The club lets you glide on in

BENDIGO Gliding Club has had members and guests falling from the sky, in a safe and fun manner for over thirty years now offering everything from quick joy flights to longer flight training.

Tow pilot with the club, Phil McCann, is tasked with pulling gliders up to launch height, and said gliding is all about having a good time.

“Gliding is basically a recreational pursuit, as you can imagine,” he said. “It’s good for nothing other than having fun. If your idea of fun is flying around in the sky without an engine.

“Going gliding can basically be anything from just taking off and floating around, not far from the airfield to some pilots who fly 500 to 800-kilometre flights in a day.”

Mr McCann said the competitive aspect of gliding is what can attract people to the sport.

“Some people may be interested in competition flying,” he said. “That’s what a lot of people get involved for, the competitive side of it.

“This is, in general terms, a task of anywhere between 200 or 600 kilometres around a triangle with towns as turn points, and then it’s a case of who can get around the task in the quickest time.”

As part of their operations, the Bendigo Gliding Club offers training as well as joy flights for those who just want to get into the sky.

“The club provides training from zero experience all the way up to cross-country qualifications,” Mr McCann said.

“We also have air experiences that we use to introduce people to the sport if you like. They usually go for about 20 minutes or so. The line will tow them up to about 3000 feet and the guest flies around with a qualified instructor.

“It lets them have a look at the countryside and then if they’re interested, they can have a go on the controls and see how it all works.”

More information on receiving glider flight training or booking an air experience can be found at bendigogliding.org.au.