BIG FLATS, N.Y.(WENY)-- Elmira New York is regarded as the “Soaring Capital of America” and a central player in soaring history, a history that Harris Hill Soaring Corporation played a major part in. 

The first 13 soaring contests were held in Elmira from 1930 to 1946 and this was made possible through an alliance of the Soaring Society of America, the Harris Hill Soaring Corporation, and the county’s Chamber of Commerce.  

Today Harris Hill Soaring Corporation allows citizens to not only come and enjoy gliding with experienced pilots but to also learn how to fly at the early age of 14. 

Roy Tice is 15 and he has been part of the Junior program at Harris Hill for one year now, something that his friends find impressive. 

“ Most people are like wow that's pretty cool and it's pretty cool that you are doing it at like 15,” said Tice. 

Tice said many go on to fly commercial airplanes after learning how to fly in Big Flats, a path that he might end up following as well. 

“Most people go through the airlines and that's probably what I will do,” said Tice. 

The HHSC even offers flying classes for youth at a reduced cost, with the hope of educating and training youth to fly at an early age. 

While most teens are getting their driver's licenses by the age of 16, members of the Junior program are earning their pilot's licenses by the age of 16. 

“It is really not that scary at all, there's never been a point that I was fearful or anything,” said Tice.  

Flying gliders are not just for today's youth, Michael Goldstein, associate Cornell Professor is currently in the process of obtaining his pilot's license. 

“I think we have two different communities that come here, one is folks that just want to ride,” said Goldstein. “  For those who are interested in learning how to fly we have the FAST program.” 

FAST stands for fly a sailplane today, which offers ground training, plus an introductory flight where the guest takes part in flying the airplane. 

“Other people will just come in as I did, I already knew I wanted to fly, within 20 minutes of being here they had me in a plane, with an instructor and we were for the very first time leaving the ground,” said Goldstein. 

With engines nowhere to be found, pilots like Goldstein are required to operate mainly off of weather patterns 

“As you get better and you learn to read weather and clouds you find upwellings of warm air, you find thermals and you connect thermals and you can fly for hundreds and hundreds of miles,” said Goldstein. 

The flying season normally goes from April to November and whether you are interested in taking a flight or flying a plane, Goldstein encourages everyone to experience this once-in-a-lifetime journey and to seriously consider participating in the junior program. 

“We have a really good training program to allow them to do that, now a lot of those kids go on to careers in aviation,” said Goldstein.