Warwick Gliding Club offers training in a modern fibreglass two-seat training glider.
Our qualified and experienced instructors will guide you from zero knowledge to flying solo and beyond. Some people learn gliding as a path to an aviation career, others simply enjoy it for the exhilarating sport that it is.
Gliding is one of the cheapest ways to learn to fly, but the skills learnt, and the hours flown, can be applied to other aviation qualifications such as a power plane licence.
At Warwick Gliding Club all our gliders are launched behind a tug plane. At a height determined by the pilot, but usually about 2000 feet above ground level, the glider pilot releases the towrope and begins looking for rising thermals to keep the glider in the air. Depending on conditions the glider may stay up for 20 minutes, or 6 hours!
To learn all aspects of this process you will fly with a qualified instructor and be trained to takeoff, find thermals and land. Safety and emergency procedures will also be practiced. When the instructor thinks you are ready (which can vary greatly from one student to another) he will send you off for your first solo flight!
After further training and solo experience in the two-seat glider, you will progress to flying cross-country, and can go on to fly single-seat gliders and participate in competitions if you wish.
Gliding is regulated by the Gliding Federation of Australia (GFA), under delegation from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. All glider pilots must be members of GFA and members of an affiliated gliding club. Membership of GFA is arranged at Warwick Gliding Club at the same time as Club membership.
Training is conducted most weekends, and some public holidays. Plan to spend a whole day at the airfield (or a weekend) and during the training phase you will probably have 3 flights in a day.
Costs:
All instruction is free - the instructors and tug pilots are volunteers and receive no payment. The cost of the launch, and an hourly rate for the use of the glider, are the only direct costs for each flight. Membership of GFA (which covers insurance and administration) and the Club is paid annually. Club members have use of the clubhouse and other facilities at the airfield as part of their membership.
As of July 2021 typical costs are:
GFA membership:
- Adults - $328/year
Club membership:
- Adults - $300/year
- Juniors/Students - $60/year
Typical launch - $50 (varies with height)
Glider hire - 90c/minute
Juniors/Students receive a 50% discount for glider hire
If you'd like more information please call one of our committee members or use the email contact form.