Glider Flying Handbook

This full-color handbook, released by the Federal Aviation Administration in December 2024, supersedes FAA-H-8083-13A, Glider Flying Handbook, dated 2013.

A valuable training aid for applicants preparing for glider category rating or current glider pilots who wish to improve their knowledge.

This comprehensive guide, created by the Federal Aviation Administration, supplies glider pilots with all the information they need for certification in the glider category. An all-in-one technical manual, the Glider Flying Handbook focuses solely on the precise science of glider flight. Complete with hundreds of detailed color photos, illustrations, and diagrams, the handbook covers the following topics in authoritative detail:




Components and Systems
Aerodynamics of Flight
Flight Instruments
Glider Performance and Limitations
Preflight and Ground Operations
Launch, Flight Maneuvers, Landing, and Recovery Procedures
Abnormal and Emergency Procedures
Glider Flight and Weather
Soaring Techniques
Cross-Country Soaring
Aerotow
Human Factors


This ultimate resource is the essential tool all student glider pilots need to get certified and what experienced flyers need to stay safe and informed.