Originally Posted by
henwood
Stumbled across this thread and it could have been written for me! I am also 35 and think I would love to learn to glide. I have been up once before at Dunstable Downs - my dad was given a birthday present of a gliding experience there and the instructor very kindly took me up for a quick flight at the very end of the day. I loved it!
I've been looking for a hobby to occupy my weekends that doesn't involve drinking and does involve me learning something new and I remembered how much I enjoyed my first flight.
I have booked a one day course at LGC for 1st Dec (earliest they could do) and am very much looking forward to it. That said, I am wondering what the consensus is on learning to glide at either LGC or Booker - both are similar distances from me (Booker a bit closer, but not much in it), but from my reading so far it sounds like they are quite different. Interested to hear the views of those who are familiar with both!
Secondly, assuming I do wish to pursue this after the one day course (likely I think), is it realistic to go solo within a year or so assuming I can only get up there probably one or two weekends each month?
Thanks in advance!
Perfectly reasonable to get to solo standard in that time frame - probably much sooner if you commit your weekends for a while. The key to making good progress is to try and string a few weekends in decent weather together so that you don't regress too much between sessions.
Disclaimer: gliding often can & often does involve drinking .. only in the clubhouse afterwards though!