Watching & Tracking

Learn how families, friends, and aviation enthusiasts can follow soaring activity at Minden using ground-based tracking and viewing tools, and what those tools can—and cannot—show.

A Layered Approach to Safety

Modern tracking tools make it possible to follow soaring activity from the ground. Depending on aircraft equipment, coverage, and conditions, viewers may be able to see:

Approximate aircraft positions 

General flight paths and progress

Group activity during contests or busy
soaring days 

Coverage varies, and not every flight will appear on every platform.

Soaring-Specific Tracking Platforms

Several platforms are designed specifically for gliders and soaring operations.

PureTrack (MSC Preferred) 
PureTrack aggregates data from multiple tracking sources to provide a comprehensive, easy-to-understand view of glider activity from the ground.

GlideAndSeek 
GlideAndSeek offers a modern, mobile-friendly interface for viewing glider traffic, tasks, and weather overlays

Understanding Strategy and Flow

From the ground, tracking tools can provide insight into how soaring flights unfold:

Highly accurate in both location and timing

Reliable enough to plan wave flights with confidence

Correct on the order of 90% of the time

This perspective is educational and observational, helping spectators understand the dynamics of soaring without replacing pilot judgment or in-flight awareness.

General Aviation Tracking Tools

Some gliders may also appear on general aviation tracking platforms when equipped with compatible systems.

FlightAware

ForeFlight (using FlightAware data)

FlightRadar24

Visibility on these platforms varies and should not be expected for all glider flights.

Special Events and Live Experiences

On special occasions, soaring at Minden has been shared live with a global audience. During record-setting flights and unique events, pilots such as Gordon Boettger have used satellite connectivity to broadcast live cockpit views, allowing tens of thousands of viewers to experience soaring in real time.

These live experiences are planned outreach efforts that complement ground-based tracking and help share the excitement and challenge of soaring with a broader audience.

Live Record Flight: Minden to the Great Plains

In December 2025, an Arcus Jet departed Minden–Tahoe Airport before dawn and remained airborne for more than twelve hours, riding mountain wave and jet stream winds eastward across the continent.

Flown by Gordon Boettger with co-pilot Bruce Campbell, the flight established new Continental records and was documented live as it unfolded.

Using satellite connectivity, Gordon shared real-time cockpit updates via Instagram Live—explaining conditions, decisions, and progress while flying through the night, across multiple mountain ranges, and into the Great Plains. Tens of thousands of viewers followed the flight as it happened, including pilots, air traffic controllers, and aviation enthusiasts around the world.

  This live documentation complemented ground-based tracking and offered a rare, authentic window into high-altitude soaring at the limits of endurance, preparation, and planning.