N.S. Soaring History
Timeline of Soaring in Nova Scotia
The following time line is a result of some knowledge and a little research
- if you have some history to add please send it to the webpage manager
Year | Event | Event in History |
1950's | Gull Soaring operates out of Stanley airport for awhile but does not continue. | |
1960's | N.S. glider pilots flying at Havelock, N.B. | |
early 1970's | A group is flying at Waterville Airport using auto tow | |
1976 | - Bluenose Soaring Club (BSC) formed at Stanley airport using aerotow and rented Blanik. They starts training glider pilots and buy a Schleicher Ka7 (C-FOZA) | |
1980 | - BSC has 1200 winched flights, using C-FOZA and C-FACE (a Schwiezer 2-22), - BSC Schemp-Hirth Austria (C-GPHH) goes to Mt.Washington to fly wave. |
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1883 | - BSC has 2108 flights - Tom Foote does a 300 km Diamond Goal flight in C-FXGU a Schemp Hirth Open Cirrus.< |
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1987 | - BSC has 1100 flights with 35 members - Tom Foote does 400 km in N.S. - The last year of operations of N.B. Soaring. |
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1988 | - 1400 flights for BSC - Dick Vine does 300 km in C-GUIL a Schemp Hirth Open Cirrus - BSC Diesel mobile Winch is built |
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1991 | - Air Currency Enhancement Society (A.C.E.S.) formed by Air Cadet instructors and fly at Debert Airport with C-FACE a Schleicher 2-22 - A 9500 ft cloud base allows Tom Foote to fly from Keji park to Amherst, N.S. |
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2001 | - Two BSC gliders (C-FVKA and C-GUIL) flying at Waterville airport in November, enter wave and climb to 12,000 ft over the Annapolis Valley. The next weekend, the club flies the North Mountain ridge two days in a row. | Sept 11 - Terrorist destroy twin towers in NYC |
2002 | - A.C.E.'s 2-22 badly damaged in hurricane | Hurricane Huan hits N.S. in September |
2005 | - Failure of both Ka7 gliders to pass inspection sinks operation of the club for the year. Bluenose Soaring ceases operations an sells equipment. | |
2006 | - Soar Nova Scotia started to organize all soaring interests in Nova Scotia. - C-GALN's, a Schleicher Ka7, wings are begun to be repaired. |
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2007 | ALN Wing repair continued in the Annapolis Valley ACES obtain a Schweizer 1-26 for solo flying |
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2008 | ALN wings finished and painted Gliders at Stanley are moved to ACES at Debert |
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2009 | Bluenose Soaring Club deregistered as a Society Stanley Airport Garage and workshop condemned and all BSC equipment removed or junked. |
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2005
This is the last year that there was any flights by Bluenose Soaring Club at Stanley Airport. These took place in the spring by two private gliders, C-FVKA and C-FXGU. Later that year the latter was sold and the pilot ceased flying.
2006
2007
There is adequate equipment available in Nova Scotia to support a healthy soaring sport (See the equipment link on the left). Two training gliders are being rebuilt. ACES is rebuilding C-FACE (the Schweizer 2-22) and pilots are rebuilding C-GALN (a Schleicher Ka7). A mobile winch is available to launch these glider at any of three sight. ACES has auto-tow cabability at Debert on the paved runways. Another Ka7 (C-GRGD) with trailer is for sale but needs inspection. In 2005, ACES and Bluenose Soaring Club members made their plans to rebuild the training gliders and operate at various airports in the province (see locations). We would like to have the capability to fly and train new pilots at any of the three airports that have been used for soaring in the past, Debert, Stanley, or Kings County.
2008
The two-seated Schleicher ka7 (C-GALN) wings are repaired, covered and painted. The glider was assembled and inspected late in the summer and passed inspection. Unfortunately, the weight and balance measurement showed that the glider is overweight and should not carry two passangers at once. It could be flown by a single pilot but is not insured. The Bluenose Soaring Club has been deregistered as a society and no longer exists. An approach get permission to fly at Stanley Aerodrome has been turned down and it appears that there will be no glide activity at that site in the near future.
2009
The season is off to a slow start. ACES still does not have a two seater for check outs and training. The two Ka7 gliders are in their trailers at Debert. No solution for getting C-GALN in the air has been offered yet. One day of flying at Waterville airport took place in early June by the single seated glider, C-FVKA. The weather this year has been cloudy and wet for July and soaring has not taken place. The Air Cadet Glider School is in progress and on time. New glider pilots are in training and some have gone solo by the end of July.
2010
Still no two seater glider available for check out and flying in Nova Scotia. Very little soaring activity. C-FVKA is winch launched from Waterville Airport and has a last, grand soaring flight over the Annapolis Valley.
2011
The last of the old Bluenose Soaring Society privated gliders, C-FVKA was sold and delivered to an owner in Ontario. The owner still soars but only with other pilots from soaring clubs outside Nova Scotia.