01233 740274
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Kent Gliding Club Limited
Squids Gate
Challock
Ashford
Kent TN25 4DR
KENT GLIDING CLUB
New members welcome booklet
A member of the British Gliding Association
Welcome to Kent Gliding Club!
We’re delighted you’ve decided to join Kent Gliding Club and hope that you’ll enjoy being a member.
This booklet is aimed primarily at those who are new to the Club, and particularly those who are new to the sport of gliding. We recognise that it can be a little bit daunting at first for some people when they join a new club.
Please note that this booklet is only a simple introduction and overview to the Club and its activities. It is not intended to cover Club operations in detail and should not be relied upon as such. It should not be seen as a substitute for the Club Rules or the regulations set out in the Flying Order Book (available in the Clubhouse briefing room).
Other information about the Club can be found at our website:
A brief history of Kent Gliding Club
Kent Gliding Club is a Community Amateur Sports Club andis one of the oldest gliding clubs in the country. It was founded on 4th January 1930.
It initially flew from several sites in Kent, including West Malling, Lenham and Eastchurch. The Club as we know it was re-formed on 26th April 1956 with the amalgamation of the Royal Engineers Gliding Club, then based on the old Battle of Britain airfield at Detling.
In May 1961 the land at Challock was purchased, but needed two years of preparation before it was suitable for gliding. Flying from Challock started in June 1963 and the Club became fully operational in 1965. The Club now operates seven days a week from early April to late September and on Wednesdays and at weekends during the rest of the year.
Our facilities:
Clubhouse
The clubhouse is the centre of Club activity and includes our office, briefing room, and parachute store, as well as a café, bar and bedrooms, showers and toilets for Club members who wish to stay over on occasion.
The office is run by Julie Bullock – she works Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The briefing room houses all current relevant aviation chart, regulatory and advisory information. The briefing room is mostly used as a classroom for course students or one-to-one briefings or theoretical tuition.
The café is usually open Wednesdays and at weekends (and some other times by arrangement) and offers a wide range of sandwiches, snacks, and home cooked food. Non-members are very welcome and we often have visiting friends, cyclists and ramblers. When closed, there are always self-serve tea and coffee making facilities available.
The bar usually opens post-flying, mainly at weekends. Even when the beer isn’t flowing, the soft seating area is a great place to relax, and chat or read about gliding.
Club bedrooms (singles, doubles and twins with bunk beds) are available to Club members at very reasonable rates. Camping by Club members – tents and caravans (by pre-arrangement) is also popular at Kent Gliding Club’s grounds at Challock. Contact Julie in the office for information on prices and availability.
Outside the clubhouse you will find…
The “Wendy House” – a building mostly used for larger briefing meetings and annual lectures for the Bronze Badge theory exams.
The main glider hangar - used to house Club gliders and the Club’s main flying equipment and vehicles, including tractors, the launch point log cabin, and the winch.
The tug hangar - houses the Club tug – a Pawnee – and a privately owned Robin, which is used as a back up tug when the Pawnee is offline.
The Workshop–located adjacent to the hanger is a workshop. This is occupied by a private glider and aircraft maintenance business. It is contracted to maintain the clubs glider fleet.
MISSION STATEMENT AND BUSINESS PLAN
The Clubs strategic business plan is regularly reviewed and updated. The Club’s mission and vision statements are set out below.
Mission
Kent Gliding Club exists to ensure our members can develop their flying potential to the best of their ability, enjoy themselves in a safe and positive environment, to promote gliding and to ignite a passion for flying in others
Vision
Our vision for the Club is to create a financially secure gliding operation located at Challock. We have a growing membership across all ages with a continual flow of new pilots. We provide them with a smart, modern, well maintained fleet, clubhouse and hangar facilities. Our pilots and members take an active interest in the Club and the development of their potential to fly cross country, and the Club contributes to the wider gliding and local communities.
Club culture
There is a mix of all ages and backgrounds at Kent Gliding Club and everyone is welcome. Weekends tend to be busier than during the week, as this is the time when most members have free time to fly. Wednesdays (Club days throughout the year) are also popular.
Kent Gliding Club Management
The Club Committee
The running of the Club is managed by the Committee which comprises members elected at the Club’s Annual General Meeting.
The Committee is responsible for the conduct of the Club [and all field arrangements], and has the power to make bye-laws and gliding regulations to comply with the conditions of occupation of the Challock site and British Gliding Association Operational Regulations.
If there are any issues that you, as a Club member, feel should be brought to the attention of the committee then please raise it with either the Chairman or any one of the current committee members. If in doubt, enquire through the office as to whom are members of the committee.
Duty Crew
A duty rota exists to ensure that on each Saturday and Sunday there is a core crew of Club members to provide the basis of a team to help the field operations run smoothly.
Club members volunteer to be on the duty rota. A day’s crew typically comprises:
-threeDuty Instructors, one of which is the duty Instructor in Charge (I/C);
-a Basic Instructor (BI), who will conduct air experience flights including trial lessons;
-Tug Pilots to carry out aerotow launches;
-a Ground Controller, who works under the instruction of the I/C to co-ordinate all field operations;
-Duty Pilots to be available to undertake field activities such as cable retrieve, logging flights and helping with launches.
-The club currently employs a Winch Driver to operate the winch at weekends and on weekdays during the period April to September.
The duty crew rota is displayed on the main notice board in the clubhouse.
The rota does not absolve other Club members from the responsibility and expectation to help out with field operations. The more that Club members help out on any one day, the more efficient and sociable the Club’s operations are, and the more the Club’s flying and wider environment can be enjoyed by everyone.
During weekdays throughout the summer season, the Club employs a Course Instructor to manage the flying and instruction.
Chief Flying Instructor
The Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) is appointed by the General Committee and is responsible for all aspects of instruction and flying discipline.
Instructors
Instruction is provided by Club members giving their time voluntarily. There are currently three main categories of instructor: Full Category Instructor (Full Cat); Assistant Category Instructor (Ass Cat); and Basic Instructor (BI).
BIs cannot instruct pre-solo pilots, but may conduct elements of their briefing and can take air experience pilotsand allow them to conduct basic effects of controls, so they are allowed to conduct trial lessons.
Full Cats and Ass Cats instruct pre-solo and solo pilots and carry out check flights and other instruction. Ass Cats will occasionally require the advice or sign off of Full Cats for particular activities.
TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP
Full flying membership
Full flying members pay an annual membership subscription, which includes a levy paid to the BGA. They are entitled to all the privileges of Club membership.
Social membership
Social members pay a reducedannual subscription to the Club. They are entitled to free admission to the Clubhouse and Flying Ground and also social functions. They cannot fly Club aircraft as “pilots in command” but may fly as a “second pilot”, once a month, under instruction at the discretion of the Duty Instructor.
Junior membership
The Club offers reduced membership fees and subscription rates to junior Club members, varying according to age and whether they are in full-time education.
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, FLYING AND OTHER FEES:
Information on annual subscription and other charges is displayed in briefing room and are available from the Club website at
Annual subscription renewals and other annual charges fall due on 1st April each year. They may not be charged to members’ flying accounts (unless these carry sufficient credit) but can be paid by Standing Order when pre-arranged with the Club.
FLYING LESSONS
For weekend tuition, the club operates a computerised booking system on which youpre-book your instruction for either a morning or afternoonsession.
A few important guide lines:
- Please do not book more than one session per day. One session should provide enough instruction for one day and booking two a day may prevent other club members getting the instruction they need.
- If you need to cancel a session please give as much notice as possible to enable other club members to make use of the slot.The club reserves the right to make a late cancellation charge for slots cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice.
- Turn up for a booked slot even if the weather is poor.Ground instruction will be given if poor weather prevents flying.
- Do not turn up ‘on spec’ and expect to fly.Instructors will not provide instruction to any members who have not booked a slot. If you find that you are available for instruction at late notice, please check the website for free slots and book before you arrive at the launch point.
- If you have booked a morning slot, you will be expected to help the duty team set up the equipment in the morning (please try to get to the club by at least 0830). If you have booked an afternoon slot, you will be expected to help the duty team clean put the equipment away.
- Please work as a team with the others you are sharing a slot with. For an instructional slot you will share a glider and instructor with one other person. If you are not flying then make sure gliders are retrieved as efficiently as possible for your flying partner. Do not expect the duty crew to do all the work.
- Morning slots will be from 9:00 to 13:00. Afternoon slots from 14:00 to 18:00. Times will be adjusted for the winter months. But please ensure you arrive before your slot starts so flying can start promptly.
- All booking will be done through the club web site (User names andpasswords will be sent to you by email upon request. Please ensure that the club has an up to date email address for you. When you receive your user name, please go to the Club’s website home page and log on. Then go to “PILOTS AREA” where you will find “INSTRUCTION SESSIONS INFO” and click onto “BOOKABLE LESSONS & INFO” link. Please familiarise yourself with the system.
You pay fees for use of the Club’s gliders/equipment. The current fees are displayed on the notice board in the briefing room, a copy of which may be obtained from the office. The fees levied depend upon the type of glider being used, the duration of your flights and method of launching.
Throughout the year,Wednesdays are also club dayswhen members may just turn up without pre-booking. However there is no duty crew/instructor rota and flying is dependent upon club member/instructors being available and willing to supervise and support flying activities.
Flying fees are charged to members’ accounts, and a statement of each account is sent out at the end of each calendar month and must be settled promptly and fully within 30 days. Ideally members should keep their accounts in credit.
The Club also offers half-day, all day and 5 day week courses on weekdays from April to September. These are available to both members and non-members. A Course can be a good way to progress your flying. Details of these courses are available from the clubhouse office and on the KGC website. The fee for these courses is inclusive of all flying fees and instruction. The fees charged to club members are less than those to non-members.
Your instructional sessions are likely to consist of initial discussion with the instructor to determine what flying exercises it is appropriate to concentrate on, pre-flight briefing for individual exercises, a number of flights to practice the exercises and post flight de-briefings to provide feedback on progress.
PROGRESS BOOK AND PERSONAL FLYING LOG
Progress Book
You will need to obtain a progress book from the office.
This will provide a record of personal progress in your tuition. It should be kept up to date and given to your instructor prior to any session.
Whilst the training exercises need not be strictly undertaken in the order as presented, they do provide for logical progress.
It is useful to note the next exercises to be undertaken and read up on the topic prior to practical instruction.
Personal flying logbook
You must also obtain a logbook in which to maintain a record of all your individual flights.
HELPING OUT ON THE FIELD
Unpacking the hangar
The main glider hangar houses the Club gliders, the winch, tractors and a 4x4s. All may be used on the field on a Club flying day. The instructor in charge (I/C) and ground controller will advise on which gliders and equipment are required. Club members experienced in handling gliders must supervise the unpacking of the hanger.
Daily Inspection(DI)
All gliders to be flown on that day will undergo a DI, which must be carried out by an authorised Club member. Other Club members can assist. This involves checking the glider to ensure it is fully operational to fly. Parachutes are collected for the gliders and also inspected.
Setting up the field
Gliders and the log cabin are then towed down to the launch point – the end of the field that gliders will take off from. Towing gliders usually involves three people – one to drive the towing vehicle, and two to guide the glider – one holding the wing tip and one walking in front of the wing by the nose. Club member can drive tractors only if they are over 16 and have been signed off for tractor driving on the ‘Dual Ground Syllabus’ section of their progress book.
Other equipment including radios and emergency safety equipment (in the small yellow trailer) will also be taken to that point. The instructors will determine and advisemembers on the most effective set up of the launch point for that day’s weather conditions.The winch will be towed out to upwind end of the field and set up by the winch driver.
Assisting launches
The main tasks that new Clubmembers may be asked to help out withis to assist the launch of a glider include: handling gliders at the launch point to get them into the ideal position for launching; attaching winch cables or aerotow ropes to the gliders (following safety checks); holding and running the wing tip on launch; and logging the details of the flight.
Winch driving
Your appreciation of safe winch launching will be enhanced by an understanding of how the winch is operated. Club member can observe winch driving and must do this at some point for ‘Winch Driving Appreciation’ to be signed off in their progress book as part of the ‘Dual Ground Syllabus’.
Winch cable retrieve
Club members who have a full driving licence can assist the winch driver and ground team by towing out winch cables from the winch to the launch point.
Glider retrieve
Club members (authorised to drive tractors) collect and tow gliders back to the launch point for their next flight.
Packing the hangar
At the end of the day, Club members will tow the gliders, winch and log cabin back to the hangar. Instructors and experienced Club members mustalways direct safe hangar packing, but other members should stay and help.
Safe handling of gliders