California City is located about 90 miles North of Los Angeles on the Highway 14, just East of Mojave and North of the 58 freeway between Bakersfield and Barstow.
This High Desert location offers some of the best year-round soaring conditions in the world. Many world-records achieved here are the best proof for that.
California City has various types of lift throughout the year. These include 10,000-foot-plus thermals in the summer and a start-point for cross-country flights ranging up the Sierra Nevada Mountains into Nevada, Oregon and Idaho.
Many glider pilots soar for three to five hours and 300 miles up the Sierras, Inyo Mountains and Whites, and return to Cal City's safe runways and approaches for a cool, quiet tranquil evening
This fabulous mountain wave conditions in the winter months allow a lower starting elevation for world-record class altitude climbs, safer physiological conditions for Diamond Altitude badge climbs - and for the very experienced, the most challenging of all, wave cross-country.
California City is proud of many sailplane records. Here you can get a taste of High Desert’s soaring weather and typical 100-mile visibility. You can see the Edwards AFB, US Borax Open Mine, the Garlock Fault and the Silver Queen Mine all on a singe local flight.
Sailing records set in California City
• World Altitude record, Bob Harris, Grob 102, 49,009 ft. msl, 2/17/86
• World Altitude Gain, Std Class, Bob Harris, Grob 102, 39,900 ft., 2/17/86
• US National, Open Class, Straight Distance, Mike Koerner, Kestrel, 902 st mi (to Texas), 4/19/84
• World, 15M/Std Class, 500 km Out & Return Speed, Martin Eiler, Discus B, 127.6 mph, 1/11/00
• World, Open, 300km Out & Return Speed, Jim/Tom Payne, AS-H 25, 180 mph, 3/3/00
• US National, Std. Class, Speed 100 km Triangle, Jim Payne, Discus A, 146.2 mph, 3/2/96
• US National, 15Mtr, Altitude, Harold Katinszky, Jantar Std 2, 38,000 ft, 3/27/85
• US National, 15Mtr, Altitude Gain, Harold Katinszky, Jantar Std 2, 32,100ft, 3/27/85
• US National, 15M/Open, Single, Speed 100km Triangle, Jim Payne, Discus, 146.2 mph, 3/22/96
• US National, Open/15M, Single, Speed 300 km Triangle, Greg Chaffee, Ventus C/A, 95.2 mph, 8/7/97
• US National, Open Multi, Speed 100 km Triangle, James M. Payne, AS-H 25E,125.29 mph 3/27/98
• US National, Open Multi, 500 km O&R Speed, J/T Payne, AS-H 25, 153.78 mph,3/3/99
• US National Feminine, Open Multi, O&R Distance, Cindy Brickner & S. Schionning, 152.9 st. mi., AS-K 21, 8/17/92
• US National Feminine, Open/15M, Free O&R Distance, Cindy Brickner, 179.4 mi., 6/28/00
• US National Feminine, Open/15M, Free 3 Turn-point Distance, Cindy Brickner, 226.5 st. mi., 6/28/00
• US National Feminine, 15M, Distance Around a Triangle, Cindy Brickner, 186.36 st. mi., 6/28/00
• US National Feminine, 15M, Speed 300km Triangle, Cindy Brickner, 48.7 mph., 6/28/00
• Polish National, O & Return Distance, Marek Malolepszy, Diana, 825 km, 7/5/2007
• Polish National, Free O&R Distance, Marek Malolepszy, Diana, 828 km, 7/5/2007
• CA, Sports Class, O & R Distance, Paul Robinson, HpZ 304, 398 Handcp st. mi., 7/5/2007
• US National Feminine, 15-Meter, Free 3 Turnpoint Distance, Cindy Brickner, AS-W 27, 379.5 st. mi., May 16, 2009 - approved 12/09
Owners and operators of Caracole Soaring at the California City airport are Martin Eiler (FAA-designated pilot examiner, tow-pilot, A&P mechanic) and Cindy Bricker (Glider-CFI and tow-pilot). Their telephone number is (760) 373-1019, email: info@caracole-soaring.com. Web: Caracole-Soaring.com
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