soarers

Soarers is a term that can describe individuals who engage in flight by soaring, as well as people who pursue high, aspirational goals. In aviation and aerial sports, soarers are pilots and riders who use rising air to gain altitude and glide over distances with minimal or no engine power.

In practical terms, soarers include sailplane (glider) pilots, paragliders, and hang gliders. Soaring relies on natural lift from thermals, ridge lines, or atmospheric waves. Pilots must continuously manage airspeed, altitude, and flight direction, often following training and certification standards that vary by country. Equipment ranges from gliders and harnesses to specialized safety gear such as reserve parachutes.

Metaphorically, the term is used to describe people who aim to achieve lofty goals or rise above difficult circumstances. In journalism, self-help writing, and everyday speech, someone described as a “soarer” is typically portrayed as ambitious, forward-looking, or resilient, even when facing obstacles.

In fiction and some subcultures, Soarers can appear as a proper noun for a group or faction associated with airborne ability, transcendence, or elevated ideals. Usage in these contexts is highly dependent on the specific work or community, and the term may be defined differently across settings.

See also: Soaring, gliding, aviation, paragliding, hang gliding.