Rental Sailplanes & Instruction

We currently have a Blanik L-13 and a Duo Discus available to club members (see our Flight Training section on this website). The Blanik L-13 is intended for primary flight instruction and the Duo Discus is intended for private pilots seeking cross-country instruction, badge flights, or general soaring fun.

We are in the process of switching over our online scheduling procedures. BookOurPlane is no longer being used. We will be using Schedule Plane Pro starting in July 2026. Initially, it will primarily be a back-office tool utilized by the Office Manager, instructors, and tow pilots. In August, we hope to expand the usage across club members.

The following are methods for signing up for flights with our Office Manager, Stacy Hughes:

• In-Person: Stop by the Minden Soaring office at 1142 Airport Road between 10AM and 4PM.
• eMail: Send an email to office@mindensoaring.org
• Phone: Call (775) 790-8041 to explain requests.

Private Gliders Seeking Tows

Owners of private sailplanes seeking a tow should sign up for the “Pilot Flying Info” channel in our WhatsApp group. See the office staff for getting added to the Minden Soaring Club Group and the Pilot Flying Info channel in WhatsApp.

Pilots are requested to post tow requests 24 hours in advance on the Pilot Flying Info channel. The pilot should indicate the glider ID and the desired takeoff time. This is used to schedule the tow planes and tow pilots (we have 3 two planes). Note that the actual position in the queue for takeoff is determined by the Standard Operating Procedures and is typically managed by the scheduled Line Chief, if available that day.