Soaring in the Middle East / Gliders.
 

Hi all, I am working in DXB at the moment and I miss my hobby... I would like to spend my free time in flying gliders in the UAE, Qatar or Oman. Does anyone know where should I go in this region?.

Is someone else in my position?

The only thing I found is that one Saudi has a glider in KSA...

I will appreciate your info about it.

Thanks,

AirGus.-

:ok: Hi Airgus!!....

I am the same position of you....or i should say....in two months maybe i will be like you.

Sorry i can´t help you...but i get any info i will let you know...

It will be really nice to soar around here...with an ELT... and some water in the backpack ;) i guess:

Glide instructor "c gold badge"+ 1 diamond.

Plase keep in touch and gracias for the post!!:)

Nearest I'm aware of is Jordan.

You dreaming!

Wiley is right - the only place to glide in relative peace is Marka Airport, Amman, in Jordan. However, the floppy hat brigade only fly on one day of the week (Saturdays I think) and have a motor glider too. Their website is at RJGlidingClub.com

There is a Virus motor glider based at Umm al Quwain but I think the owner, an Emirati, uses it exclusively.

Otherwise, take a flight to South Africa - almost the same time zone, inexpensive fares and some of the best gliding in the world.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the info... I would try to convince some locals to form a gliding club there.... who knows! at least is a good way of training for the aviation schools there...


cheers,

AirGus

A bit far from DXB, but there is plenty of gliding in Israel.

With immigration issues for Gulf residents, Isreal might as well be on another planet.

The closest gliding as another member posted is in Amman, Jordan. A few princes in Saudi Arabia have gotten motor gliders, and I remember reading a few years ago about gliding in Iran and India. None of these places offer easy access to do some nice gliding on the weekend. Best probably to save your cash and do a gliding safari or an intense gliding holiday when you can in Africa, Europe, or America.

If you're talking serious I'm in with you :ok: Are you going to Al Ain this week-end? If so let me know.

For The Jordanian Gliders Club They fly in Marka Every Friday

A Gliders club has been restarted recently as it was stopped since 2001 in Egypt, 6th October Airport HEOC
They fly every friday as well
But only Gliders NO motor gliders
they start at 0800 AM Cairo Time every friday on first come first serves basis and costs around 50 Egyptian Pounds
They have a Facebook Group called ( Amateur Pilots)

Regards And Happy Flying

This time of year, the UAE is beautiful, and looks like great soaring, however having been there in May thru Sept, the visibility was about 3 miles and tops of the haze about 12000 to 15000 feet. With 40+deg C temps and humid as hell, not the nicest soaring conditions.

Still, I'd like to do some if there was a place to fly from; after all, they have indoor skiing.....

Who knows, maybe the DSC can be real one day
 

Dubai Soaring Club... yeah right keep dreaming........ but I will try!

Thanks everyone...

Cheers

AirGus

...seems that at the HUDSON Gliding Club they practise hydrogliding on A320:ugh::*:}

I couldn't even find a propre soaring site for my paraglider...
(much easier to carry along in your luggages than a Nimbus)

But still looking...

Paragliding in UAE
 

On the east coast try to contact "Ittso" at Al Marsa Travel Dhibba Port, that is Dhibba OMAN side.

He runs paragliding into Evasion Bay Resort at Ziggi Beach north of Dhibba, top of the road around 1,000 feet above sea level

Ittso

050 3645291

Hope this helps

cheers

DSC...
 

Hi Guys,

Id definitely be happy to get involved in there was one! Surely there must be enough people to start one. Although, knowing the way things work here, it'd probably take years to get approval for a club etc

Why not set up a syndicate and buy a self launcher?

Also, isnt there a club in jeddah? Im fairly certain i remember hearing about a k21 going from the BGA or UK there a few years back? Any truth in it

Private flying in Qatar
 

There are a number of private pilots flying in Qatar. The private guys operate a mix of aircraft, ranging from a rotax powered trike, through to Cessna 172, 182's, Rockwell 114, Piper Matrix, TB20 and Cirrus SR22.

If anyone is interested in visiting Qatar, I can put you in touch with the owner / pilots.

Soaring update?
 

Hi,

any updates on this file? any club in the pipes or new possibilities in any country close to UAED except Jordan?

I miss my hobbie too!!!!

many thanks

Now may be as opportune a time to push this issue as ever.

Last week during the Abu Dhabi Air Expo, GCAA unveiled a proposed Light Sport Aircraft Regulation which is now in a 12-month long consultation phase.

Arabian Aerospace - Light aircraft boost for UAE as GCAA develops regulations to open skies for GA

It seems that a number of parties are interested in developing Sport Aviation (and the business this drums up). One of the more exciting aspects will be the development of VFR corridors for some cross-country flying, rather than just flight in the local traffic pattern.

While the LSA regulations make provisions for a "Sailplane" Category pilot certificate, a closer look mentions hang gliders, paraglider vehicles, and powered parachute vehicles as Variants of this Category.

One of the greatest impediments, in my opinion, is the availability of infrastructure and suitable airspace. The UAE's most active airspace for fixed-wing sport aviation, the Jazirah Aviation Club in Ras Al Khaimah, has a runway too short for glider launches and the airspace restrictions limit the maximum altitude of 1400'. In Fujairah, it is 2000'.

Nevertheless, I think that the GCAA might be more receptive now than ever, and if a business case could be put together for a location (might even be a dirt runway long enough for glider winch launches) in uncongested airspace, perhaps they would be able to provide a box area with a good height limit to allow for some serious thermalling.

Well it's a beginning! Let's form a club/association, I'm sure we will find a lot of peolple intersted. Mainly, it's a story of contacts and money, only a team will succeed.

I think the best way to introduce it is to use motorglider, could be a good start (at least better than nothing).

Any one keen enough?!?

I wonder if there's any possibility of gliding from Al Khor airfield in Qatar? There is a small GA community based there. One problem would be transport from Doha - it's a 45 minute drive north of town, so you'd have to be really keen, to do this while based in DXB! Could work if you got some Doha-based guys with cars involved too - and a spare room so you could stay over :-)