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MID-ATLANTIC SOARING ASSOCIATION
W73 Fairfield Pennyslvania
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Whether you are just learning to fly, a veteran contest pilot, or simply enjoy flying gliders M-ASA is the club for you. You will be a member of one of the oldest gliding clubs in the nation. M-ASA has been in continuous operation since 1952. We enjoy a rich tradition of soaring in the Washington, Baltimore, Virginia and Pennsylvania region. At M-ASA, we are committed to being a safe, fun, family friendly soaring club.

M-ASA and its board are committed to incorporating the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) in the governance and operations of this corporation.

Please come visit us. If you like what you see, Join us!

You can even get a glider ride with us before joining, and if you join within 6 months of taking the ride we will credit a portion of cost of the ride towards your dues. Click here for details on how to get a ride: Glider Rides





MID-ATLANTIC SOARING ASSOCIATION OFFERS:

  • A commitment to education in a safe and fun soaring environment.
  • A club owned and operated airfield in Fairfield, PA..
  • Paved and grass runways.
  • Free flight instruction to members.  Students pay only for glider rental and tows.
  • Scholarships for eligible student Youth Members
  • Dual-place and single-place sailplanes for rent.
  • A well accommodated air conditioned club house.
  • Sailplane trailer hanger space for rent.
  • Year-round soaring with operations scheduled March through November.
  • Home of the Region 4 North contest in the fall


MEMBERSHIP LEVELS


Your first year as a member of M-ASA is provisional.  Provisional members are entitled to use club facilities but do not have voting privileges until granted full membership. Provisional members may to petition for full membership one year after they join M-ASA.


M-ASA offers multiple annual membership dues and initiation fee structures as shown below:

FULL MEMBER – ADULT (effective 1/1/2024)

  • Initiation Fee: $900.  $450 due initially upon joining M-ASA.  Balance due one year after joining M-ASA if granted Full Membership by the Board of Directors
  • M-ASA annual membership dues: $625.  Prorated $52.08/month for the first year 
  • Soaring society of America annual dues are $80. 

FULL MEMBER – YOUTH  (half that of adult membership)

  • Age: 22 years or younger
  • Initiation Fee: $450.  $225 due initially upon joining M-ASA.  Balance due one year after joining M-ASA if granted Full Membership by the Board of Directors.
  • M-ASA annual membership dues: $312.50.  Prorated $26.04/month first year.
  • Soaring Society of America annual dues are $45. 
  • Youth members may apply for the O'Callaghan Scholarship to cover the costs of glider tows and glider rentals

FAMILY MEMBER

One additional member of the immediate family of a Full or Provisional member may join M-ASA as a Family Member. Family Members pay the same M-ASA membership dues as Full Adult and Full Youth Members but do not pay initiation fees. Soaring Society of America annual membership dues for Family Members are only $50.

M-ASA IS A VOLUNTEER CLUB


M-ASA is an all volunteer club.  Sharing the work enables us to own and operate our own airport without paid staff or employees.  Our Certified Flight Instructors  (CFI-G) volunteer their time to provide gliding instruction, as do our qualified tow pilot members.  All other members are committed to at least five days of field duty a season.  Everyone contributes their time and effort to help maintain the field, buildings and equipment, and in other activities that are needed to operate the club.

We are thrilled by the amount of interest in gliding instruction at M-ASA, but our ability to accept new student members is limited by the capacity of our volunteer CFI-Gs, resulting in a wait list. Our limited CFI-G resources are best focused on serious and motivated students who are able to commit to regular trips to the airfield, and are willing to spend much of their training days engaged in flight instruction, ground instruction, learning field duties, and learning from just hanging around. Students will need to sign an agreement that commits them to participate in instruction activities on a regular and consistent basis.

However, if you are a tow pilot, have prior gliding experience, or are a transition pilot, the waiting list may not apply to you.  In any case, do contact us at joinus@midatlanticsoaring.org so that you can better understand the time commitments needed, and we can better understand your situation.

By signing the Membership Application below you agree that you will perform your share of volunteer duty for M-ASA. You also agree to electronic communications via email, text messaging, and content on the M-ASA web site.



HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

CLICK HERE for RATES & DUES

WEIGHT LIMITS

 Are there weight limits? Yes. All sailplanes have weight limits for safety. The limit varies for different sailplanes, but it is likely that people weighing more than about 240 pounds (including clothing, jackets, camera equipment, water bottles etc.) will not be able to fly.  There is a minimum weight necessary to maintain the trim of the glider, so for lighter passengers (those under approximately 70 kg/154 lb), ballast weights will be installed in the front seat position.

RELEVANT M-ASA DOCUMENTS

Members are expected to abide by the By-Laws, Operating Procedures, and rules that are currently in effect, and which may be modified as necessary for safety, and for the effective operation of the club. Some of the key M-ASA documents are listed below

BECOME A MEMBER


To join M-ASA:

  1. Fill out the online M-ASA Membership Application. You will receive a confirmation and a copy of your application by email.

  2. When invited to join please print and complete the Waiver and Indemnity Agreement. Bring the completed waiver to our club located at 154 Pecher Road, Fairfield, PA 17320. Please coordinate times with a M-ASA membership committee representative.

  3. Provide signatures and any other requested information required to finalize the membership application.

  4. Write a check for the appropriate 2024 First Year Membership Charges payable to Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association

  5. Give check and membership application to a M-ASA membership committee member. In lieu of check you can pay using PayPal ( please add 2.5% for their fees), or with Zelle ( no extra fee ). Send PayPal or Zelle payments to treasurer@midatlanticsoaring.org

  6. Please email a short bio of 200 words or less, to include your aviation interest, with a digital photo of yourself suitable for publication in the monthly M-ASA newsletter CONVECTOR to joinus@midatlanticsoaring.org



Please email joinus@midatlanticsoaring.org if you have any further questions about our club or how to join M-ASA.

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