Did you Know...

Gliders can fly as high as airliners, can fly hundreds of miles across country, and are aerobatic.

Ever thought of surfing the air currents thousands of feet above the ground, or flying hundreds of miles across country in a day? Or putting a glider through an aerobatic routine? On a clear day, you can see the Isle of Wight, Poole Harbour, and the coast all the way along from Swanage to Portland from above the club in our gliders.

After one year of gliding training, you could be doing these on your own...

Flying a glider is not difficult - If you are capable of driving a car you can be trained to fly a glider - the gliders have full dual controls.

• The aerotow trial lesson to 2000 feet is £75.00

Trial Lesson Vouchers

If you would like a voucher for a trial lesson, perhaps as a gift for a friend or relative, please send a cheque made out to Dorset Gliding Club Ltd., for £75.  Include a note stating the name of the person flying to be put on the voucher and also the name and address of the person to whom the voucher is to be returned.

Click here for a form and print it out on your computer, fill it in, and return with your cheque to:

DGC Trial Lessons
c/o Mr. Gerry Cox
7 Old Kiln Road
Wareham
BH20 5BY

On receipt a voucher will be issued, valid for a year with information on
how to book the date and time of the flight. For further information please phone, 07784 732 648. If the weather is unsuitable on your preferred day, we will help you book another suitable day instead.

Trial Lessons

If you would prefer to turn up on a Saturday or Sunday, you can have a trial lesson there and then if the weather is suitable, and aircraft and instructors are available for you.

Contact name and phone number for trial lessons:

• at weekends, the club, Tel: 01929 405599, let the phone ring for a while if necessary.

• Mobile number: 07784 732 648

• Email dgctrialflights@dsl.pipex.com

Note: The maximum weight of the passenger undertaking the trial flight is about 220 lbs (15 stones), or 100 kgs. The minimum age is 14 years.

How does a glider get up in the air if it doesn't have an engine?

There are 2 methods to launch you (and your instructor) into the air. Either you are winched into the air by a powerful winch to about 1000 feet, or you are aero-towed by a tug plane. The advantage of the aerotow is that the tug pilot will take you where some lift is available, and the height of the tow is higher, typically 2000 feet.

But... doesn't it just come straight back down?

Of course, eventually. The main source of lift used by gliders flying from Dorset Gliding Club is thermal lift. This is caused by the sun heating the land. A warm bubble of air rises from the land. Eventually the top of the bubble reaches a height where the moisture in the air condenses. This is when a cloud forms. Beneath that fluffy cloud is a thermal - perhaps! The glider circles (thermals) under the cloud looking for the best area of lift. After reaching the top of the thermal, the pilot then looks for another area of lift, and flies towards it, losing height in the process.

He or she will judge the best clouds to fly to and continue to fly across country for many miles in the process while navigating, using a map, compass and nowadays more likely a GPS - but always keeping a good lookout.

Your training by BGA approved instructors will teach you how to achieve flights like these. The training will cover winch and aerotow launching, circuit and field landing planning, cross country navigation, air law and meteorology. Initially all training is carried out dual (with an instructor), then you go solo for the first time, and continue on with more dual and supervised solo training. Other aspects covered will be winch driving, retrieval of gliders and radio work.

At times it will be hard work, but very rewarding, and you will make many new friends in the process. Gliding is very much a case of "the more you put in - the more you get out of it!"