The Northern California Soaring Association (NCSA) is located at Byron Airport in Costa Contra county, CA, approx 40 miles east of San Francisco. The NCSA is the only club in the bay area that offers its members basic instruction, as well as encouraging progression to cross country soaring.

The club operates on weekends, although flying may also be scheduled on weekdays depend on the interest and availability of members. During the summer several of the clubs gliders are moved to soaring sites in the Sierra Nevada to take advantage of the superb soaring conditions in the mountains.

The NCSA has several very experienced Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified instructors. The club has its own tow plane and uses two L-13 Blaniks for basic instruction. We also operate two Grob 103's, a Grob 102 and a SGS 1-26.

The NCSA membership regularly runs glider operations at Byron Airport on both Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to Sunset, weather permitting.  Operations on other days are also possible when there is sufficent member interest and a tow pilot is available.

Operations are managed by club members, with one club member acting as flight manager to oversee line operations. The club's Bellanca Scout is used as a tow plane at Byron. During the summer months (Late May through September) several of the club's gliders are moved to soaring sites in the mountains, such as Truckee and Air Sailing to take advantage of the excellent soaring conditions there. Flying also continues at Byron during the summer with the tow plane and at least one Blanik being based at the airfield.

Left: One of the club's Grob 103 two seat sailplanes (photo by Liz Warren). Right: NCSA's Scout tow plane (photo by Liz Warren)

The club has several instructors who provide both basic and advanced instruction. An instructor is usually available on flying days at Byron, although it is recommended that student pilots contact a club instructor prior to the day they are intending flying.

Left: NCSA instructor Monique Weil (in backseat) with a student in an L-13 Blanik (Photo by Monique Weil). Right: The club's Grob 102 single seat sailplane rounds out just before touching down on runway 23 at Byron (photo by Tom Hail)<