Glider
Glider: pick what suits you. Options for beginners, families or groups, in the finest settings there are.
Difficulty
Easy (as a passenger) – Advanced (flying it yourself)
Duration
15–90 minutes
Location
Airfields used for sport aviation
Season
Spring to autumn, depending on the conditions in the air
What is gliding?
A glider is an aircraft without an engine, built to fly efficiently by working the air currents.
Once launched, it can stay up on the rising air that the atmosphere and the terrain create.
The flight is quiet, with little noise, and keeps you close to the natural world.
Introductory flights let passengers get a feel for the basic principles of soaring.
Types of glider experience
Introductory flight
A first taste of engineless flight.
Scenic flight
Taking in the landscape from the air, quietly.
Pilot training
Courses that build up your flying skills.
Competitive soaring
Flights given over to performance and to competition.
Discovery flight
A teaching experience about the principles of flight.
How does it work?
Briefing
The pilot goes over the safety rules and how the flight will run.
Checking the aircraft
The glider is checked over before the flight.
The launch
The glider is taken up by whichever method the airfield uses.
Soaring
The pilot works the air currents to stay up.
Landing
The glider comes back down under control onto the airfield runway.
Who is a flight by glider for?
Beginners
Introductory flights let you discover soaring with no experience at all.
People keen on aviation
Ideal for anyone interested in how flight and aerodynamics work.
Nature lovers
It gives you a calm experience, close to the natural world.
People who photograph
It lets you catch aerial images worth keeping.
Would-be pilots
It is a step on the way into sport aviation.
Experience gifts
A special choice for anyone who loves flying.
Level of the experience
Discovery flight
A calm way of getting to know engineless flight.
Flying on thermals
Using the rising air to stay up longer.
Competitive soaring
Flights aimed at performance and precision.
At a glance
Conditions in the air
The air currents and the weather set how long the flight lasts and how good it is.
How it is launched
The glider can be towed up or taken up by any other approved method.
How long the flight lasts
It depends on the route, the weather and the kind of experience.
Booking
It is worth booking a slot in advance.
Weight limits
There are limits set for the safety of the aircraft.
Location
The flights take place in areas licensed for aviation.
Gear
Seat belt
Worn for the whole of the flight.
Emergency parachute
It can be part of the glider's standard kit.
Intercom
It lets the pilot and the passenger talk to each other.
Comfortable clothing
Clothes suited to the season are recommended.
Phone or camera
It can be used if the operator's rules allow it.
Safety
Gliding is a regulated aviation activity: how safe it is comes down to the pilot's training, the checks on the aircraft and the conditions in the air.
Glider — frequently asked questions
No. Introductory flights are made together with a qualified pilot.
No. A glider is built to fly on the energy it has gained and on the air currents.
It is a quiet experience, with little noise and a real sense of floating.
It varies with the conditions in the air and the kind of experience.
Yes, if the operator allows devices to be used during the flight.
A glider uses no engine in flight; everything turns on aerodynamic efficiency and on working the air currents.
Discovering flight in its purest form, and the principles of soaring, safely and memorably.