Discussion
Its my OH's birthday soon and she's mentioned a couple of times that she'd like to have a flight in a glider so I was thinking about getting her a taster lesson.
We're in West London and the nearest place I've found is Bicester where they do 40 minute flights for about £100.
Any other places I should try looking that are within an hour or so of London?
We're in West London and the nearest place I've found is Bicester where they do 40 minute flights for about £100.
Any other places I should try looking that are within an hour or so of London?
Oh motor glider - well you just pull the throttle out and go round again 
I had a few goes practicing stalls in a Motorfalke, something like this:
I'd suggest you go for the 'proper' glider and less time, it's much purer. If it's a warm day with thermals then you can stay up for hours, the problem is in cold weather when there's no lift.
I had a few goes practicing stalls in a Motorfalke, something like this:
I'd suggest you go for the 'proper' glider and less time, it's much purer. If it's a warm day with thermals then you can stay up for hours, the problem is in cold weather when there's no lift.
Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 17th May 15:30
My dad and his friend used to assist at a lot of the competitions at lasham, so I spent a fair bit of time their as a kid.
It's a beautiful location, and certainly used to be very well run. Unfortunately let down by a small number of the members, who in my experience are arses and can be very unwelcoming. Don't bother turning up in anything more than a £500 shed of a car or they'll loudly slag you off at the bar. That was my experience anyway.
It's a beautiful location, and certainly used to be very well run. Unfortunately let down by a small number of the members, who in my experience are arses and can be very unwelcoming. Don't bother turning up in anything more than a £500 shed of a car or they'll loudly slag you off at the bar. That was my experience anyway.
Edited by MattYorke on Wednesday 18th May 08:28
I learned to fly at the Cotswold Gliding Club. The people on the trail flights always had a cracking time. Aston Down isn't limited by air control (more or less) so the pilot is free to take you wherever and however high they can get to.
Try and do it on a week day away from school holidays - the clubs will be a little quieter so the chances of a longer flight are always pretty good.
Try and do it on a week day away from school holidays - the clubs will be a little quieter so the chances of a longer flight are always pretty good.
I fully agree - lasham and the surrounding area, both from the air and the ground (ie pubs etc), is lovely. That I recall, planes were the more common tow, but I haven't been there for a good few years now.
If you're really lucky, you might get to see an airliner from the engineering base go up too (and by lucky, you can literally stand on the edge of the runway as it takes off), plus at the other end there's a bit of a warplanes graveyard. They call it a museum, but it's a graveyard really. Still fascinating - you can climb all over an F104 starfighter, for example, or poke round a 27 cylinder radial engine.
If you're really lucky, you might get to see an airliner from the engineering base go up too (and by lucky, you can literally stand on the edge of the runway as it takes off), plus at the other end there's a bit of a warplanes graveyard. They call it a museum, but it's a graveyard really. Still fascinating - you can climb all over an F104 starfighter, for example, or poke round a 27 cylinder radial engine.
RobM77 said:
I got a girlfriend a trip in a glider from Lasham a few years ago. She got to fly it briefly, and being a beginner they towed her up with a plane, rather tyhan the winch. There's also a lovely country pub nearby that do fantastic food, so you can make it a day out.
MattYorke said:
I fully agree - lasham and the surrounding area, both from the air and the ground (ie pubs etc), is lovely. That I recall, planes were the more common tow, but I haven't been there for a good few years now.
If you're really lucky, you might get to see an airliner from the engineering base go up too (and by lucky, you can literally stand on the edge of the runway as it takes off), plus at the other end there's a bit of a warplanes graveyard. They call it a museum, but it's a graveyard really. Still fascinating - you can climb all over an F104 starfighter, for example, or poke round a 27 cylinder radial engine.
A bit like thisIf you're really lucky, you might get to see an airliner from the engineering base go up too (and by lucky, you can literally stand on the edge of the runway as it takes off), plus at the other end there's a bit of a warplanes graveyard. They call it a museum, but it's a graveyard really. Still fascinating - you can climb all over an F104 starfighter, for example, or poke round a 27 cylinder radial engine.
Although the "museum" aircraft have now gone.
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