When does the club operate?

We aim to fly every weekend and most Wednesdays - please check the trip list for upcoming trips

How difficult is it to fly a glider?

To fly solo is about as difficult as learning to drive a car. However, gliding has huge scope for advancement and no one ever stops learning. There are always challenges even for the most experienced pilots.

Is gliding safe?

Gliding is an adventure sport that offers great enjoyment and exhilaration to those taking part. However, all participants should be aware that, like other adventure sports such as mountaineering, skiing or potholing, gliding involves an element of risk. For example, gliding is not as safe as flying in a commercial airliner. However, we believe that the balance of risk and reward is one that we can live with.

Statistical comparisons indicate that you are less likely to suffer a serious injury gliding than playing rugby.

For a further comparison, the figures indicate that you are slightly more likely to have a fatal accident scuba diving than gliding.

The Cotswold Gliding Club places the very highest priority on safety and works hard to minimise the risks in our sport. All instructors are qualified by the British Gliding Association and are subject to regular re-qualification checks. The club's aircraft are checked each day before flying and are subject to thorough annual inspections.

Should you have any concerns about the risk involved in gliding, or want more information, we would be pleased to discuss it with you. Please contact the committee and ask to be put in touch with an instructor.

How fast does a glider fly?

A modern glider can fly at over 150 mph although more often we fly between 50 - 90mph.

How high can you go?

Gliders climbing in thermals normally stop at cloudbase, which can be anything from 3000 - 6000 ft. Pilots who have been taught to fly using instruments can climb inside clouds and reach 12000ft or more. Certain meteorolical conditions allow much higher climbs - the UK record is almost 38000ft.

How long can you stay up?

We can stay up all day long if conditions and stamina permit. Night flying is not allowed. Flights of over 5 hours are very common.

How do you know you're in a thermal?

First of all you can feel it in the seat of your pants. Thermals can lift the glider at up to 10mph and you notice the acceleration upwards as you fly into the rising air. Secondly, we carry an instrument that tells us the vertical speed of the glider. We find thermals by searching under cumulus clouds (they are made by thermals), looking for other gliders already climbing, looking for soaring birds and flying over ground features likely to generate thermals.