The World Distance Award

On January 1, 1992, the Soaring Society of America Board of Directors approved the World Distance Award.   The purpose of the award is to promote and encourage cross-country soaring on a long term basis.   The award is presented to pilots who accumulate through a series of cross-country soaring flights a total of 40,000 km, the distance around the earth.   There is no time limit for accumulating the total distance.

This award is conducted on the honor system.   Turnpoints do no have to be declared prior to take off.   No barograph or GPS trace is required.   Any reported flight distance must be greater that 50 km after being corrected for the difference between start and finish altitude as stated in the Guidelines.   There is no documentation to submit other than the pilots yearly distance accumulation.   The distance accumulation is to be reported to the WDA Administrator when each 5,000 km level is achieved or at least the end of each year.   A one time registration fee of $20 is required at the time of registration.

Certificates will be awarded to participants for each 5,000 km distance level achieved and name of pilot will be reported in Soaring Magazine.   Upon achieving 40,000 km, a ring, representing an orbit of the earth, will be made available to the pilot at a nominal cost.   This ring is designed to attach to any FAI Silver, Gold, or Diamond badge.