Badge Soaring: The ABC Badges Overview:

The Badge Program is soaring's oldest, and finest, motivational tool. It's a great idea - you do the right thing, become a better pilot for it, and receive recognition from your peers, all in one program. You even get the jewel pins, free of charge! All you have to do is be a member of the SSA, and follow the steps of the program under the supervision of an SSA-designated glider flight instructor.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and it is interesting to note that many features of the very popular and successful FAA Wings Recurrent Training Program appear to have been borrowed from our Badge Program for soaring pilots.

In any event, the guy in the movies who said "Badges? Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!!" was wrong - way wrong. We do need the badges. The Badge Program lays out a progressive sequence of training milestones for us to achieve (and to celebrate!). Because the program is progressive in nature, you can continue to participate in the program (and continue to improve your skills) for ten, twenty, even thirty years or more. Alexander the Great wept when he realized he had run out of new worlds to conquer. But you won't run out of new worlds to conquer. When you participate in the Badge Program, there is always another soaring achievement just over the horizon.

A program as worthwhile as the Badge Program should be easily accessed by all soaring pilots. This book makes the A, B, and C badges more accessible than ever before. Badge Soaring: The A, B, & C Badges . . . Made Easy! identifies the requirements of each badge. The purpose and the intent of each badge are described in plain language. Loads of tips and advice help you to understand and master every task required of you. There is even a check box ( ) for you to use, to check off ( ) each accomplishment as you advance through the program. When you have finished the program, your glider flight instructor will review your accomplishments and award your new badge to you. Wear it proudly, because you join an increasingly select group of pilots each time you achieve a new badge.

Author:  Bob Wander

Table of Contents
How To Use This Book
What Material Should I Study?
Who Awards The A, B, & C Badges?
Note To Glider Flight Instructors
The SSA Instructor (SSAI)
The A Badge
The B Badge
The C Badge
For Further Reading
The Bronze Badge
The Silver Badge
About The SSA
About Bob Wander