Learning to fly

The sport of gliding is enjoyed by both men and women of all ages, who spend their leisure time in one of the most exhilarating adventure sports available: flying without the noise and vibration of an engine, searching out the thermals which enable the glider to rise. Gliders must slowly descend through the air in which they fly, but if that air is rising faster than their descent rate then the glider steadily gains altitude. It is not uncommon for gliders to climb at rates exceeding 1,000 feet per minute when conditions are at their best during Australia's hot summer.

The thrill of riding the air currents to reach a distant goal, combined with the spectacular views of cloud formations and the landscape below, make gliding the sport of thousands of Australians.

It is often said, by visiting overseas glider pilots, that Australia is one of the finest places in which to enjoy this exhilarating sport, especially in summer, when the hot summer temperatures produce conditions which are described by many as magnificent. The summer months bring many Australian glider pilots together for various competitions, held at gliding centres throughout the country, where speed and distance records are being continually broken.

For most people, it is hard to imagine the sheer performance achieved by glider pilots in their sleek motorless machines. The world speed record for a glider, flying around a pre-determined triangular course of 100 kilometres, was gained by USA pilot James Payne on the 4th March 1997 when he achieved an average speed of 217.41 kilometres per hour. This is an outstanding achievement, when you consider that this speed is well in excess of what most powered light aircraft could hope to achieve.

Another world record was achieved in Australia by visiting West German pilot Hans Werner Grosse on the 9th December 1980, when he flew around a predetermined triangular course of 1,250 km at an average speed of 133.24 km per hour. Hans has become a regular and welcome visitor to Australia: he broke another world record on 8th January 1985 when he averaged 158.41 km per hour around a 750 km triangular course.

Gliders are also capable of climbing to incredible altitudes: the world record for a glider is 14,938 metres (49,009 feet), achieved in the U.S.A. by Robert Harris on 17th February 1986. The Australian record is held by Rick Agnew who achieved 10,058 metres (32,998 feet) over Jindabyne, NSW, on 26th August 1995.

Gliding is a thoroughly rewarding experience, and is not a dangerous sport. On landing approach, gliders fly more slowly than light aircraft, there is no engine to cut out, and no fuel tank to ignite; most importantly, glider pilots are very thoroughly trained.

Come Gliding

No need for a licence,
No need for expensive equipment,
No need for excessive club fees,
No need to buy your own glider,
No need to worry about age (minimum 15, no upper limit).

You'll soon discover that flying gliders is easier than you thought and a lot of fun. Apart from the sheer thrill of three-dimensional motion, there is the spectacle of aerial tourism, the quiet challenge of motorless flight and, for those interested, there are also the more technical aspects, such as: meteorology, aerodynamics, engineering, photography or computing. While world-standard competitions and friendly regattas provide entertaining highlights in the soaring season (summer), one should remember that gliding is an all-year-round sport, offering the opportunity for a pleasant mix with some other interest. Gliding also provides a new social environment with indoor and outdoor activities, a host of new friends and involvement for the whole family. In summary, gliding covers a wide range of interests and ambitions for the young and the not so young.

All training is done in fully dual-controlled two-seaters by qualified instructors.

You too can explore the skies in a sailplane... it's for anyone... of any age... it's fun... relaxing... exhilarating... challenging... it's all year round... and it's an affordable way to fly!

For a trial flight at a reasonable cost of only $25 at the Whyalla Club.

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