The Beginning

Glider activity in the San Diego area can be traced all the way back to the pioneering work of John J. Montgomery. He quietly began research in the development of gliders in the Otay Mesa area in the year 1883. In the following year, he glided a distance of over 600 feet, and many historians give him credit for the first to achieve controlled flight.

Anne and Charles Lindbergh learned to fly gliders here in San Diego in 1930. They received instruction from William Hawley Bolus, the developer of the famous "Albatross" series of sailplanes. At that time, launching was accomplished from several of San Diego's small peaks via shock cords.

Some records indicate that The Associated Glider Clubs of Southern California, Ltd was originally established in early 1930, (see Jul-Aug 1948, Soaring, p. 8.) A surviving private correspondence shows that on March 28, 1930, The Anne Lindbergh Glider Club of San Diego submitted an application for membership. As the name suggests, AGCSC started as an association of other clubs and individuals that came together for the purpose of organizing and promoting soaring activity in the San Diego area, mostly at the popular ridges of Torrey Pines. Enthusiasm was contagious in the early 30's, then tapered off as the depression years took their toll. Activity picked up again in the late 30's, and then came to an almost complete halt during World War II. Civilian access to the popular Torrey Pines site was cut off since it was located within the boundaries of the Camp Callen Training Center.

Post War Years

The Camp Callen Training Center officially closed in 1946, and AGCSC quickly renewed it's lease of the Torrey Pines site with the City of San Diego. The following year marked the first Annual Pacific Coast Midwinter Soaring Contest at Torrey Pines, a tradition that continued for over twenty years.

Today

Having been founded in the early 1930's, AGCSC is among the oldest still active soaring clubs in the United States of America. We still soar the beautiful cliffs of Torrey Pines every spring, and hope that the tradition will continue as a reminder of the rich and colorful history of the Sport of Soaring.