Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.

The most common glider launching method in Australia is called Aerotow – using a special tow plane to tow the gliders up. Another method is using a ground-based winch and a very long cable. Aerotow launching is the method that we use at Beverley (though some of the private gliders do have engines that can get them into the air). The tow plane typically takes the glider to around 2000 feet (about 600m) above the ground.

Gliding is an all-inclusive and very social sport attracting men and woman of all ages and walks of life. In Australia you can fly solo from the age of 15 and some pilots continue gliding into their eighties. It is never too late to learn to glide and many pilots take up the sport in their 40s, 50s or even 70s.

Instead of passively enjoying the countryside or the sky, you will actively look for lift clues in the air, such as birds and the maturity of cumulus clouds; and you’ll gain respect for areas on the ground that can help or hinder you in meeting the continuing challenge of staying aloft.