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Gliding in Essex

Ridgewell Airfield, near Halstead
REF: GLDESW
Rated Based On 17 Reviews

• Glider flying at Ridgewell Airfield in Essex
• Lessons based on soar time & release height
• A close-knit team of instructors & members
• It's gliders only (& the tug!) at this airfield
 
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What's Included

  • Experience gliding in a 2-seater glider accompanied by a qualified pilot
  • All flights are preceded by a briefing and explanation of glider flight
  • The effects of the controls will be demonstrated to you during your flight
  • Opportunity to take the control of the glider

Single Winch Launch

  • A single winch launch  4-5 minutes.  A great introduction!

Bronze Glider Flight

  • 2000ft aerotow with around 15-20 minutes flight time

Silver Glider Flight

  • 3000ft aerotow with approximately 25-30 minutes flying time

Gold Glider Flight

  • A mile high flight (5280ft aerotow) providing around 50-60 minutes of flight time

What Can I Expect

Go gliding in Essex! We are offering a full range of glider flights including great value tasters, to mile-high aerotow experiences at this friendly Essex glider club.

Based at the tranquil Ridgewell Airfield, hidden in the glorious countryside around the Suffolk/Essex borders, this 'glider-only' airfield has a very relaxed family feel, with a very welcoming atmosphere.

The gliders used for these experiences have a tandem seating configuration and you'll be up front (the best seat in the house for checking out the views of Essex!), whilst your instructor is in the rear seat. All the gliders used for lessons are dual-controlled.

This Ridgewell Airfield club has two types of training gliders that are regularly used, namely the PW-6, which is a modern fibreglass model and the K13, a classic design of glider that's a true delight to fly.

As you may already know, gliding is all about soaring, but for how long depends on your launch height and weather conditions on the day. The excellent value winch tow will give you the excitement of being winched into the air to about 1000ft and released, to do a circuit around the airfield before landing.

If, on the Bronze experience, the thermals over Essex are playing ball, you'll easily soar away for 15-20 minutes on one flight when you're launched from around 2000ft. The Silver experience sees you being released at 3000ft above the ground, giving you typically between 25 and 30-minutes' flying time.

The Gold flight is the big one. This time the Piper Pawnee tug plane will release you from one mile up (yes, really!) and you'll be gliding for the best part of a glorious hour.

During these flights you will, if conditions are right and you’re up for it, be invited to take control of the glider. The first thing to master is handling 'straight and level flight', followed by turning the glider, just like a budding pilot on their first lesson!

Shop vouchers now for gliding experiences in Essex out of the lovely Ridgewell Airfield.

Availability

  • Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays between April and November
  • All dates and session times are subject to availability and weather conditions
  • Participants should contact the flying school on the morning of their flight to check weather conditions are suitable

Location

  • Ridgewell Airfield, Ashen, in Essex

Suitable For

  • Minimum age 14
  • Under 18s must be accompanied on the airfield by an adult
  • Maximum weight 16 stone (101kg)
  • Maximum height 6ft 2ins (188cm)

Spectators

  • Spectators are welcome

Anything Else

  • You can take along a camera, but it must use a neck-strap to firmly attach it

Reviews

5 out of 5 stars

Average Rating: 5
Total Reviews: 17

Find out what other customers think of the experience

Reviews

  based on 17 reviews

Rating: 5 stars
AMANDA RODWAY
6 Months ago

Excellent day, would thoroughly recommend.

Rating: 5 stars
Dawn Brown
6 Months ago
An amazing experience. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Felt safe at all times. The flight was...
Rating: 5 stars
William
Fantastic day out! I really enjoyed meeting the people, the friendliness of the 'club' but of cours...
Rating: 5 stars
kevin serafin
had a great time at the glider club staff were very good and my gliger flight was awsome souring a...
Rating: 5 stars
Heather Wilkinson
I was bought this gliding experience for my 60th birthday. It was awesome and in parts, literally t...
Rating: 5 stars
Chris
Fantastic. Myself and two friends spent the afternoon at the Gliding Club. The members were so frie...
Rating: 5 stars
martin
it was a fine day and the pilot took the glider to 3000 feet and the flight lasted about 35 minutes...
Rating: 5 stars
Ann Case
I had a brilliant time at the gliding club. Everyone was so very friendly and the whole experience ...
Rating: 5 stars
Sheena Stevenson
I took my flight on Saturday. The people at the Gliding Club are very friendly. I had two flights...
Rating: 5 stars
Tom Moore
An awesome experience. All the club members made us feel part of the gliding family immediately and...
Rating: 5 stars
Bobbie Perry
I had an amazing experience with the crew at Essex . Cathy was fantastic as I was nervous and she r...
Rating: 5 stars
Colin Murphy
Flight was excellent, pilot brilliant. Unfortunately told at the start there would be an hours del...
Rating: 5 stars
colin
a brilliant glider flight, pilot and club members very welcoming, lucky with the weather, a really ...
Rating: 5 stars
Mirko Junkovic
Everybody at the Gliding Club was very welcoming and friendly. They all love what they are doing an...
Rating: 5 stars
Mike Rawlinson
Lived up to all my expectations. Very friendly welcome from members of the Gliding Club. Clear inst...
Rating: 5 stars
Clive Gard
The experience was fantastic. The people at Essex Gliding Club were very welcoming and they made th...
Rating: 5 stars
chris benson
Absolutely fantastic! Super nice people, very informative and make you feel like your apart of the ...