The First FIA Pan-American Gliding Championships Are Scheduled To Take Place At Chilhowee Gliderport In Benton Tennessee

Chilhowee Gliderport is a stunningly beautiful place surrounded by rolling mountains providing excellent glider flying conditions. The owners of the Gliderport, Jason and Sarah Arnold have worked hard to make this event happen.

The host organizations for this event are the Chilhowee Soaring Association Inc. and the Soaring Society of America. The Pan-American championships are considered a regional event and already have competitors registered from the USA, Argentina, Brazil, and Canada. It’s expected that as many as 30 pilots may compete in the competition, so it is possible other Pan-American countries will also be represented.

According to a posting on the Soaring Society of America (SSA) website, “The 1st FAI Pan American Gliding Championships (PAGC) is an international competition sanctioned as a continental Category 1 event by the FAI. These contests, with few exceptions, follow the same format, use the same rules, and have the same rankings as World Gliding Championships. The PAGC will be the first of its kind to be held in North America.”

Chilhowee is a full service gliderport that is open year round. They are open weather permitting, from approximately 11:00 AM until 6:00 PM every Friday through Sunday, and weekdays by appointment. Chilhowee is a soaring site rich in natural scenic beauty and year round soaring including good thermals spring through fall, excellent ridge lift fall through spring, and occasional winter wave flying.

(Image from Chilhowee website of owner/operator Sarah Kelly Arnold by David Smith)

FMI: www.chilhowee.com