How do clubs actually work? I know you don't just turn up, fly and go home. So lets say you turned up at your club on Saturday. Do you just stick your name on a list, then sit in the bar until it's your turn to fly (and occasionally help recovering gliders)? Or is there more to it?
Generally speaking, you're expected to be on the airfield when you're not flying. To launch one glider you need a lot of people on the ground: A winch driver, wing-runner, a retrieve winch/cable driver, a couple of people to move you around on the launchpoint.
I think the general consensus - at least at my club - is that you either help get the kit out in the morning and help on the airfield all day and head back a bit earlier, or arrive a bit later and help put the kit away in the evening. If you do both, more the better.
In terms of how the flying works, for instruction and check flights, it will probably be best to call ahead to check availability. My club uses an online rota/timetable and an online booking system which makes life easier.
Once you're solo and want to fly the club single-seaters, then usually the 'Flying List' system operates. Basically, you all put your names down on the list, and fly in that order throughout the day. Once you get to the bottom of the list, start again.
Also, how many flights would you get a day? Are we talking one flight, 3 flights, or as many as you want?
Entirely depends on the weather. In the warmer months you might only get one flight of an hour or two, but in the winter you might get five or six circuits. Obviously the fewer people there are wanting instruction, the more you'll get - another reason why learning to fly in the winter is good.
And last question, how much does it roughly cost to learn? I assume it's more than normal if you're going to have an instructor with you?
Depends upon if you're any good or not. At a guess it would take maybe 50 or so winch launches 'on average'? I soloed off 21 aerotow launches, and then resoloed again after a four-year layoff after 32 winch launches (having never flown a winch before). Other people will have done it in more, or less.
Expenses are generally split into three categories:
Membership
Launches
Flying Fees
You'll need to look at the fees list of whatever club you're going to fly at. Most operate a 'pence per minute' system for flying fees, some offer the first 10 minutes free (for circuit practice) and a few (like mine) charge a yearly flying fee that covers all flying.
A few clubs do a 'fixed price to solo' package which may or may not be useful, have a google.
Oh wait, last last question- how long do your flights last (lets say for a general winter flight). Are we talking 5 minutes, 20 minutes, an hour?
Depends upon where you're flying from. At the flatfield sites you're looking at a five minute circuit, if you go to a ridge site then with the wind in the right direction you can spend all day up there. A friend of mine did his 5hr Silver Duration on the ridge at the Mynd in a K6e a few weeks ago.
Hope that helps.