FAI Gliding Commission (IGC)

One year ago, on September 2^nd 2018, the Perlan 2 soared into the record books by reaching 76,000 feet (23km), the highest altitude ever reached by a glider.

The flight took place in El Calafate, Patagonia in Argentina, and was the third time in just a few days that the glider flew above the altitude of its own previous world record, set in 2017. The unique aircraft was flown by US pilots Jim Payne and Tim Gardner.

FAI Pan-American Gliding Championship 2019 organiser Virginia Thompson left a career in business to become a commercial pilot in 2001.

Married to Canadian Gliding Team member Dave Springford, she got involved with contest management in 2013 and found it to be “a perfect opportunity to blend my business experience with my love of aviation”. This year’s event is the first FAI Pan-American Gliding Championship she has organised. 

The Venue