First Gliding Experience

Gliding

First Gliding Experience

Sparky 20/05/2007, 9:59 PM
Just had my first gliding lesson with the ATC(Air Training Corps), any tips on how i could become a glider instructor or something?

Re: First Gliding Experience

Paul Smith 21/05/2007, 7:55 AM

That's great, well done. I went gliding a couple of times when I was in the Cadets and I loved it.

Don't know what it's like now, may have changed, but when I was a member there was a Gliding Scholarship you could do when you were 16... ask your Sqn. CO about it.

Think there are a few civilian gliding clubs around too... where abouts in the country are you?

Re: First Gliding Experience

Sparky 21/05/2007, 4:36 PM

Paul Smith wrote:

That's great, well done. I went gliding a couple of times when I was in the Cadets and I loved it.

Don't know what it's like now, may have changed, but when I was a member there was a Gliding Scholarship you could do when you were 16... ask your Sqn. CO about it.

Think there are a few civilian gliding clubs around too... where abouts in the country are you?

Im in 3 welsh wing, 499, but the nearest is Swansea, 636 Voluntary Gliding School or something like that

Re: First Gliding Experience

grobflyer 22/05/2007, 1:31 PM
The ATC still gives gliding scholarships at 16; if in doubt, enquire!

Re: First Gliding Experience

Cumolonimbus 19/05/2008, 3:38 PM

Well done, Sparky - sharing your enthusiasm is the first step.

I felt exactly the same when I went on a week's gliding course with the ATC when I was 16. I went solo on the second day after 20 launches and spent the rest of the week pushing and pullling the gliders around in an attempt to get my fellow students solo within the week.

I felt a bit miffed, and somewhat disappointed that I did not have the opportunity to fly again that week but understood the task of Central Gliding School was to try to get all of the cadets on the course to solo standard - no time for jollies!

So I wrote to the CO of the unit and expressed my wish to become a gliding instructor. He wrote a long letter back outlining all of the necessary skills and qualifications needed (I still have that letter).

I did as he advised and made contact with the CO of a weekend gliding school (Volunteer Gliding Squadron now) to ask how I could become a staff cadet.

Some 30 odd years later and more than 7000 flights I retired as Chief Flying Instructor of that VGS.

A very satisfying experience indeed, you only get out of it what you put in.

Don't talk about it, do it.

...and good luck.