Expedition reports, cross-country flight achievements, cadet milestones, and airfield updates from Gransden Lodge Airfield.
Learning to fly often feels like an exclusive, prohibitively expensive club. If you've always dreamed of taking to the skies but assumed the costs of a Private Pilot's Licence (PPL) were out of reach, it might be time to rethink your flight path. At Cambridge Gliding Centre, we've found there is a more accessible, fun, … Read more "Learning to fly for less: the gliding route to becoming a pilot"
I had experienced a little gliding with the air cadets, so after university I joined CGC. In 2022 I went solo, qualified, and made my first 300km flights. Last year I acquired my highly underrated DG-300 glider and flew in my first competitions, including the Junior Nationals held here at Cambridge. This year I … Read more "Charlie and James"
"Landing Out" is very much part of gliding and something all glider pilots prepare for and expect to do from time to time, as you would expect from flying an aircraft with no engine – but it is not an emergency or, in most cases, of any significant risk. Any time a glider is near … Read more "Landing Out"
City University from London has established a tradition of bringing its engineering students with a keen interest in aviation to CGC, offering them a unique opportunity to engage in firsthand airborne data collection. Despite the harsh winter weather taking its toll on the grass runways, rendering them waterlogged and dotted with puddles, today marked a … Read more "Aerotow for City University"
After you go solo there are many new things to learn, and new goals to reach which can often seem much more distant than the magic objective of “unaccompanied” flight ever did. Sadly, many people get lost on the way, and do not receive the help they need. These notes are not much, but perhaps … Read more "Things to do once you are solo"
As you know we are a little short of tug pilots at the moment, due to a couple of our tug pilots having to give up tugging, and current issues with the CAA/EASA making it impossible for us to bring new tug pilots on board at the moment. Because of this we only are currently … Read more "Getting a second tug out on a good cross country day"
Following a meeting at the club, plans for an expedition to Jaca are coming together. The dates have been fixed for the 5th to 17th April. The plan is to hire their Duo Discus for our exclusive use, and local instructors are available for check flights and mountain soaring instruction. If there is sufficient interest, … Read more "Expedition to Jaca"
