Trial Gliding Lesson in Kent
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About the experience
Product ID: 12053
Experience the rich tradition of gliding in Kent, where the skies have been home to countless adventurers soaring over the picturesque Garden of England. Nestled on the North Downs between Charing and Challock, this vibrant gliding club boasts a storied history, being the very first of its kind in England, established in 1930. Today, with over 120 active members, including 20 BGA-approved gliding instructors and 10 proficient tug pilots, the club ensures year-round gliding excitement in Kent's mild climate. Elevate your senses and treat your eyes to unparalleled vistas of Kent and its coastline. Take in the breathtaking sights of the Thames Estuary, Whitstable, Essex, as well as Ashford, the captivating Kent coastline, and even France on a crisp, clear day. Embark on your own gliding adventure with our exclusive vouchers for introductory taster sessions at this prestigious Kent club. Your taster session will feature an exhilarating aerotow flight, where you'll be gracefully lifted into the air by a Piper Pawnee tug plane.
- Valid for 12 months
- 1 Location in the UK
- Flexibe Booking
- Gift Pack Options
- Free Exchanges
- Instant Delivery
Excellent from start to finish Well organised and everyone was fantastic. This experience really helped make my husbands 50th an even more memorable time, would highly recommend to anyone.
Reviewed by: Keri
Very friendly club, instructor was Peter and was excellent. Not long in the air about 15 mins. Could have spent all day in the air. Loved the tow line launch, felt like going up in a rocket.
Reviewed by: Christopher Laycock
Overview
- Gliding at Challock near Ashford, Kent
- Dynamic club with 120+ members
- Clubhouse with rooms and camping
- Aerotow and winch flights all year round!
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- Experience gliding over the North Downs
- Expert tuition from BGA approved instructors
Gliding Experience- Safety briefing, explanation of the aircraft and its controls before being strapped into the cockpit
- One aerotow launch to 2000ft
- Enjoy the view as you are towed by a tug plane up to the release altitude and soaring for approximately 15 minutes
- Your instructor will demonstrate the controls before letting you have a go at flying the glider yourself
- Allow one hour on site for this experience
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- Spectators are very welcome to come and watch the gliding fun
- Facilities include a modern clubhouse, briefing room, bar and parking
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- Minimum age 14 years
- Maximum weight limit is 16 stone
- Maximum height is 6'2" (1.88m)
- Participants are required to sign a health declaration, however, if you are fit enough to drive a car, you will be able to fly in a glider
- Suitable arrangements can be made to overcome most disabilities
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- Flights are subject to availability and suitable weather conditions
Gliding Experience- Weekdays (excluding Wednesdays) and weekends
- Weekday flights have much better availability than those at weekends
Location:
- Challock, Ashford, Kent
- Conveniently located with quick and easy access from both the M20 and the M2
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- Minimum Age: 16 years
- Maximum Height: 187.96 cm
- Maximum Weight: 101.61 kg
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1 Location in the UK
- Kent
Customer Reviews for the Trial Gliding Lesson in Kent
Excellent from start to finish Well organised and everyone was fantastic. This experience really helped make my husbands 50th an even more memorable time, would highly recommend to anyone.
Reviewed by: Keri
Very friendly club, instructor was Peter and was excellent. Not long in the air about 15 mins. Could have spent all day in the air. Loved the tow line launch, felt like going up in a rocket.
Reviewed by: Christopher Laycock
Loved it Weather not brilliant for flying, so only got about 20 minutes in the air. Would have been even more enjoyable if I had had longer.
Reviewed by: spencer
Great day, Peter the instructor was very friendly and laid back with a good sense of humour. Friendly club would recomend.
Reviewed by: kevin slattery
The experience day was brilliant from start to finish.All of the instructors were very experienced and very helpful with all matters. My first flight was being towed up by the aircraft and this flight lasted 45 mins as it was a very nice day. Bob, my instructor handed over controls for quite a while so I could get a feel for the glider.Obviously Bob was at hand when I started to make some mistakes.My second flight was from the ground winch which was a shorter flight due to lack of thermals.A very big thanks to all the staff at Kent Gliding school for making my day exceptional.
Reviewed by: MIKE JONES
Had a fantastic day from start to finish Peter my instructor was excellent and I would definitely recommend this experience to family and friends. Fabulous day all round
Reviewed by: John Howlett
I thoroughly enjoyed my glider lessons and Peter the instructor was superb.
Reviewed by: David Lilford
A truly wonderful day. The instructors were amazing very friendly, approachable, extremely knowledgeable and clearly very passionate. Every flight was amazing and absolutely a must for everyone. Thank you for an unforgettable day.
Reviewed by: Serena Adams
A truly wonderful experience. The instructors were amazing very friendly, approachable, extremely knowledgeable and clearly very passionate. Every flight was amazing and absolutely a must for everyone. An unforgettable day.
Reviewed by: Serena Adams
Well run with friendly and helpful staff. Really enjoyed the day. A really great gift.
Reviewed by: Julian Marriott
A super gift to receive, had a really pleasurable gliding experience. Peter the main glider pilotinstructor is a good guy and great at his job, his colleagues were also pleasant and competent the countryside around Challock and the surrounding area of the Kent Gliding Club looks lovely from the air even when upside down doing a loop.
Reviewed by: Mark
Thoroughly enjoyed this gliding experience, fabulous views and expert tuition giving the chance for you to fly the very responsive glider yourself at the appropriate altitude. Everyone was welcoming and helpful and instructor Pete Carpenter impressed with his professionalism and knowledge.
Reviewed by: Jacqueline
If you like flying , you will love this experience. Great basic gliding instruction with hands on flying tuition.
Reviewed by: boband
Had the most Amazing time, it was everything i thought it would be and more. Everyone was friendly and very professional. If you are thinking of doing it you will not be disappointed
Reviewed by: dell
A most excellent day out. Walking through the country lanes and footpaths from Charing station on a beautiful sunny day to Kent Gliding Club and then an amazing flight with a friendly and informative instructor. A day to remember
Reviewed by: Colin
Although I have been in a glider many years ago this was even better than I expected. The pilot was really friendly, communicative and helpful and, once he discovered I was celebrating my 80th birthday, even included a looptheloop. I expected two flights but it seems they really work on giving the maximum flying time and I enjoyed five flights in the end. Many thanks
Reviewed by: Don Willetts
Great day spent with lively people. Would definitely recommend the gliding either as half day or full day.
Reviewed by: Jo Graham
Gliding in Kent was a memorable experience. All the instructors at the gliding club were friendly and did all they could to make it a day to remember. I was airborne five times and allowed to take some of the controls at times. Everything was explained carefully and the safety standards were paramount.
Reviewed by: John Lawson
Fantastic experience. Very friendly staff and excellent facilities
Reviewed by: Lyn Crowhurst
Had a great day gliding at the Kent gliding club, very friendly instructors, could easily take it up as another hobby Very memorable day.many thanks to everybody involved. David Edmunds
Reviewed by: David Edmunds
I really enjoyed my flight with Instructor Bob. We were airborne for one and a half hours and Bob let me fly for a lot of the time. As I had previous flying experience many years ago Bob didnt need to give me a basic briefing. We could not take a winch launch as the winch was out of commission due to a swarm of bees With a one and a half hour thermaling flight I consider the course a good value for money.
Reviewed by: Brian Searle
I really enjoyed my gliding experience and my pilot Les made me feel very safe. I would recommend this to anyone who fancied doing something a little different an ideal present for a loved one. All of the staff were very friendly and made a lovely morning great, thank you all.
Reviewed by: Rosie Callow
Wot an experience The staff and of course Walter my pilot were all fantastic and made the whole experience possible for me I thought my mobility and health issues might be a problem.....not at all My family and friends watching me, were made welcome as well
Reviewed by: Karen Vause
It was an amazing adventure, the gliding experience was something I wanted to do for quite sometime Because of my limited mobility and the health problems l have, I didnt think it possible...however everything was perfect and that was made possible, through the help of the staff and Walter who was my pilot A big big thank you from Karen Vause friends who contributed and my family for all their surpport
Reviewed by: Karen Vause
Very friendly club setup. Courteous members made us feel welcome. Had to wait my turn for airtow in a basic control hut. Basic but kept me out of the cold.
Reviewed by: Allan Russell
No prebooking info sent. Staff and totor very helpful and supportive but a challenging day due to weather conditions
Reviewed by: Nicola
Received the experience as a Christmas gift was very impressed The Gliding club made us feel extremely welcome were happy to address any questions or concerns we had. This experience is worth every penny we will be returning again soon now we are fully fledged members Highly recommended
Reviewed by: Matt
Absolutely fabulous. All the lads and lassies there are so professional, friendly and helpful and made my 90th. birthday present so memorable,and surpassed all my expectations. My large family turned up to watch and they too were full of praise for the organisation. One of my daughters in law is now keen to have a go herself
Reviewed by: Hugh Johnston
Sadly the weather let us down on my flight day and have rebooked for the end of September. However i can say the Gliding team at the Kent centre are brilliant and cant wait to get airborne.
Reviewed by: Jason Mabbutt
My mum and I bought this for my dads 83rd birthday. He absolutely loved it. Everyone was very helpfulfriendly and even us watching had a good time as we could buy tea and ice creams etc. There was even a couple of childrens sitin play cars which my 21mth Grandson enjoyed.Thank you would definately recommendbuy for another family member
Reviewed by: christine
The whole experience from start to finish was excellent. staff superb.
Reviewed by: Ms E Robinson
Great flight, even though the viz was somewhat hazy in the distance.Everyone from the Receptionist, our Pilot Brian to the lady in the Cafe were so friendly and helpful and made us feel really welcome.The flights were given to my wife and me by all our family as a Golden Wedding present, how good was that As both of us are keen photographers we also have some photos to show them. We both thoroughly enjoyed the experience and hope to go up again soon as we now have temporary Club membership for three months.If you fancy something different, then give Gliding a go in this lovely location. You will leave with some great memories as we did.
Reviewed by: Peter and Audrey Weekes
Exellent flight, very freindly atmosphere something that i will be doing in the future, would definatly rocommend.
Reviewed by: Tony Loft
This was something I have wanted to do for a long time and the whole day was fantastic. We had good weather attended 16th Sept which helps, but my instructor Peter and all the other staff were so friendly. Each time we went up Peter developed the experience for me, I had one aero tow and a number of winch tows which take you to 1200 feet we added another 2400 feet to that on one occasion. The location of the club is easy to find and the views once airborne are amazing. Just wish I had done it years ago, but having said that the day gives you 3 months membershipflying at club rates of the club so I will be attending for some more flights. Have a go you wont be disappointed, just remember this is weather dependent, chose a sunny day.
Reviewed by: Geoff Plumer
When I booked it I asked if it would be better to go earlier in the day to get the thermals. They said any time was fine and I booked it at 5.00pmWhen I was flying they said the thermals are always better at the warmest part of the day and it was a bit late
Reviewed by: Sally Ring
Service rating excellent Fast and prompt. No problems at all.Product rating excellent Wonderful day out in Kent. Would go again.
Reviewed by: Customer Review from Feefo,
The say was fantastic , I could probably do it all again
Reviewed by: John urban
I cannot begin to describe the shear joy and exhilaration I felt during my gliding experience. The instructors during my day at the center were brilliant and made it all the more pleasurable.
Reviewed by: Rajko Novakovic
I had a great day. My wife, dog and I were made welcome at the gliding club and we all had a good time. The oneday initial gliding course is an excellent way to experience gliding and have some fun. The instructors, although volunteers, could not have been more professional and I felt comfortable and challenged in equal and enjoyable measure.
Reviewed by: Trevor Harrison 27 August 2024
What an amazing day. Great instructors and experience. Definitely worth doing the full day experience to make the most of it
Reviewed by: Sarah Walton 14 October 2024
People were very friendly and the pilot was reassuring and informative.
Reviewed by: Great fun 02 January 2025
Great experience staff were great and friendly
Reviewed by: Keith 02 January 2025
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