Gliding at Banbury
Banbury Gliding Club is a friendly club of around 80 members, operating three club two seater gliders, two club single seat gliders, and around 20 privately owned gliders based at the airfield, launched by two powerful tug aircraft. The Club operates at weekends and bank holidays throughout the year, together with some midweek days especially when suitable soaring conditions occur when the members will liaise to help one another launch and fly.
The members of the Club vary from teenagers – it is possible to fly solo at age 16 – right up to those in retirement, there is no upper age limit to start or continue flying. The members come from all walks of life, sharing a common love for gliding flight. Some members are new to gliding and are progressing to their first solo flights, others have been flying for decades. Some members enjoy flying their vintage gliders locally to the airfield, or perhaps participating in rallies; others enjoy flying cross country, perhaps in modern high performance aircraft, as far as possible in the conditions available on the day, often for hundreds of miles; still others enjoy aerobatics, or instructing, or flying the tug aircraft that launches the gliders. Some may participate in local, regional or national competitions; an inter-club competition weekend is hosted by Banbury Gliding Club every year.
The Club operates on a ‘self help’ basis, and does not employ staff, which keeps the costs of flying to the minimum for the members benefit. All work necessary to operate the Club and ensure that members can fly is carried out by members, where possible, including the daily operational tasks such as getting the aircraft out from the hangar and assisting at the launch point; all instruction is free from qualified club member instructors. Routine maintenance is carried out by members under the supervision of appropriately qualified and certified persons, with professional assistance where necessary.
History:
The Club was founded in 1966, as the Civil Service Gliding Club, and initially based at Westcott (Rocket Propulsion Establishment); over the next five years, the Club moved sites several times but came to Hinton in around 1972 and at around that stage, became known as Aquila (which is Latin for ‘Eagle’). In 2007, the club became Banbury Gliding Club to best reflect our relationship with the local community
Glider fleet:
ASK21 – ESU – Is our most modern two seater glider used for training pilots to fly glassfibre generation gliders; training for cross country soaring, including participation in local competitions; Club expeditions to other gliding sites, such as in the hills of Shopshire or Wales; aerobatics.
ASK13 – HXV – the K13 is the most excellent glider in which to train pilots, having excellent but forgiving handling characteristics and being robust for the slightly rough treatment that comes with being used for learning to land!
ASK13 – KKR – our second K13, acquired from a Dutch club recently.
ASKa6Cr – KDB - Following initial solo flights on the K13s, our early solo pilots will fly the excellent Ka6 which has the same benign handling characteristics but rather improved gliding performance.
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Astir cs – GBJ – Once a new solo pilot has built some experience in the Ka6, they will be converted to flying glassfibre gliders using the K21, and will then be introduced to the Astir. This glider offers further enhanced gliding performance and is capable of flying the largest tasks normally flown in the UK.
Tug Aircraft:
Piper Pawnee - G-ASVP – This aircraft has 235hp which will launch the gliders in double quick time to their chosen release height. ‘VP has recently been extensively rebuilt and refinished following many years of prior service as a glider tug and crop spraying aircraft.
Piper Super Cub - G-BIRH – This aircraft has 180hp which is again ample to launch the gliders from Hinton. The aircraft is also used for training new tug pilots, and for converting powered aircraft pilots to the joys of flying with the middle wheel at the correct end (the back, not the front!). ‘RH is also available for hire to other clubs for launching competitions etc.
Facilities:
In addition to the aircraft above, the Club has a hangar for the club fleet, a trailer park area, and a clubhouse (currently in two buildings) providing a briefing room facility, kitchen area, loos, store/office area, and a general club lounge.
Membership benefits:
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An initial ‘learning to fly’ package of 20 launches and 6 months membership to get you well on the road towards solo at a below-cost level of £385 (represents a discount of around 40% to full members rates). NB, This package is only available to persons without significant flying experience - please ask us for details!
- Free instruction with a select band of dedicated enthusiastic, friendly and experienced instructors.
- A very friendly membership – we are small enough to know each other, get on well, and avoid the politics! Visitors to the site often comment on how friendly and welcoming we are.
- We aim to keep the costs of flying down to the minimum possible; by careful management (and much time given by members with the appropriate qualifications and experience) we succeed in having membership & flying charges below those of comparable local clubs for aerotow launched gliding.
- Winter lecture series
- Mid week soaring by arrangement (usually possible with some notice)
- Reciprocal membership with The Motor Glider Club / Pilot Flight Training, based on the airfield at Hinton, for motor glider flying and light aircraft flight training.
Prices:
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