Glider Flying Handbook (2026)

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.