The joy of flying​
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft -gliders - using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere.
The club currently has pilots in the age range 25 to 80, all of whom fly solo! This is a wonderful sport for those looking for a little more excitement and diversity in their activities.
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Great people, amazing views, and a sense of freedom that only flight can give you.
The Gliding Club operates on Wednesdays and Saturdays depending on the weather. The middle of the day is the best time to go flying however, on a busy day it’s first come first served. If it’s raining or very overcast then there will probably be no gliding on that day.
Launch Methods
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Aerotow with our Cessna
We mostly use AEROTOW which is being towed up to your selected altitude by our Cessna tow plane, to a drop off point chosen by the glider pilot, hopefully in an area of lift, so that further climb can be conducted by rising currents of air (thermals).
Winch Launch
The second launch method is the winch launch. A powerful high speed winch is situated at the opposite end of the runway (1,500m away) and the glider is connected by a cable. The glider is then pulled along and up over the winch, at which point it disconnects and flies away, searching for a thermal.
The video below shows a winch launch into some peaceful soaring.