Young people from Central Otago recently attended a seven day gliding camp in Omarama for current youth glide members, held by Youth Glide New Zealand.

Twenty young and eager students attended the camp, with around eight instructors volunteering their time and knowledge to teach. 

Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly an unpowered aircraft, using natural currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. 

“Gliding makes you feel free,” said Ted McFadgen (17), one of the students who had their first solo on the camp.

“While flying you have nothing else on your mind, nothing but you and the glider.”

The attendees had access to an average of six gliders at any time. Two single Astirs and an LS4 were available for the solo rated pilots, while three dual seated gliders were available for the instructors and students to use.

The most common methods for becoming airborne are aerotow or winching. 

“Winch launches are way more exhilarating,” Central Otago attendee Sondre Langvik-Owen said.

Sondre has had experiences of both an aerotow and winch launch.

Many of the young pilots have ambitions to follow an aviation career pathway. 

“Gliding sets you up for any career in aviation because it has applications in everything,” Bradan Foster, a 15-year-old solo rated student pilot, said.

For Sondre, the relatively low cost of gliding is attractive. “I have always been interested in flying, and with the price tag attached to learning, gliding seemed like a step in the right direction,” he said. 

Sondre first went solo in 2018 when he was 13-years-old. Now he is a Qualified Glider Pilot (QGP) with a passenger rating, and is solo rated for all of the gliders available to the Youth Glide in Omarama. The QGP qualification means he can now fly gliders unsupervised by an instructor, and is entirely dependent on the skills he has mastered and learned while in the air. 

This is the ultimate goal among students.

Gliding students celebrate the end of their training week

Those interested in recreational gliding or a career in aviation can visit Youth Glide New Zealand for more information. Newcomers are welcome. 

PHOTOS: The Central App