Fly in a glider
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
A glider has no engine, so once it is released it stays up on rising air alone, and the cockpit is quiet enough to talk in. On a trial lesson you sit in a two-seat sailplane with an instructor, who will often let you take the controls.
Gentle£100 to £500 / $130 to $650An afternoonOutdoorsWith othersUK and US
How to start
- Enter your postcode in the British Gliding Association club finder, or open the Soaring Society of America's Where To Fly Map.
- Contact the club to book a trial lesson and ask on which days it flies visitors.
- Dress for an open airfield, with layers, a hat and sunglasses, and expect to wait for the weather.
Where to go
We opened these links on 7 October 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. The hard part of a day out is the timing: the right season, tickets and getting there. The plan watches the calendar for you.
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