academy Soaring Program
Lt Col Lawrence E. Pravecek
Commander, 94th Flying Training Squadron

2. Our cadets have all their options open—their paths through life are yet to be determined2

3. Our job is to create air power advocates and leaders for the next 40 years3

4. The USAFA soaring program builds those advocates, using soaring to teach leadership4

5. Equipment, staff & facilities5

6. Staff Aircraft Runways Airspace Flying hours
24 USAF pilots from almost every major weapons system
F-15C/E, A-10, F-16, C-17, C-5, B-1, KC-135, C-130, E-3
160+ cadet instructor pilots
SSA Results Programs Equipment 6

7. Staff Aircraft Runways Airspace Flying hours 12x Blanik L-23 (TG-10B )
5x Blanik L-13AC (TG-10C )
SSA Results Programs Equipment
2x Duo Discus (TG-15A )
3x Discus 2b (TG-15B ) 7

8. Staff Aircraft Runways Airspace Flying hours 16R/34L: 4500’x40’
16C/34C: 4500’x75’
SPLA: 4500’x500’
Airspace: SFC (6500’)-17,500’
SSA Results Programs Equipment 8

9. Staff Aircraft Runways Airspace Flying hours 16,500 sorties per year
14,955 TG-10B (L-23)
992 TG-10C (L-13AC)
355 TG-15A (Duo Discus)
205 TG-15B (Discus 2b)
40% weather attrition
200+ sorties per summer day
0.006% incident rate (~10/yr)
SSA Results Programs Equipment 9

10. Equipment, staff & facilities Programs10

11. Intro to Airmanship Basic Soaring IP Upgrade IP Acro XC
Entire incoming class at USAFA
One glider orientation ride
1100+ rides each of last 2 years
Gets cadets talking about flying
SSA Results Programs Equipment 11

12. Intro to Airmanship Basic Soaring IP Upgrade IP Acro XC
562 Basic Soaring students
Participate summer after freshman and during sophomore year
14 sorties, 20 minutes each
20% solo rate (wx dependent)
ROTC cadets: 48 this summer
2,500’-3,000’ tow, grass landing
SSA Results Programs Equipment 12

13. Intro to Airmanship Basic Soaring IP Upgrade IP Acro XC
80 selected—40 each semester
Upgrade as sophomores
80 sorties—72 dual, 8 solo
Front seat, back seat, IP
SSA Results Programs Equipment 13

14. Intro to Airmanship Basic Soaring IP Upgrade IP Acro XC
150+ cadet instructors
The fly 94% of the sorties
Officer supervision
Cadet staff—squadron commander, operations officer, flight commanders
Serve as instructors junior and senior year
SSA Results Programs Equipment 14

15. Intro to Airmanship Basic Soaring IP Upgrade IP Acro XC
6 selected after IP upgrade
Sportsman as juniors
Intermediate as seniors
3 competitions
Acro Nationals in Denison
Chapter 5 in Lamar
Tequila Cup in Marana
Demonstrations at airshows and USAFA
SSA Results Programs Equipment 15

16. Intro to Airmanship Basic Soaring IP Upgrade IP Acro XC
5 selected after IP upgrade
Upgrade and compete dual as sophomores
Compete solo as seniors
3 competitions per year
Static displays nationwide
C1C Baldwin earned Gold badge
SSA Results Programs Equipment 16

17. Equipment, staff & facilities Programs Results17

18. Leaders Flying Public Affairs Wall of Fame
Personal, interpersonal, team, organization (PITO)
Life-and-death responsibility
Always professional
Leadership applies regardless of career field
Brief, fly, debrief
SSA Results Programs Equipment 18

19. Leaders Flying Public Affairs Wall of Fame 95% go on to pilot training
Great boost in SA
SSA Results Programs Equipment 19

20. Leaders Flying Public Affairs Wall of Fame Public face of the Academy
Nationwide events
Distinguished visitors
SSA Results Programs Equipment 20

21. Leaders Flying Public Affairs Wall of Fame Thunderbird Pilots
Astronauts
US Air Pilots
SSA Results Programs Equipment 21

22. Equipment, staff & facilities Programs Results SSA22

23. Members Badges Competition Civilian Flying 80 new SSA members annually
Officers
Advanced team members
SSA Results Programs Equipment 23

24. Members Badges Competition Civilian Flying Lead nation in A,B,C badges
New emphasis on Silver and Gold Badges for officers
Restarted wave flying
45 1-Lennie pins since 1968
3 2-Lennie pins
IAC badges for aerobatics
SSA Results Programs Equipment 24

25. Members Badges Competition Civilian Flying Tough to fit cadet schedule
Attempt 3x competitions for each Acro and XC teams
Welcome intercollegiate face-to-face competition
SSA Results Programs Equipment 25

26. Members Badges Competition Civilian Flying
PGL and CFIG through local soaring clubs
Working with CAP
Canadian AF visiting Spring 09
German AFOS Summer 08
German Military Glider Championships Summer 09
SSA Results Programs Equipment 26

27. We turn cadets into airpower advocates27

28. I n t e g r i t y - S e r v i c e - E x c e l l e n c e