Gliding package for PPLs @ Ridgewell (Essex/Suffolk border)
I started the recent thread on gliding for PPLs (thanks mods for allowing me to post details there and here). I have now agreed with my club (Essex GC) details of the package.
Where we're coming from: We're not aiming at a profit-making package. Our gain is if a PPL stays a member and continues to fly with us - the club grows and we spread the costs more widely. Essex GC has 2 ATPLs as gliding members, and some PPLs as well, so we're "equal opportunities" in that sense. We have space for a few more members without losing the good things about our club, and I've seen interest among members of this forum over the last year, but also concerns about the length of training. Thus this package aims to deal with those concerns.
Part 1 is a Taster Day - we provide 6 winch launches or 2hrs in the air (depends on soaring conditions). This will pretty much tire you out. You also get a month's membership in case you're not sure and want to fly with us again (we can only fly members of the club).
If you like it, and us, you can join as a member and take our Fixed Price to Solo package at a 50% discount (we count the Taster Day as part payment), because we reckon PPLs need about half the training of ab initio glider pilots. Unless it's an unusual day (weather, unserviceable aircraft), pilots in training can usually manage between 3 and 5 training flights if they want them.
You'll notice that I'm not offering bookable training slots, half day sessions, etc. This is because we think that if you want to take up solo gliding, you'll need to do it by the day anyway. My typical day: arrive around 10.00 (we're a small club and very relaxed), cup of tea with mates, an hour getting the airfield and club aircraft ready. Rig my own glider (another hour to get it set up right and me ready). Wait for the weather to be right to launch (no big launch queues) while I help get others airborne, launch and fly for 2 to 6 hours. Land, wash glider, de-rig. Help put club equipment to bed. It's about 6pm, so home time.
This is really aimed at pilots within a reasonable drive of us (we're roughly between Sudbury, Haverhill and Braintree). If you're going to become a solo glider pilot you will want a nearby club, so this isn't sensible if you live many miles away. Also, we're small and can train a maximum of five additional PPLs at a time - we're too small to train lots to solo and then send them back to their home clubs. If you want the solo in a week route, any big, full-time operational, club should be able to put together something appropriate for you.
If anyone local is interested in soloing in gliders (before the end of Autumn if you can put the time in) and, ideally, continuing to glide, PM me and we'll have a chat. If the mods are happy I can post prices here (gliding isn't expensive, just owning an aricraft is - but you all know that already).
Finally, we were lucky to be able to test this out last weekend. rkgpilot contacted me as a result of the original thread and took up a Taster Day. It worked for him at least because he joined up for the Fixed Price to Solo package on the spot! I'm hoping he'll chip in to answer any questions from other PPLs.
If you're interested but too far away, why not ring your local gliding club and see if they will offer something similar? I think the old, snobbish days when glider pilots thought PPLs weren't proper fliers, and vice versa, are some time gone, from my many visits to other gliding clubs. Loads of PPLs there, flying gliders.
Oh, and one last thing (that "Finally" was a bit premature). If you're womdering whether gliding is for you, remember that it's completely pointless apart from the fun. Well, perhaps the achievement as well. If I ever manage my planned flight to the Welsh borders and back it won't all be fun, I guess, but the smug smile should last me a few weeks.