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About the club

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East Sussex Gliding Club is a friendly club where everyone is welcome. We are owned and operated by our members and we have been flying from Kitson’s Field near Ringmer since 1974. We believe that almost anyone can learn to fly a glider* and we would love to help you succeed on your own flying journey.

With over 50 years experience teaching people to fly, we provide the highest quality instruction. Our instructors are all volunteers, are trained and qualified to BGA national standards, and are passionate about helping our pilots to achieve their goals. Our club is run by our members. Everyone gets stuck in and learns not only how to fly, but how to run an airfield, drive the winch and launch aircraft. You'll be encouraged to become involved as soon as you join. If you would like to find out more about the club or are interested in membership, then please get in contact.
* Subject to some health considerations and the size/weight limitations of our aircraft

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What we offer

We own and operate our airfield near Lewes in East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park.


Our extensive glider fleet consists of

  • 4 dual-seat training gliders

  • 3 single-seat gliders

  • A SF25C motorglider for accelerated and advanced training and also for hire by qualified members.


Our launching equipment consists of

  • A modern, powerful Eurofox tug aircraft for smooth, rapid aerotows.

  • A modern LPG SkyLaunch winch for reliable, cost effective, low-emission winch launches.


Clubhouse facilities include a shower, kitchen and bar, plus a purpose-built gliding simulator for those rainy days when we can’t fly. We maintain the majority of our fleet ourselves, and have extensive maintenance facilities to support this.

Training

Our club is a member of the British Gliding Association (BGA) and all training is carried out by qualified BGA instructors. We offer:

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  • Basic training to solo.

  • Intermediate training from solo to Sailplane Pilot License (SPL), including all theory, handling skills, cross country navigation, and field landings.

  • Advanced training in Cross Country flying, Aerobatics, and Instructing.

  • Motorglider training for the Touring Motor Glider endorsement of the SPL.

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During the dryer months we run a number of course weeks; charged at normal flying rates.

As a member of a BGA club you will become part of a close-knit community of UK glider pilots and will find a warm welcome at any of the other 80+ clubs across the country. Most charge a small daily fee on top of their normal flying rates to visiting pilots; we have reciprocal agreements with other local gliding clubs which means the daily fee is waived at those clubs.

Operations

  • Our regular flying days are Saturday, Sundays and Wednesdays throughout the year, weather permitting.

  • During the drier months, we run flying weeks, Wednesday evening flying, and ad-hoc flying days when the weather looks especially good.

  • We organise various social events including BBQs, the Dawn til Dusk day, and Friends and Family events.

  • We organise regular expeditions to other gliding clubs to build experience and expand horizons.

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