At the Greene County Airport, guests have an opportunity to sail, but not in a sailboat. Guests can take to the skies in sailplanes.

A sailplane is essentially an airplane without an engine, but it is constructed differently than the airliner or some other small airplane that may be seen in that it has very long wings. It is a very smooth airplane which enables it to fly and climb in the sky without an engine.

The Pittsburgh Soaring Association has been flying high in the sky with these sailplanes for nearly 60 years. The 40 plus members of the association fly at the Greene County Airport from April through Oct..

“That’s also an incredibly challenging at times to stay up in and lift and and maybe go cross-country with a sailplane,”  Joe Maloy, member of the Pittsburgh Soaring Association, said. “And you ask yourself, how do I ever go cross-country in an airplane without an engine?”

These gliders have to rely on currents of rising air cold thermals to stay airborne. But how do they get up in the first place? A rope connects from a motorized aircraft to the sailplane, essentially towing it into the sky.

The same plane then detaches from the bench. And it is the pilot’s job to make sure that the plane is catching all the right currents to stay airborne. These intriguing contraptions have also drawn the attention from the community that surrounds the Greene County Airport.

“Because we’re near the city and near the highway and people see this,” Maloy said. “We’ve gained 10 or 15 members just because they observed and drove out and wanted to see more about this.”

So, what is the best part about flying in a sailplane?

“It’s quiet,” Maloy said.

For anyone interested in it at all and getting involved, The Pittsburgh Soaring Association is always looking for new members. Visit their webpage at http://www.pghsoar.org for more information.