We generally advise Air Experience Flight to be conducted between 11am – 12pm. This is mainly for passenger comfort due to relatviely cool temperatures and smoother air early in the day. However there is no hard limit and we can plan flights throughout our operating window approximately 10:30 am to 4:00 pm.
The “best” season depends on your goal. Summer weather is best for cross-country flights, with strong thermals often reaching > 8000 ft. Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable flying conditions, with cooler, pleasant air temperatures. Spring is especially beautiful, with vibrant green fields and golden canola flowers creating stunning views from above. Flights in winter are also good because of smoother air but at the same time the rainy weather often forces us to cancel operation.
While surprising to many people, gliders can actually pull some heavy G-forces and it is not uncommon to feel motion sickness. With passenger flights, we generally fly more gently to maximise your comfort. Majority of our guests enjoy the flight without being affected by air sickness. If you are prone to motion sickness in the past, consider taking travel sickness pills in advance.
We offer Air Experience Flights on most weekends throughout the year. With instructor availability, guest flights are usually available on Saturdays and occasionally on Sundays.
To get started on your journey to becoming a glider pilot you will need the following:
- MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM
- Valid Membership with the Gliding Federation of Australia (done online directly with GFA who trade as “Gliding Australia”).
- A Declaration of Medical Fitness – this is a self-declaration that you are fit to fly.
If under 18 years of age, a signed Consent Form
Once you are ready, simply come and visit us on a weekend day (please contact us in advance to confirm we are operating). We will show you around the facilities and our operation. You can sign up on the spot by filling out the paperwork. Once you are a member, you flight will be charged at member rates.
Absolutely. Flying a sailplane builds fundamental pilot skills that are transferable to powered aircraft flying. In fact CASA allows a maximum of 15 flight hours in a glider to be counted towards the aeronautical experience required for a Private Pilot Licence (information may be outdated. check latest CASA guidance). Many of our past students have eventually become commercial pilots
In short, no. Membership fees consist of two parts:
-
Club membership fee – $565 for FY25/26, covering July 1 to June 30. If you join mid-year, the fee is pro-rated.
-
Gliding Federation of Australia (GFA) membership fee – covers one year from the date of signup. Temporary membership is available for short-term visitors. This fee is fixed (since it covers a year from the date of signup) and cannot be reduced.
These are the most common questions we receive – how much does it cost to learn to go solo, and how long will it take to get you there? The answer is that it depends on how fast you learn, and that in itself is often a factor of how often you fly. Students who come up and take multiple lessons every weekend will progress much faster than those who only come up once a month, as in the end they will forget less between lessons and build the required muscle memory faster. As a very rough estimate it can cost around $5,000 to $6,000 including the required memberships, launching fees, and glider hire to go from raw recruit with no experience to your first solo flight. You should anticipate around 30-40 lessons from start to first solo, but again this is dependent on how fast you learn.
Further information on Club membership, prices etc can be found here.
