There are about 2,000 active glider pilots in Belgium. About 1,100 of them are licensed glider pilots, the remaining ± 900 are student pilots, some of which are already flying solo under supervision of an instructor. The country has a population of 10 million, so that makes one glider pilot per 5,000 residents. These pilots fly a fleet of ± 500 gliders, i.e. about 40 motor gliders (including self-sustaining and self-launching sailplanes) and 460 sailplanes which are based on 16 airfields. Three quarters are single-seaters, one quarter two-seaters. About 55 % of the gliders are privately owned, but that leaves still more than 200 gliders which are owned and operated by the 28 soaring organizations (25 clubs, 2 squadrons of the Belgian Air Cadets, and 1 National Soaring Center). A reasonable guess is that those ± 260 private gliders are flown by ± 300 licensed pilots, and consequently one can conclude that the user population of the 200+ club gliders consists of the remaining ± 800 licensed pilots and ± 900 student pilots. Practically all glider pilots in Belgium are member of a club, even those who have their own glider. Many clubs have the tradition of taking gliders, members and their families abroad (mainly to French airfields) for a few weeks during the month of july.
About ± 50 % of the pilot population is a member of the Flemish soaring association, ± 20 % is affiliated with the Walloon soaring association, ± 20 % is a member of the Belgian Air Cadets, and the remaining 10 % is directly associated with the National Soaring Center.
This website has a dedicated page with activity statistics for individual clubs.
Due to the existence of Brussels Airport (EBBR) and the associated TMA above it, a good part of the airspace in the middle of the country is a no-fly area for gliders. In addition, controlled (class D) airspace overlays the entire country. The floor of it has been lowered a few years ago, making things more difficult for cross-country flying. The Flemish gliding association has developed an "Airspace User Manual" (available in Dutch only) to help glider pilots understand how to operate in Belgian airspace. To access the on-line version, click on the map below. Note that this document has no legal status; pilots are still obliged to consult official documentation (AIP and NOTAMs).
In Belgium, youngsters can start their flight training when 14 years old. Student pilots can solo and get their glider pilot certificate from the age of 16 onwards. A medical certificate class 2 for gliding is required. Medicals are valid for 60 months, 24 months above the age of 40, 12 months above the age of 50 (recommended).
The glider pilot certificates (blue documents entitled "Zweefvliegvergunning" or "Licence de pilote de planeur") are not issued by the Belgian civil aviation authorities. This has been delegated to the national airsport control (NAC) organization.
Student pilots are given a student pilot certificate (yellow document entitled "Oefenvergunning" or "Licence d' entrainement"), which authorizes them to receive dual flight instruction, or to perform local solo flights under supervision of a flight instructor. A minimum of 15 hrs solo, plus a practical and a theoretical test are required to obtain a glider pilot certificate with "solo" rating. A rating for carrying passengers can be obtained after 50 hrs solo and a check ride with an instructor.
Renewal of student pilot certificates requires just a new medical; renewal of a glider pilot certificate requires a new medical, and a practical flight test with an instructor. Medicals can only be obtained from doctors authorised to perform medical examinations of glider pilots in Belgium.
Flight instruction is given during weekends by unpaid instructors in the clubs (to club members only), by the Belgian National Soaring Center (CNVV) (open to anyone), by the Belgian Air Cadets (aimed at young people interested in a flying career in the Belgian Air Force), and during the clubs' summer camps in Belgium or abroad.
Belgium does not permit flying a touring motorglider (TMG) with a glider pilot certificate (you'll need at least a private pilot certificate). Self-sustaining sailplanes (SSS) and self-launching sailplanes (SLS) can be flown with a glider pilot certificate, but for the latter you need special training and a special rating.
The annual fixed cost of soaring (membership dues, personal insurance etc.) depends on the club, but is generally in the range 150 - 350 EUR. The cost of an aero tow is nowadays 25 - 30 EUR. A few clubs don't charge anything beyond that, but most also have a rental rate for the glider while airborne, yet others have an admission fee. The total cost of flight training from zero hours until first solo is in the range of 1,000 - 2,000 EUR.
Using a winch is a cheap alternative to aero tow, but only a few clubs in Belgium operate a winch on their airfield (mainly ACK, VZP, LZC and the Belgian Air Cadets).
This website has a dedicated page with cost information for individual clubs.
In Belgium, maintenance work was mostly performed by the club members during the winter season. Glider airworthiness certificates had a 24 month validity in case of glass-fiber privately owned gliders, and 12 months in all other cases. Airworthiness inspections were not performed by the civil aviation authority, but by authorized inspectors/glider pilots within each club. This was true until 2007. From 2008 onwards, the EASA regulations have been applicable and a lot hase changed in the area of maintenance and airworthiness.
Hartmut's Internet Guide
to Soaring in Belgium
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