National Women Go Gliding Weekends 2025
Of almost 30,000 pilots in the UK, fewer than 5% are women. As a career industry and a sport, aviation has been slow to change, but to help with that change, Shalbourne Gliding, based near Shalbourne, just outside Hungerford, will be running two Women’s Go Gliding Weekends on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April and again on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th May to introduce women to the excitement of soaring flight and aviation. The weekend is part of an initiative by the British Gliding Association, which is committed to broadening the sport and bringing in fresh skills and experience.​G
Gliding creates almost no noise or pollution, and is a thrilling test of a pilot’s skill and knowledge. The sport is much more affordable than power flying, and lessons are provided by qualified club instructors.
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Shalbourne Gliding is offering flights to potential new women members during the Go Gliding weekends for as little as £60. You can just turn up on either day but it would be great for scheduling purposes if you could register your interest here. This will also allow us to keep you informed if things change, for example, if the weather is not forecast to be suitable.
If you do want to come on the day, note we will be running two sessions each day: one starting at 09:30 and the second starting at 13:30. We'd like everyone attending to be there at these times so we can brief everyone together on how the day will be organised.
Women of every age are encouraged to learn and take part. Juniors can learn to fly from the age of 12 and can qualify as a solo pilot at 14. For most people, it is an exciting hobby, and gliding can also open up a career in aviation.
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“I have been asked why are women not participating in gliding? I could write a book on this,” says Yvonne Elliott, the BGA’s women’s advocate. “But I will just comment there are numerous barriers, some of which we can change. We need to ensure all are met with a warm welcome and a fantastic experience for everyone who gets involved.”
That is our intention for these weekends at Shalbourne, so why not come along and experience the thrill of pure flying for yourself?