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Gliding Lessons in Kent

Near Ashford
REF: GLAKA1
Rated Based On 39 Reviews

• Founded in 1930, it's one of the oldest UK clubs
• Dynamic Gliding club with over 150 active members
• Go Gliding from nr Ashford over the Kentish Downs
• Excellent clubhouse with food, rooms and camping
 
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What's Included

One Aerotow Flight
• Safety briefing, explanation of the aircraft and its controls before being strapped into the cockpit
• An aerotow launch to 2000ft
• Enjoy the view as you are towed by a tug plane up to the release altitude and soaring for approximately 15 minutes
• Your instructor will demonstrate the controls before letting you have a go at flying the glider yourself
• Allow one hour on site for this experience

Half Day Flying Course
• Try out both gliding launch methods
• One aerotow launch and one winch launch

Full Day Flying Course
• A day course is a cost effective way of gaining more airtime and allows you to enjoy a full days instruction, it includes more detailed briefings, one aerotow launch and up to three winch launches

Other experience days are available from IntotheBlue, try using our Find Experience search tool on our home page

What Can I Expect

Gliding in Kent has a very long and proud history, with hundreds getting airborne to soar over of the Garden of England through the years. Located on the crest of the North Downs between Charing and Challock, this lively and energetic club in Kent is a great place to learn the graceful art of gliding.

This Kentish club is is in fact believed to have been the first gliding club to be formed in England on the 4th January 1930. Of course, there was no time for leisurely pursuits such as gliding during the second world war, but the enthusiasts got together again and reformed in 1956 with a renewed zest and vigour. The club has migrated all over the county, but gliding in Kent finally settled at its current location in 1961, continuously developing and upgrading the facilities and fleet to remain up to date and modern.

A very dynamic club, it has an excellent club house and briefing room for budding glider pilots and for the 150 active members, has seven twin seat gliders and around 30 BGA approved gliding instructors. There are 20 tug pilots on the books to keep the club gliding seven days a week in summer and every Wednesday and at weekends in winter too. With the mild climate of Kent it's perfectly possible to glide all year round.

Many have said that gliding offers the best views of Kent and the coastline. In fact, on a clear day you can look out of one side of the cockpit and see the Thames Estuary, Whitstable and into Essex, whilst from the other side of your glider it's the views of Ashford, the Kent coastline and perhaps even France that'll have you utterly enthralled as you take a slow, graceful 360 degree turn to take it all in.

We are offering introductory taster sessions, half days or one day courses in gliding at this Kent club. If you opt for the taster, you will enjoy one aerotow flight, being pulled into the air by a Piper Pawnee tug plane, leaving you to soar high above the cliffs like a giant seagull and your ride back to the grass runway. The half day experience gives you two flights and lets you try both aerotow and winch launch methods.

On the full day session you will become part of the Kent gliding family for a day. See the 'log cabin' that gets towed out to the launch area (and acts as mission control on flying days), meet the members, have a chat and generally immerse yourself in the world of gliding. Your intensive day gives you an aerotow and three winch launches, where you are hooked up to the cable, the winch takes up the slack and you're away rumbling and bouncing over the grass for what feels like just milliseconds before you suddenly lift away and everything goes quiet…save for the sound of the wind whistling.

Availability

• All flights are subject to suitable weather conditions

One Aerotow

• Available April to September on Fridays 
• Weekday flights have much better availability than those at weekends

Half Day Course
• Available Monday to Friday April to September
• Morning and afternoon sessions are available, 8am-1pm & 12 noon-5pm

Full Day Course
• Available Monday to Friday April to September
• Sessions start at 8am until 5pm

Location

• Challock, Ashford, Kent
• Conveniently located with quick and easy access from both the M20 and the M2

Suitable For

• Minimum age 14 years
• Maximum weight limit is 16 stone
• Maximum height is 6'2" (1.88m)
• You will have to sign a health declaration, however, if you are fit enough to drive a car, you will be able to fly in a glider
• Suitable arrangements can be made to overcome most disabilities

Spectators

• Spectators are very welcome to come and watch the gliding fun
• There is a large clubhouse selling refreshments, snacks and hot meals all day on Wednesdays and weekends, picnic benches and tables providing great views
• If you are travelling long distances to try gliding in Kent or want to take advantage of the hospitality at the clubhouse, basic rooms are available to hire
• You are also welcome to pitch a tent in the fields adjacent to the clubhouse
• Shower and toilet facilities are provided
• The club has wheelchair access and disabled toilet facilities

Anything Else

• All 30 instructors at this glider club in Kent are BGA approved
• Lunch is not provided, so participants should either bring a packed lunch or food can be purchased from the clubhouse on the day

Reviews

5 out of 5 stars

Average Rating: 5
Total Reviews: 39

Find out what other customers think of the experience

Reviews

  based on 38 reviews

Rating: 5 stars
Rajko Novakovic
4 Months ago
I cannot begin to describe the shear joy and exhilaration I felt during my gliding experience. The ...
Rating: 5 stars
John urban

The say was fantastic , I could probably do it all again

Rating: 5 stars
Keri
Excellent from start to finish! Well organised and everyone was fantastic. This experience really h...
Rating: 5 stars
Christopher Laycock
Very friendly club, instructor was Peter and was excellent. Not long in the air about 15 mins. Coul...
Rating: 5 stars
spencer
Loved it! Weather not brilliant for flying, so only got about 20 minutes in the air. Would have b...
Rating: 5 stars
kevin slattery
Great day, Peter the instructor was very friendly and laid back with a good sense of humour. Friend...
Rating: 5 stars
MIKE JONES
The experience day was brilliant from start to finish. All of the instructors were very experience...
Rating: 5 stars
John Howlett
Had a fantastic day from start to finish Peter my instructor was excellent and I would definitely r...
Rating: 5 stars
David Lilford
I thoroughly enjoyed my glider lessons and Peter (the instructor) was superb.
Rating: 5 stars
Serena Adams
A truly wonderful day. The instructors were amazing very friendly, approachable, extremely knowledg...
Rating: 5 stars
Serena Adams
A truly wonderful experience. The instructors were amazing very friendly, approachable, extremely k...
Rating: 5 stars
Julian Marriott
Well run with friendly and helpful staff. Really enjoyed the day. A really great gift.
Rating: 5 stars
Mark
A super gift to receive, had a really pleasurable gliding experience. Peter the main glider pilot/...
Rating: 5 stars
Jacqueline
Thoroughly enjoyed this gliding experience, fabulous views and expert tuition giving the chance for...
Rating: 5 stars
boband
If you like flying , you will love this experience. Great basic gliding instruction with hands on f...
Rating: 5 stars
dell
Had the most Amazing time, it was everything i thought it would be and more. Everyone was friendly ...
Rating: 5 stars
Colin
A most excellent day out. Walking through the country lanes and footpaths from Charing station on a...
Rating: 5 stars
Don Willetts
Although I have been in a glider (many years ago) this was even better than I expected. The pilot w...
Rating: 5 stars
Jo Graham
Great day spent with lively people. Would definitely recommend the gliding either as half day or fu...
Rating: 5 stars
John Lawson
Gliding in Kent was a memorable experience. All the instructors at the gliding club were friendly a...
Rating: 5 stars
Lyn Crowhurst
Fantastic experience. Very friendly staff and excellent facilities
Rating: 5 stars
Brian Searle
I really enjoyed my flight with Instructor Bob. We were airborne for one and a half hours and Bob l...
Rating: 5 stars
Rosie Callow
I really enjoyed my gliding experience and my pilot Les made me feel very safe. I would recommend t...
Rating: 5 stars
Karen Vause
Wot an experience! The staff and of course Walter my pilot were all fantastic and made the whole ex...
Rating: 5 stars
Karen Vause
It was an amazing adventure, the gliding experience was something I wanted to do for quite sometime...
Rating: 5 stars
Allan Russell
Very friendly club set-up. Courteous members made us feel welcome. Had to wait my turn for airtow i...
Rating: 5 stars
Nicola
No pre-booking info sent. Staff and totor very helpful and supportive but a challenging day due to...
Rating: 5 stars
Matt
Received the experience as a Christmas gift & was very impressed! The Gliding club made us feel ext...
Rating: 5 stars
Hugh Johnston
Absolutely fabulous. All the lads and lassies there are so professional, friendly and helpful and m...
Rating: 5 stars
Jason Mabbutt
Sadly the weather let us down on my flight day and have rebooked for the end of September. However ...
Rating: 5 stars
christine
My mum and I bought this for my dads 83rd birthday. He absolutely loved it. Everyone was very hel...
Rating: 5 stars
Ms E Robinson
The whole experience from start to finish was excellent. staff superb.
Rating: 5 stars
Peter and Audrey Weekes
Great flight, even though the viz was somewhat hazy in the distance. Everyone from the Receptionis...
Rating: 5 stars
Tony Loft
Exellent flight, very freindly atmosphere something that i will be doing in the future, would defin...
Rating: 5 stars
Geoff Plumer
This was something I have wanted to do for a long time and the whole day was fantastic. We had good...
Rating: 5 stars
Sally Ring
When I booked it I asked if it would be better to go earlier in the day to get the thermals. They ...
Rating: 5 stars
Customer Review from Feefo,
Service rating - excellent: Fast and prompt. No problems at all.Product rating - excellent: Wonderf...
Rating: 5 stars
David Edmunds
Had a great day gliding at the Kent gliding club, very friendly instructors, could easily take it u...