The Welland Gliding Club Ltd

After receiving a trail voucher for Christmas I got hooked after one flight, and a year later I have flown solo in a single-seat glider. Welland Gliding Club is a very friendly club and I would recommend it to anyone, with or without an interest in flying.

I joined Welland just over a year ago now and I cannot say enough positive things about the club. I signed up for the "Fly to Solo" which is an instructor run syllabus to get me from newbie passenger to getting up in the air and in control. Each weekend the club has provided brand new and interesting insights into the art of flying, taught by a friendly, varied and highly experienced (but not old, well maybe a little) stable of instructors who are passionate about teaching and making sure I'm equipped with everything I need to have fun (and be safe) in the sky. It's sucked up a large part of my time off this year, much like a free hit in a crack den, and yet I can't help but keep coming back for more. If you want to learn to glide, don't mind pitching in and enjoy a bad joke or two, there's no where else. Also, it's worth mentioning it's incredible value for money - and a pleasure to be one of the club. Alan also serves excellent bacon & egg rolls for £1.50 in the club house. He never seems to get the egg yolk quite right but it's not worth losing a star over.

Brilliant place. Great instructors. A real gem. You must try it - you know it makes sense!

Lovely place to fly in to, very friendly and helpful. Even got a splendid cup of tea.

Had a great first gliding experience at Welland Gliding Club! The club is based in a fantastic location and has a lot of very experienced and friendly volunteers. The enthusiasm is infectious! Greg, my pilot for the day, put me at ease by explaining what exactly would happen during my flight. It was amazing fun and I thoroughly recommend it!

A favourite place of mine.

The club members are fantastic, friendly, and interesting folk, and I've been lucky to be invited to two Flight Weeks at Lyveden as a training gliding pilot down in Dover. Yes, it is worth coming up from Kent for. This was my first long flight, enjoying the thermals above The New Build and trying not to get lost looking into the Labyrinth below (English Heritage badge holders will ogle at that view, it is 10/10).

The training is excellent, professional and personable, and with plenty of enthusiastic cross-country instructors who pass on that passion. I've noticed other training pilots being taken under the wing and progressing well, having a lot of fun and enjoying the comradery too.

It's a nice size of club where people get to know each other, support each other and have a laugh, with good socials and story swapping. There's a lot of love in taking care of the club, with many members tinkering and organising (there's more than just flying to learn) and some non-flying members who just enjoy the crack.

Quite often they have breakfast butties (you can't fly without one) and in flight weeks home made cooking and BBQs, with families and friends coming along to enjoy the summer evenings watching the sun go down across the airfield. The catering on site is home made and generous! (Thanks Paula).

They have a nice and generous range of club gliders (gliders owned by members collectively) for the size of club, making gliding a lot more affordable and accessible than it might be at other clubs where private ownership is the norm. Everyone gets stuck in, driving the winch, helping out on the field, it is a club that is kept very alive by its members and their families and friends, and that in turn looks after its members.

If I lived even remotely local it would be my regular club, and I'm chuffed that I am a recurring reciprocal member. You can see why I always try to pass by on my way to Yorkshire!

A massive thank you to Paula, Dave and all members. We were just out walking and was watching the gliders from the gate. We were invited in for a better look and a cuppa and my daughter even got to go up in one. It was the best day out in years thank you so much. Can't wait until next time because that's my turn. 😁

My niece had an amazing experience. Really friendly club. Thank you