About your pilot: Brian Collins is a retired USAF colonel who learned to fly and instruct in gliders at the USAF Academy from 1989-1991.  After a short hiatus he returned to soaring in 1996, purchased a Pik-20 and obtained his CFI-G.  Since then he has accumulated over 3500 hours and 9500 flights in gliders including thousands of cross-country miles.  Currently, he is an SSA Instructor, Glider Check Pilot Examiner with the Maryland Wing of the Civil Air Patrol and owner/operator of the Eastern Soaring Center, Inc.  Thanks to numerous USAF moves he has flown at over 30 sites around the country and competed in a handful of local, regional and national competitions.  He has set over 20 state and 2 national records and is the only U.S. glider pilot with all SSA Distance badges up through 1500 km.  In 2015 he was named the ‘2d Most Active’ SSA Instructor in the U.S.