Try Gliding - and Why Not ! Gliding is a fun recreational activity. Teamwork is required to get gliders airborne, but after that the individual pilot relies on his/her skill and judgement to soar for hours. Gliding is very much a group activity, members help with many tasks needed to keep the club operating, including maneuvering gliders on the ground and assisting with launching, log keeping, maintenance and administration. Training/ air experience flights are not bookable in advance and it is usually necessary to spend half a day or more helping at the airfield while awaiting your own turn for instruction.

WHO CAN FLY ? Almost anyone. Medical standards are similar to the requirements for driving a car.
WOMEN ? Women make excellent pilots and generally seem to learn slightly faster than men.
AGE ? The minimum age for solo flying in the UK is 16. There is no maximum age . Your age will however impact on the rate at which you learn.
DISABLED ? We currently have no facilities, but we are hoping to have them in the future.
ARE THERE ANY SIZE OR WEIGHT LIMITS ? We regret to inform gliders are not designed to accommodate pilots weighing in excess of approximately 16 stones. Also anybody above 6ft 2 in will find it very difficult (but not impossible) to squeeze in.
HOW DO I GET AIRBORNE ? We have a powerful tug aircraft to launch gliders ( usually to 2000ft)
WHAT WILL I GET FOR MY MONEY ?
Trial lessons will include pre flight briefing, instruction in two seaters launched by the tug aircraft. The lesson will usually ( depending on lift ) last 15 o 20 minutes, longer sessions are possible by prior arrangement. Membership of the club for the day is included in the cost. Participants will gain hands on flying experience not long into their first flight and very soon their feelings towards and their aptitude for flying a glider are revealed. Few are un moved by the experience and most cannot resists repeating it.

CLUB AIRCRAFT

TUGS
BELLANCA CITABRIA 7KCAB
PIPER SUPER CRUISER
DE HAVILLAND CHIPMUNK

MOTOR GLIDER
GROB 109B

GLIDERS
BERGFALKE 4 - BLANIK 2 SEATERS
AS K8 SINGLE SEATER

GLIDERS IN STORAGE SLINGSBY T31 X2

MEMBERS GLIDERS

MOSQUITO
DG200
OPEN CIRRUS
PIRAT
OLY 2B
OLY 460
AVIA

The sport involves a surprising amount of exercise and a good deal of concentration. Gliding has traditionally been one of the cheapest forms of flying. A glider or sailplane is an aircraft having no engine and therefore none of thanes, smell or engine failure problems of powered aircraft. Gliders have conventional aircraft controls and flight instruments, and the glider pilot has complete directional control - indeed planned cross- country flights of many ( hundred) miles are possible. As members of the British Gliding Association we observe strict operating safety regulations. All gliders are subject to annual Certificate of Airworthiness test and daily pre flight inspections. Instructional flights are given by experienced pilots holding necessary instructional qualifications

GLIDING AS A HOBBY - HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME?

1ST APRIL- AIRFIELD MEMBERSHIP - £165

1ST MAY - AEROTOW FEES - PREPAY 20X£30 - £600

1ST JULY - BLANIK OWNERS INSURANCE ETC - £200

1ST SEPTEMBER - BGA MEMBERSHIP - £25

TOTAL - £990

IF YOU DO NOT OWN A SHARE OF THE BLANIK
YOU MUST ADD THE COST OF GLIDER HIRE AS USED.

1/10th SHARE OF BLANIK FOR SALE £875
1/6th SHARE OF OLY 2 B FOR SALE £250
1/2 SHARE STANDARD AUSTRIA £1750

1/10th SHARE OF THIS BLANIK AVAILABLE SEEN HERE AFTER
THE LONGEST FLIGHT OF THE SPRING SO FAR OF 4 HOURS