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Come get a glider ride, for only $145! You will fly at an altitude of 3,000 feet, and it will last 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the weather conditions of the day.

[NEW] We now offer mile-high rides!!! You will fly to an altitude of 5,280 feet (1 mile). Your ride will last 35 to 40 minutes, depending on weather conditions of the day. Availability of this ride depends on the weather conditions and some other factors. When available, mile high rides are only $195. For more information, ask us by email.

Just email us and we'll set you up!

Who are we?

The Illini Glider Club is a soaring club located in Central / Eastern Illinois. We are located in the Vermillion Regional Airport at Danville, IL (KDNV) as of 2019. 

The Illini Glider Club was established in 1948.

What do we do?

We fly every weekend from March 15 thru Dec 15, weather permitting. We fly as much as possible throughout the winter months. Tow pilots are often available for midweek tows if desired. Rides are given on weekends only.

Soaring in Central Illinois is huge fun. When the thermals are strong, a single flight can last for hours and traverse more than a hundred miles.

Our club is by far one of the most affordable ways to participate in aviation activities in the whole midwest, if not the whole country! We are a not-for-profit club, and the only costs you as a member of the club would have are the absolute costs (mostly hangar rent, aircraft insurance and maintenance). Since no-one is making a profit here, it is guaranteed you'll get the best economy. Furthermore, everyone is volunteering their time and expertise, so you won't need to pay for instructor time or tow pilot time either!

How do we do it?

Thanks to our service volunteers, we are able to keep costs low. Our membership enjoys low-cost instruction, no rental fees, and minimal tow fees. In all, we offer the best value anywhere in the nation.

We are a non-profit organization, and proud to be a Chapter Member of the Soaring Society of America.

Recent Announcements

  • August update: Rides are available again! Update: The club had a very successful July/August, with 5 of the club members successfully taking their FAA checkrides. Also, we are now open to offer glider intro rides again! 
    Posted Aug 20, 2020, 6:14 PM by Illini Glider Club President
  • June Update The club is slowly but surely finalizing the work on our fleet (annual condition inspection) and prepare to start flying again. Due to the COVID-19 situation, the club is still not actively offering rides, but contact us and we will put you on our waiting list. If you are interested in joining the club, please contact us and we can discuss. We expect / hope to start flying by mid June. A number of club members are ready or are very close to their checkrides, and the club is focusing to get these members to the finish line. 
    Posted Jun 4, 2020, 10:42 PM by Illini Glider Club President
  • COVID-19 impact Due to the stay-at-home order for the state of Illinois, and to ensure health of our members, we have temporarily stopped on-site operations until the end of April. 
    Posted Apr 8, 2020, 12:16 PM by Illini Glider Club President
  • Flying season starts The 2020 flying season started on March 8th. We are now back on our regular weekend operations. 
    Posted Mar 14, 2020, 12:00 PM by Illini Glider Club President
  • Preparation for 2020 flying season The club is actively working on preparing our aircraft for the 2020 season. We expect to start flying from mid February on any weekend day that has good weather conditions. NEWS: We now offer mile-high glider intro rides! Email us for more info.
    Posted Feb 1, 2020, 6:54 PM by Illini Glider Club President
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