Introduction to Gliding

Last summer we organised a visit to the Cambridge Gliding Centre where some Science Park members and their families had trial flights. This year we are planning to do the same but before we take to the skies, Tony Cronshaw, one of 30 instructors at the Cambridge Gliding Centre, is coming to the Bradfield Centre on 11 April to give us a talk on gliding.

The sport of gliding offers a unique way of learning to fly.  Like other forms of light aviation, we learn to control our flight in three dimensions using a combination of “stick and rudder”.  But unlike a power plane, our glider does not use an engine to climb and go from A to B.  Instead we exploit “thermals”, natural up-draughts driven by the summer sun, allowing the glider to climb thousands of feet.  We soar often alongside buzzards and other soaring birds found in the Cambridgeshire area.  The height gained becomes energy in the tank to sustain our flight for hours on end, allowing us to fly many miles around the local countryside, and, with practice, further afield. Sharing the fun of it all with fellow pilots is the name of the game from getting launched to sharing our experiences afterwards in the clubhouse over a well earned a cup of tea or a beer.

Tony will be pleased to answer your questions and explain how you can book an exploratory gliding lesson at a forthcoming CGC Open Day.

https://www.camgliding.uk/