About Gliding

Gliding gives you freedom, stunning views and the sheer enjoyment of controlling a plane.

Though many pilots are content to fly locally, many others fly long distances cross-country, often competitively. There are also glider aerobatic competitions. For all these pilots, learning to glide started with a trial membership.

Gliders are most commonly launched into the air by "aero-towing" and "winching"; both methods are used at Lasham. Your first flights will usually be by aerotow, but later training will mainly use the winch.

During their lessons trainee glider pilots first learn how to control the glider in the air but quickly move onto landing and launching.
More about learning to glide at Lasham.

You will also learn to stay airborne by finding air that is rising faster than the glider is descending. At Lasham we mainly use rising updraughts of warm air (thermals), the tops of which are often marked by white cumulus clouds. However gliders can also climb in the air rising up a ridge or by using standing waves that sometimes form downwind of mountains.

Achievements in gliding are marked by the awarding of badges (which are never worn). The first is the A badge for a first solo, but that is just the start. Many glider pilots then aim for the Silver C, which is awarded for an altitude gain of at least 1000m, a five hour flight, and a cross-country flight of at least 50km. Gold and diamond badges require higher and longer flights. 750km flights are now regularly achieved from Lasham each year but it doesn't matter what level you are at. There is always something else to aim for.
Read more about our Achievements, heroic failures and fun flights.

After Silver C some pilots enjoy flying competitively. Cross country racing is an excellent way to improve flying skills and great fun too.
More about competition flying .

Next step

Book a Trial Flight for yourself or a group of friends, a Flying Start half day course, a Weekend or Five Day holiday course and find out what you have been missing. All include a three month trial membership because we are sure you will get the bug and want to do more!
Click here for more about learning to glide at Lasham