Gliding in Essex

What Can I Expect

Go gliding in Essex! We are offering a full range of glider flights including great value tasters, to mile-high aerotow experiences at this friendly Essex glider club.

Based at the tranquil Ridgewell Airfield, hidden in the glorious countryside around the Suffolk/Essex borders, this 'glider-only' airfield has a very relaxed family feel, with a very welcoming atmosphere.

The gliders used for these experiences have a tandem seating configuration and you'll be up front (the best seat in the house for checking out the views of Essex!), whilst your instructor is in the rear seat. All the gliders used for lessons are dual-controlled.

This Ridgewell Airfield club has two types of training gliders that are regularly used, namely the PW-6, which is a modern fibreglass model and the K13, a classic design of glider that's a true delight to fly.

As you may already know, gliding is all about soaring, but for how long depends on your launch height and weather conditions on the day. The excellent value winch tow will give you the excitement of being winched into the air to about 1000ft and released, to do a circuit around the airfield before landing.

If, on the Bronze experience, the thermals over Essex are playing ball, you'll easily soar away for up to 15 minutes on one flight when you're launched from around 2000ft. The Silver experience sees you being released at 3000ft above the ground, giving you typically between 20 and 25-minutes' flying time.

The Gold flight is the big one. This time the Piper Pawnee tug plane will release you from one mile up (yes, really!) and you'll be gliding for 40 - 50 minutes.

During these flights you will, if conditions are right and you're up for it, be invited to take control of the glider. The first thing to master is handling 'straight and level flight', followed by turning the glider, just like a budding pilot on their first lesson!

Shop vouchers now for gliding experiences in Essex out of the lovely Ridgewell Airfield.

What's Included

• Experience gliding in a 2-seater glider accompanied by a qualified pilot
• All flights are preceded by a briefing and explanation of glider flight
• The effects of the controls will be demonstrated to you during your flight
• Opportunity to take the control of the glider

Single Winch Launch

• A single winch launch  4-5 minutes.  A great introduction!

Bronze Glider Flight

• 2000ft aerotow with up to 15 minutes flight time

Silver Glider Flight

• 3000ft aerotow with approximately 20 - 25 minutes flying time

Gold Glider Flight

• A mile high flight (5280ft aerotow) providing around 40 - 50 minutes of flight time

When Is It Available

Suitable For

• Minimum age 14
• Under 18s must be accompanied on the airfield by an adult
• Maximum weight 16 stone (101kg)
• Maximum height 6ft 2ins (188cm)

Spectators

• Spectators are welcome

Anything Else

• You can take along a camera, but it must use a neck-strap to firmly attach it