THE
CLUB
The Sandhill Soaring Club is the largest gliding club in Michigan. We are a chapter of the Soaring Society of America. SSC conducts flight operations out of Richmond Field (FAA location identifier 69G) located at Gregory, Michigan. The club is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating members and the public in the sport of soaring.
Flight Operations
The Sandhill Soaring Club operates from April through November at Richmond Field in Gregory, Michigan (approximately 10 miles north of Chelsea).
Tows can often be arranged during the week as well. In addition to aerotow launches, ground launches via winch and a self-launching motorglider are available.
The club leases its flight facilities from the Southeast Michigan Soaring Association (SEMSA).
Airport Facilities
Richmond Field has a single north-south runway, 2,600 feet long and several hundred feet wide. In 1994, SEMSA acquired substantial additional acreage with the intention of improving the airport facility for glider operations by aerotow and by winch launch. The club's 6,000 square foot hangar at the north end of the airport stores most of the club-owned aircraft, and a small clubhouse near the hangar serves as the center of the club's flight operations.
Many members and their families have enjoyed camping on the airport (roughing it near the club's kitchen facilities and bathroom with shower). Numerous other camping and recreational facilities are also nearby, including both the Waterloo Recreation Area and the Pinckney State Recreation Area.
Club Meetings
Club membership meetings are held on the third Tuesday of Jan, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, and Oct at 7:30 pm in the Ann Arbor Airport Terminal Building (Airport Drive, just west of South State St. and I-94). Attendance by all club members is encouraged, and guests are always welcome. A soaring film or a guest speaker often follows the business portion of each meeting.
Sandhill History
Sandhill Soaring Club is a cooperative, non-profit organization that exists to provide an educational opportunity for its members to learn to fly gliders, and to continue to develop the skills necessary to be successful pilots.
Formed in 1984, the club has trained dozens of glider pilots, ranging in age from 14 to over 70. Many of these pilots have gone on to enjoy cross-country flying in gliders, and several have competed in soaring contests at the regional and national level.
The airport is near the nesting grounds of the Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) from which we draw our name. Frequently, these magnificent birds can be seen on our field and in the vicinity of the airport.