ACAO – Calcinate del Pesce (VA)
3-8 April / 10-15 April 2025
As every year, in 2025 the ACAO will again make its organisation, equipment and personnel available to European pilots. Pilots wishing to practice sport flying (distance, speed, budges and records) in the magnificent flying terrain offered by the Central Alps in spring will have two consecutive editions of the High Performance Gliding Training Camp (SAP) at their disposal in 2025, which will take place on the following dates
- SAP1 (17th edition): 3 to 8 April 2025
- SAP2 (18th edition): 10 to 15 April 2025
It is possible to attend SAP1 only (3-8 April), SAP2 only (10-15 April) or both SAP1+SAP2 (3-15 April). Both weeks are fully booked now.
The exceptional weather conditions of the flying area (alpine and pedemontana), the facilities of the Adele and Giorgio Orsi Airport and the organisational skills of the ACAO and its staff are well known to gliding pilots from all over the world, and the spring flights of high sporting value with take-off from the ACAO are now uncountable. These include a number of European records, numerous Italian distance and speed records, all FAI records up to the 1,250 km diploma, dozens of flights of over 1,000 km, including the first 1,000 km in FAI declared triangle with take-off from Italy, up to flights of over 1,600 km, the longest ever made on the Italian side of the Alps.
The 2024 edition of SAP opened on a high note and closed on an extraordinary note: more than 10 1,000 km flights of which 7 were declared and completed, 1 flight of 1,300 km, 1 flight of 1,500 km OLC (1,410 km declared) and 3 Italian records broken. On the last day of the SAP, 8 flights of over 1,000 km were made, 6 of which were declared and completed! Another record for the SAP and for the Adele and Giorgio Orsi Airport.
The SAP is dedicated to sport pilots of all levels equipped with a glider and a valid FAI card. Participation in the SAP is particularly recommended for pilots who have already obtained at least the Silver insignia and have good mountain flying experience (participation in other stages and/or competitions and at least 300 km flown in the mountains).
Programme
Each day of the SAP, in addition to the ACAO staff, several pilots from the Italian team will be present on the field. Participating pilots will thus have a constant reference on the ground for any need or advice (flight territory, off-field, waypoints and task of the day, take-off time and departure of the task, etc.).
Every morning there will be a weather briefing with suggestions to pilots on the day’s tasks according to different individual goals. Where possible, de-briefings will also be held in the evening or in the morning of the following day for the analysis of flights made and/or to deal with topics of interest to pilots. In addition to the flight line, the Volo a Vela Restaurant and the ACAO Bar will also be operational throughout the week.
During the SAP there may also be the opportunity to fly with experienced pilots on high-performance two-seater gliders (ACAO Duodiscus and/or two-seaters of private pilots).
To find out about the availability of leasing a Duodiscus from the ACAO fleet and its terms of use, contact airport director Alberto Balducci directly(direttore@acao.it). To fly instead on private two-seater gliders, interested pilots must make prior or on-site arrangements directly with the pilots who own the glider.
STAFF
Since the first edition in 2008, the SAP has been designed, organized and conducted by Alberto Sironi with the indispensable support of about 20 collaborators, specialized in the different activities required: organization, promotion, office, tows, deployments, flight line, radio, lecturers and coaches, interpreter, weather forecast, task setting, scoring, bar, workshop, events, photo/video, communication, etc.
Ultimately, SAP is dedicated to those who want to:
- Broaden one’s knowledge of the Alpine flight area
- increase their speed, particularly in mountain and foothill flying;
- Train for participation in speed and/or distance races;
- achieve new badges or sports diplomas and, why not, new records;
- Gaining new meaningful flying experience by comparing themselves with experienced pilots;
- simply devote the most meteorologically promising weeks in the Alps to flying toghether with like-minded friends in a very well-equipped and organized Club.
Costs and registration procedures
The participation fee for the SAP consists of a glider fee of 290,00 € and a pilot fee of 100,00 €. Acao members and riders who are under 26 years of age at the time of registration receive a discount of €150.00. Those who take part in both editions of the SAP, i.e. from 3 to 15 April, will receive a discount of 100,00 € on the total full fee (not combinable with other discounts).
The current ACAO price list (published on acao.it) will be applied for the cost of tows.
The number of places at the SAP is limited: at this stage no more places are still available. Further information can be obtained from ACAO secretariat (Daniela Miglierina +39 0332310073; segreteriaeventi@acao.it).
