Wellington Wairarapa Gliding Club
soar like a bird?
“The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who . . . looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space . . . on the infinite highway of the air.”
Wilbur Wright
we have wings . . . let’s go!
“Let’s get one thing straight. There’s a big difference between a pilot and an aviator.
One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight.”
Elrey Borge Jeppesen
Imagine the thrill of gliding silently through the air, the earth a patchwork quilt of colours far below. You are protected from the breeze by the stream-lined cockpit where you recline comfortably. The aircraft responds eagerly to the lightest touch on the controls.
The air moves in many subtle ways – just like the ocean. You can’t see it directly, but you can certainly sense it. Instruments provide further information about the glider – and the air in which you are immersed.
gliding towards Pukengaki
There’s plenty to occupy you. Firstly, keep a good lookout. Figure out where you will find your next climb, but continue to scan for other aircraft nearby, pay close attention to the terrain, and maintain a sharp eye for changes in the weather. You are well prepared for all eventualities, and find great pleasure in this challenge of soaring flight.
On the ground a team of flying buddies helped to assemble your glider, check it carefully before flight, tow it to the launch point and – finally – get you into the air. After that, it’s all up to you. Later your buddies will join you in the sky in their own gliders.
Did we mention ‘environmental responsibility’? It’s very fashionable these days. Ponder this question: ‘In what aircraft could you fly 400 km in 4 hours and use just one litre of fuel?’
Answer is here. And that’s not all – the NZ distance record for a glider is 2,000 km in a single flight. Took all day, of course!
Training to be a glider pilot is comprehensive and thorough. You don’t have an engine and propeller to blast through the sky – so you must rely on your piloting skills, your scrutiny of the environment around you, and your detailed preparation – to stay aloft and explore. It's fun!
a happy crowd at the launch point
Every gliding club is a social hub where people from all walks of life come together for the shared purpose of soaring like the birds, having fun and enjoying the company of each other. It’s a dedicated community where life-long friendships are forged through giving and receiving training, participating in competitions, sharing the duties and helping to retrieve gliders from distant landing fields.
So, if you’re looking for a sport that combines the beauty of nature, the thrill of flight, and a diverse community of fascinating people, look no further.
a mix of young and older pilots
“I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
