Badges?? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badges -- Uh, On Second Thought...

Sporty’s Academy recently added the Soaring Society of America (SSA) Badge program to its glider training curriculum. The SSA adopted the ABC Badge program to help promote standardization of training and safety within the glider community. Each Badge has specific requirements that must be met before it is issued to a pilot. The program is administered at the local level by designated SSA instructors who meet specific experience requirements. Information on the Badges is provided to each student enrolled in the glider program at Sporty’s since they provide intermediate goals for students working toward a certificate or rating.

"We added SSA's Badge program because it serves the same purpose for glider training as the Recreational certificate does for airplane training," said Sporty’s Founder/Chairman (and lifetime SSA member) Hal Shevers.

"It provides interim, attainable goals on the path toward a Private certificate while improving retention rates and keeping flying fun." Sporty’s Academy provides glider training through its FBO affiliate, Eastern Cincinnati Aviation, in a Diamond Xtreme motorglider [E-I-C Note: A VERY cool airplane, I kid you not]. This aircraft is also used by Sporty’s Academy in the University of Cincinnati Commercial pilot program.

FMI: www.FlyECA.com