There are over 70 gliding clubs around the UK. Simply find the one nearest to you and give them a call or drop them an email to find out more.
You can use our handy club finder to see a map of clubs around the UK, or find the clubs nearest to you by postcode.

The answer is, almost anyone can learn to glide! Clubs generally set a lower age limit of 12 years old, but there's no upper limit!
The best thing to do is to contact your nearest club to ask them. Some clubs do have restrictions based on height and weight (for example the maximum designed seat weight is usually around 103kg), but it's best to ask them directly.

Many people have a trial lesson or introductory package first, to find out whether they like the sport.
A trial lesson is normally between 20 and 30 minutes long, and gives you the chance to try flying the glider yourself if you want (with a qualified instructor in the glider!)
Your instructor will tell you about the glider and how it flies, then guide you through using the controls.

You can buy a voucher for a flight on our website, or you can buy a voucher by contacting your nearest club directly. Most clubs sell vouchers online and with some clubs, you can book a date for your flight there and then!

Note: It's worth mentioning that trial lessons are generally priced quite a bit higher than day-to-day club member flying, since everything is laid on for you. If you're pretty sure that you want to learn to fly, then you may well be better off exploring membership flying options, as, once you've paid the membership fee (which can be paid monthly at many clubs), then flying costs are usually around £10 - £15 for a winch launch, and 65p a minute for glider hire. All club instruction is completely free of charge, unless you want to join a special course.

The lower age limit for learning to glide varies from club to club, but most clubs ask that you're at least 12 years old.
There are also some height restrictions, as you must be able to comfortably reach the controls.

It's worth noting that age is less relevant than ability to comply with instructions and size relates to physical fit of safety equipment.

Being honest, it depends on the nature of your disability. Being blind, for example, would make it impossible, though there are pilots flying successfully with just one eye. Being deaf is a little less difficult – there are deaf pilots who have successfully learned to fly. Some physical disabilities can be overcome: for example some paraplegic pilots have learned to fly in specially-adapted gliders with hand controls.

The BGA works closely with Aerobility, a registered charity which offers disabled people opportunities to fly aeroplanes, including gliders. Their website is full of information which can help you.

Gliding is a great way to learn to fly, and forms an excellent foundation for going on to fly for a career.

The armed services – especially the RAF – and the Commercial Airlines appreciate any prior flying experience. Gliding is particularly valuable as it teaches 'stick and rudder' skills, which is something you may not get as much of when flying light training aircraft.

Plus, some of the most famous pilots in the world were also glider pilots. Think 1940s pioneer aviator Amy Johnson, Astronaut Neil Armstrong, airline captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger – who famously landed an Airbus in the River Hudson when both engines failed at low altitude. He puts his quick thinking and flying skills down to the fact that he was a glider pilot.

Because of people like him, the commercial airlines are placing more value on people with stick and rudder skills, and you get that in spades when you learn to fly a glider.

Gliding is the cheapest way of learning to fly and getting experience in the air. It's not 'cheap' in the relative scheme of things – after all, you're learning to fly an aeroplane.

But because there's no fuel needed by the glider, that cost doesn't exist.
The only fuel you 'use' is the fuel it takes to launch you into the air, usually by being towed into the sky by a light aircraft (known as an aerotow).

All gliding clubs have different fees, however you can expect to pay around 50-75 pence per minute of flight time in a training glider. Then you'll need to pay for your launch: how you get into the air. An aerotow to 2,000 feet will cost you between £35 and £45 (do we have any figures on the average cost of a tow around the UK?).

If your club offers winch launches, this normally costs around £10.00.

Doing the maths:

A 20 minute flight in a typical training glider will cost:

£0.60 per minute x 20 minutes = £12.00
Aerotow launch to 2000 feet = £35
Total cost of a 20-minute training flight: £47 (by aerotow) or £22 (by winch).
This might seem expensive, but not when you compare it to powered light aircraft training, which can often cost over £150 per hour.

You can find more information here: https://members.gliding.co.uk/pilotinformation/sailplane-pilot-licence/

There are often funding sources to help you with the costs, depending on your age group.
The Air League, British Womens Pilot Association, Walking on Air, Aerobility etc...

Gliding clubs in the UK are generally volunteer-led organisations. A Board or Committee will be responsible for decision-making and running the club itself.
Instructors are also volunteers in many cases. Some clubs may have paid Chief Flying Instructors or senior Staff Instructors, and Office Staff, but in many clubs the essential tasks such as organising the flying programme, keeping on top of maintenance, and looking after safety are done by members who volunteer their time to help the club.

In gliding, you pay for the costs of the flying: i.e. the launch cost and the glider air time (hire). You also pay an annual membership fee. You do NOT pay for your instruction.
Instructors give their time for free, partly for the love of the sport, but also because it helps them build their flying hours.

Club members, for their part, are expected to help out with various tasks around the club. Those tasks might include running the launch point, cleaning and maintaining gliders, looking after the club facilities, cutting the grass etc. There are many jobs to be done, but if all members help out, they can be easily taken care of. This has the knock-on effect of keeping costs down for all members.

When you join a gliding club, you'll be given training over time in how to do many of the jobs. And you may even get to become an instructor yourself and give-back that way!

Absolutely you can! Most military cadet schemes appreciate experience gained elsewhere, as it broadens your experience of gliding, clubs and of life in general.
There are many cadets learning to glide at clubs all around the country!

Many clubs have guidelines for the minimum age that someone can start learning to fly. It's often around 12 years old, as long as you're tall enough to wear a parachute and see out of the glider.

In the UK and Europe, you must be 14 to fly a glider solo (that is, by yourself, without an instructor). But we recommend that you're at least 12 years old before you start learning to fly. One of the reasons is that, if you start learning too soon, you might have a few years' wait before you can go solo!