Glider Aerobatics Training
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Glider Aerobatics Training
I'm looking for some training for glider aeros and the BGA site is pretty useless as every link to the different clubs don't mention aeros training and emailing them is becoming tiring!
Does anyone belong to a club that offers glider aerobatic training by a BGA Aerobatics Instructor and can recommend them?
Thanks
Does anyone belong to a club that offers glider aerobatic training by a BGA Aerobatics Instructor and can recommend them?
Thanks
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I believe Lasham does but it's a long way away from Lancs! If you look on the following page you will find a glider rep who might be able to advise:
BAeA Officers and committee members
BAeA Officers and committee members
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Saltby (Lincs) runs an annual aerobatics comp and, I think, provides training (certainly did a couple of years back). Still some way from you though.
I would expect there to be an aerobatics instructor at Derby & Lancs (Camphill) because it's a big club. Email the club secretary via their website.
Bowland Forest is also near you, but I've never visited. But you never know.
If you're prepared to travel into bandit country, I'm almost certain there's an aeros instructor at Sutton Bank (Yorkshire!).
[Edited for afterthought: If you go to Gliderpilot.net (Glider Pilot Network > uk.rec.aviation.soaring) and ask there you will quickly get an answer]
I would expect there to be an aerobatics instructor at Derby & Lancs (Camphill) because it's a big club. Email the club secretary via their website.
Bowland Forest is also near you, but I've never visited. But you never know.
If you're prepared to travel into bandit country, I'm almost certain there's an aeros instructor at Sutton Bank (Yorkshire!).
[Edited for afterthought: If you go to Gliderpilot.net (Glider Pilot Network > uk.rec.aviation.soaring) and ask there you will quickly get an answer]
Join Date: Jun 2007
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London Gliding Club in Dunstable ran courses and l believe were the tops in that field a little while ago. Give them a call, ask for Ray Stoward. Good luck.
p.s. if you did it now you`d probably get through to the bar and a wealth of info !
p.s. if you did it now you`d probably get through to the bar and a wealth of info !
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There's a whole section on aerobatics on the BGA website:
British Gliding Association >> Info for Club & Members >> Aerobatics >> Clubs
The clubs listed are the ones that we know about and/or replied to a BGA 'get your club listed' circular. I think Shenington could be added to that list.
The link to the BAeA proficiency scheme should be:
Pilot Proficiency Scheme
Plenty of clubs have instructors who can show you the basics. Currently, instructors don't need an official rating to teach positive G figures, so any half cat. can teach loops & wingovers if they have their CFI's permission.
AFAIK, only Booker, Bristol & Glos, Lasham, London, Southdown & (possibly) Buckminster have resident BGA rated aerobatic instructors. I think Windrushers (Bicester) do aerobatic days with a visiting instructor & the Saltby-based Fox. The other clubs listed on the BGA site have instructors who will be able to teach you to fly all the Sports level (+G) figures to a high standard.
British Gliding Association >> Info for Club & Members >> Aerobatics >> Clubs
The clubs listed are the ones that we know about and/or replied to a BGA 'get your club listed' circular. I think Shenington could be added to that list.
The link to the BAeA proficiency scheme should be:
Pilot Proficiency Scheme
Plenty of clubs have instructors who can show you the basics. Currently, instructors don't need an official rating to teach positive G figures, so any half cat. can teach loops & wingovers if they have their CFI's permission.
AFAIK, only Booker, Bristol & Glos, Lasham, London, Southdown & (possibly) Buckminster have resident BGA rated aerobatic instructors. I think Windrushers (Bicester) do aerobatic days with a visiting instructor & the Saltby-based Fox. The other clubs listed on the BGA site have instructors who will be able to teach you to fly all the Sports level (+G) figures to a high standard.
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The other avenue you might want to pursue is via Jen Buckenham at the BAeA. She might not be able to answer your question straight away, but she might be able to point you in the right direction.
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ChrisJ800. l feel you are mistaken Sir.
l lived and worked on site for several years during the 80`s as a professional instructor, and l can assure you that at no time was a high beat up demonstrated to any of the pupils.
The key word is "demonstrated".
l lived and worked on site for several years during the 80`s as a professional instructor, and l can assure you that at no time was a high beat up demonstrated to any of the pupils.
The key word is "demonstrated".
The finest glider aerobatic pilot that I ever knew was Doug Bridson. He was the only truly natural pilot that I ever met in my (so far) 55 years of aviation.
He had the prototype Skylark 2 specially modified for inverted flight etc and I can remember reading an article in the Flight magazine back in the 1960s which reported on the aerobatic championships held at Dunstable. It said something like this:
"The most spirited display was undoubtedly that of Flt Lt Bridson in his Skylark 2 who was unfortunately disqualified when he put all of the judges on their knees in the mud during his inverted beat-up".
He did a display at the Battle of Britain display at Benson in the Chilterns GC Bocian. He followed four Lightnings in the programme and the contrast from all that thrust and reheat to a silent aerobatic display was a difficult act to follow.
The applause from the crowd would have overwhelmed the noise of the Lightnings.
Just before we launched Doug, the Station Commander came out of the VIP tent and told me that "Bomber Harris" was fond of gliders and it would be nice if Doug could finish his display close to the VIP tent so that they could speak.
Doug landed without use of wheel or air brake and taxiied up to the VIP tent and dropped the wingtip over the white rope fence and deposited it in Bomber Harris's lap!
That is what I call style.
Incidentally, Doug was also "quite good" at flying Lightnings.
He had the prototype Skylark 2 specially modified for inverted flight etc and I can remember reading an article in the Flight magazine back in the 1960s which reported on the aerobatic championships held at Dunstable. It said something like this:
"The most spirited display was undoubtedly that of Flt Lt Bridson in his Skylark 2 who was unfortunately disqualified when he put all of the judges on their knees in the mud during his inverted beat-up".
He did a display at the Battle of Britain display at Benson in the Chilterns GC Bocian. He followed four Lightnings in the programme and the contrast from all that thrust and reheat to a silent aerobatic display was a difficult act to follow.
The applause from the crowd would have overwhelmed the noise of the Lightnings.
Just before we launched Doug, the Station Commander came out of the VIP tent and told me that "Bomber Harris" was fond of gliders and it would be nice if Doug could finish his display close to the VIP tent so that they could speak.
Doug landed without use of wheel or air brake and taxiied up to the VIP tent and dropped the wingtip over the white rope fence and deposited it in Bomber Harris's lap!
That is what I call style.
Incidentally, Doug was also "quite good" at flying Lightnings.
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Someone on another thread suggested that commercial pilots should be welcomed, for their different point of view, into gliding clubs.
A little like having the house rewired and then telling the electrician which switch to operate
A little like having the house rewired and then telling the electrician which switch to operate
Last edited by overun; 7th Sep 2011 at 09:28.
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I know a number of commercial pilots in various gliding clubs. Some of them are instructors, some are XC fanatics, some are both. Some are still working, some are retired. As a group they don't seem to bring a substantially different view of gliding though. What was the PoV you were hoping they would bring?
Quite agree. Weve had a number of current and ex airline pilots join our ranks to learn gliding and soaring. Its great fun watching their first attempts at rounding out after years of landing 747s!
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Should l do this gently ?
Or just clump about ? Sorry ladies and gentlemen, l`ll go gently.
How many members of the national squad over the last 30 years have not been professional pilots one may wonder, and one may wonder also as to what the powers that be would have done with uk airspace if it wasn`t for the input of professional pilots who were soaring pilots first and foremost.
Cats-five they don`t seem to bring a substantially different view of gliding because you are already living in it.
Or just clump about ?
Sorry ladies and gentlemen, l`ll go gently.How many members of the national squad over the last 30 years have not been professional pilots one may wonder, and one may wonder also as to what the powers that be would have done with uk airspace if it wasn`t for the input of professional pilots who were soaring pilots first and foremost.
Cats-five they don`t seem to bring a substantially different view of gliding because you are already living in it.
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Overun
"How many members of the national squad over the last 30 years have not been professional pilots one may wonder,"
I dont know about over the last 30 years but of the British team flying in the european championships this year only 2 out 12 were professional pilots. The others included a Builder, a graphic designer and an army officer.
I take by professional you mean being paid to fly. All of the team I consider very professional in their ability,skills and judgement.
I dont know about over the last 30 years but of the British team flying in the european championships this year only 2 out 12 were professional pilots. The others included a Builder, a graphic designer and an army officer.
I take by professional you mean being paid to fly. All of the team I consider very professional in their ability,skills and judgement.