WSPA SEMINAR WOMEN SOARING PILOTS ASSOCIATION
NEVADA, USA
Slovenian Irena Raymond is a member of the Women Soaring Pilots Association and hosted the first meeting of the association to be held in her country in 2009. In 2010 she attended the annual meeting in Nevada. SoaringNZ felt our women members needed to know more about this international association, which aims to promote all aspects of soaring for women glider pilots. Irena is the wife of Sunseeker designer Eric Raymond.
Before the flight
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pilots, flying both local training sessions and long cross country flights. The experienced women pilots flew solo, while students and those less experienced enjoyed thermalling with the assistance of many kind instructors. The oldest lady attending the seminar was 82 and she still flies as an instructor. The pilots’ main goal was to learn how to survive in the desert, with good decision making and adaptation to extreme conditions. Attendees had been invited to arrive a few days early to acclimatise to the
Photo Irena Raymond
Women pilots from the United States, Canada and Europe attended a week of outstanding flying at the WSPA Soaring Seminar in Nevada. The seminar took place July 18th – 23rd 2010 at Air Sailing glider port, located about 45 minutes north of Reno, at an altitude of 4,400 feet above sea level. This was the 32nd annual Soaring Seminar sponsored by the WSPA and was their second largest seminar ever. Altogether more than 70 people spent the week at the glider port. There were 44 active
February 2011
Photo Eric Raymond
By Irena Raymond
Irena and Matt in tow
