Put simply, gliding is the art of unpowered flight. In order to compensate for having no engine, the glider pilot must find areas of rising air. By doing this he is able to extend his or her flight time.

Gliding is many different things to many different people. For some, it is just a casual hobby, and a way to meet new people. For many, it is an inexpensive way to get airborne. Whilst for some it is the exhilerating nature of racing competitions and aerobatic flying that keep them hooked.

There are several thousand qualified glider pilots in the UK ranging from sixteen year-olds to people of over eighty. The skill level required is similar to being able to drive a car (though the actual skills are very different) so most people could learn if they wished. Inevitably, some people will have greater aptitude than others but most trainees can achieve solo status, providing that they persevere and practise regularly.

The training system for glider pilots is based on the pupil achieving ‘sign off’ from an instructor by demonstrating competence in a set range of key skills and exercises. When all the areas have been covered and signed off, a senior instructor will allow the pupil to fly solo.

Obviously, the time taken to achieve solo status varies from candidate to candidate, but generally the time taken and number of launches required increases with the age of the pupil. This does not mean that younger people make better pilots, merely that they tend to pick up new skills more quickly. As a guide, a complete beginner aged around 50 should allow for between 80 and 120 launches (by winch) before going solo.

Our membership comes from all walks of life and ranges in age from teenage students to people in their eighties. Gliding is not a ‘physical’ sport and so is very inclusive – there are few sports where teenagers and pensioners can participate on such an equal footing.

Like most gliding clubs, Trent Valley is run entirely by the voluntary efforts of its membership. The ethos of the club is very much one of mutual help, co-operation and support. Many people find that this spirit is one of the most appealing aspects of the gliding community.

The sky literally is the limit! Going solo is just the starting point – our pilots regularly undertake long distance cross country flights, compete in gliding competitions, practice glider aerobatics, all under the expert guidance of our instructor team.

Gliding qualifications are known as badges and mark a wide range of skill and attainment levels, including distances, endurance and height gains.

A number of members also own their gliders – either individually or as part of a syndicate, though the club also has single-seaters available for use by solo pilots.

Whatever your level of achievement in gliding, the friendship and camaraderie offered by club membership remains the same.