Our History

New England Soaring Association is one of the oldest soaring clubs in the country and possibly the oldest continually operating club.

The club began it’s life at Tanner Hiller airport in Barre, MA. It was officially incorporated in 1955, although informally activity began in 1951.

The club relocated to its current home in Vermont in the early 1990’s.

Recollection by Bertha Ryan (former NESA member and SSA Board Member)

Some great pictures from the past including Bertha Ryan with her 1-26. At the time Bertha was the only only woman in the Aeronautical Engineering Program at MIT. Her research of lifting soaring bodies were a precursor to the space shuttle.