Midland Gliding Club is encouraging more women to reach for the skies here's why

Midland Gliding Club, based at the Long Mynd airfield near Church Stretton, wants to introduce more women to the experience of soaring flight and aviation.

It is running a Women’s Go Gliding weekend on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 as part of an initiative by the British Gliding Association, which is committed to broadening the sport and bringing in fresh skills and experience.

Gliding is a unique form of flying that uses air heated by the sun to stay aloft. Pilots can fly long distances using only thermal ‘lift’. The UK distance record is 1,108km.

Gliding creates almost no noise or pollution and is a thrilling test of a pilot’s skill and knowledge. The sport is said to be much more affordable than power flying, and lessons are provided by qualified club instructors.

Women of every age are encouraged to learn and take part and youngsters can learn to fly from the age of 12 and can qualify as a solo pilot at 14. 

For most people, it is an exciting hobby, and gliding can also open up a career in aviation.

“Gliding has tended to be very much a male sport, and it is important to get more women into it,” says Andy Rands, chief flying instructor at Midland Gliding Club.

“The great thing is it can span all ages. We have been very successful in that we have women who started here and gone on to national and world-championship heights.”

Midland Gliding Club prides itself on its ability to nurture new pilots. Holly Harris first went solo at the club when she was 14, flying her first national competition just a few years later, and becoming a gliding instructor. 

Now aged only 23, she is a fully qualified helicopter pilot with a successful helicopter career checking power lines across the UK, and is now taking her exams to become a helicopter instructor. 

“I wanted to see how far I could go. I love it, because it’s exciting, there are so many new things to discover and skills to perfect, and the support from the gliding community is amazing,” she says.

The National Women’s Go Gliding Weekend is being run at 22 clubs across the country, from Scotland to the West Country. The optimal weather conditions for gliding are sunny and not too windy.

Most long thermal cross-country flights, particularly in England, are done throughout the warmer summer months. However, clubs in hillier regions of the UK – most of Scotland, Wales and the Pennines – often encounter some of their best soaring conditions during the autumn and spring. 

The British Gliding Association (BGA) is supporting clubs’ efforts to recruit more women members and be more representative. “I have been asked why are women not participating in gliding? I could write a book on this,” says Yvonne Elliott, the BGA’s women’s advocate. 

“But I will just comment there are numerous barriers, some of which we can change. All the clubs participating are planning to ensure a fantastic experience, with a warm welcome and great facilities for everyone who gets involved.”

Midland Gliding Club is offering flights to potential new women members during the Go Gliding weekend for as little as £69. 

Trial flights are also available to book all year round, so come and give gliding a try. 

For more details, register your interest here and the club will be happy to answer your questions and get you booked in. People can also email any questions to bookings@midlandgliding.club or text 07944632937.

For details of flying opportunities at other clubs, or to arrange a visit to a club, visit: National Women Go Gliding Weekend