Learn to Fly

Introductory Days .... £125

Training starts with a One Day Intro on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday. You can opt for a Two Day Intro giving you two full days of training. All flights, for the first two days, are made with assistance from ground tethers or sliding tramline tethers in lighter winds. These days are equivalent to the first day, or first two days, of the elementary course. One Day and Two Day courses require BHPA membership at £10 per day, payable by cash or cheque on arrival.

Once you are booked in you then phone our anwer-phone check on the evening before and listen to the message. We meet at 9.30 in the morning at Sussex Hang Gliding shop, approx. one mile east of Lewes on the A27. On arrival you join the BHPA by filling in a blue form and paying £10.

Up to one hour is spent in the classroom covering some basic theory of flight and discussing what we expect to achieve for the day. Out on the hill, after assessing the weather and rigging the gliders, students take turns "tether" flying the glider in the wind. As well as learning the general "feel" of the glider, specifics such as correct body position, looking ahead and "relaxing" in the harness are focused on. Glider rigging and derigging, preflight checking and basic ground-handling are other important skills introduced during the day. We finish by log-book signing and debriefing. You learn loads about the sport and it's a great fun day out.

Elementary Pilot Course .... £575

Five training days lead toward the Elementary Pilot qualification. The course includes flight theory and the BHPA exam.

Usually after the first two days the student is ready to fly the glider without the use of tether ropes. These first "solos" are low ground-skimming flights. The aim being to keep the glider flying straight using roll control and achieve good landings. Higher flights on subsequent days allow the introduction of deliberate turns and the flying of a predetermined flight plan. The final EP qualifying day sees the student flying high flights with good turns, takeoffs, and landings. Basic theory is tested in the EP exam. All "solo" flights require that the student pilot accept that they are "pilot- in-command" and are responsible for the safe conduct of the flight exercise.

All equipment is supplied. BHPA membership required: training (3 months £55), or full (annual £92), payable by visa or cheque on arrival.

Club Pilot Course .... £475

Once EP qualified, if you choose to continue, the Club Pilot course involves progression on to higher launches and learning to fly in the fully prone flying position.The progressive training method leads toward soaring flight, (maintaining and gaining height), by flying in rising air. Students can now buy their own glider and harness and store them at home. The first flights on new eqipment are kept low. Further flights are from the hilltops where the pilot learns to fly in the fully prone position. Flying to a flight plan, improving takeoffs, landings and in-flight control, in a variety of flying conditions and at various different sites, take the pilot to a level where they can continue their learning of the sport through their local hang gliding club. CP qualifying flights can be completed at the school or out in the club with "coach" supervision. Three soaring flights must be demonstrated and the CP exam passed.

Full annual BHPA membership is required and you join your local area HG club.

Click this link to view the website of our local area Club: Southern Hang Gliding Club

You are already a PG pilot or HG tow?: Conversion Courses

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About Hang Gliders

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South Downs Hang Gliding

Gibraltar Farm, Firle, East Sussex. BN8 6NB

Tel. 07890 362648

E-mail: info@southdownshanggliding.co.uk