Hang Gliding Course
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Hang gliding has turned the dream of Icarus into reality. Come and fly a Hang Glider with us at the Derbyshire Flying Centre. |
Hang gliding is the most versatile way of getting airborne today and because of the weight shift steering is the closest to feeling free as a bird. With free flight hill launching, truck towing, aero towing, or with the addition of a small power unit. The hang glider is without doubt the ultimate flying machine.
Come and Learn with us. Video of typical day one 
The sport has progressed from its dare devil start to become
one of the worlds best forms of sporting aviation. With pilots regularly flying
at 5280ft from cloud to cloud for more than a hundred cross country miles in
Hang gliders are semi rigid have aluminium and carbon fibre spars and battens the wing is covered in a tight polyester cloth that gives manoeuvrability and strength. All certified by the BHPA or DHV to 6g positive and 3g negative. Hang gliders weight in the 4m bag is around 30kg. They take 20 minutes to rig for flight and are usually launched from hills. Hang gliders are capable of flight speeds of 14 mph to 70 mph and glide angles of 15/1.
D F C hang gliding is one of the oldest established hang
gliding schools in
Teaching hang gliding requires experience born of years. Don’t be misled if a school doesn’t have a wide range of hang gliding equipment, have its own dedicated sites and a history of successful qualified people to club pilot standard, teaches by towing when you want to learn to fly from hills or mountains or wants you to learn abroad which will not equip you to fly in the UK - then don’t waste your time - come to the DFC.
Why not sign up for one of our Hang gliding courses. You can start with the fun learning experience of the Taster day or a weekend course or if you are sure the sport is for you a 5 day Elementary pilot certificate course.
DFC Taster day Hang Gliding £105 (includes BHPA membership)
This one day course forms the first day of the Introductory Course (see below) and it is possible to upgrade to either the Intro Course or the EP course by simply paying the balance.
A taster day is a great day out in the hills and is universally enjoyed even if the participant decides not to continue his/her hang gliding career! As hang gliding is weather dependant we cannot guarantee the progress made, but you will accomplish tethered flights up to around 30 feet above the ground - all under the control of your instructors.
On the day of your course you will phone in at around 8am to 9am to check that the weather is OK. We then meet in Bradwell at 10am, where the usual schedule is as follows:
- 10am: Welcome and intro talk, sign up to the BHPA
- 11am: Explanation of kit, walk/drive to the site
- 11.30am: Introduction to the equipment, daily checks, instructor launch demos etc
- 12.30pm: Your turn! Clipping in, launch control of the glider, getting into the air, how to land.
- 1.30pm: Low level flights, gradual increase in height as the weather/group dictate.
- Finish time is dependent on group fitness/weather. Usually 5-6 pm.
The course fee includes all equipment, one-day mandatory BHPA membership and tuition. All you need to bring is a packed lunch and suitable outdoor clothing including some reasonable, ankle supporting boots and gloves.
Taster days are usually on Saturdays or Mondays to individuals, but can be organised any day for groups of 3 or more.
For a taster day gift voucher please contact us 08451081577 or indicate your preference on the booking form.
We meet at our centre at 10am and start the day with an introductory talk. After this we sign you up as a member of the BHPA. This is obligatory as it gives you third party insurance. We do include the cost of this in our taster course but not for other courses as there are several membership options depending on your circumstances and aspirations. Current membership fees can be viewed by clicking here
Even if you decide not to continue your training, we are sure you will go home feeling that you have really achieved something and the memory of flying one of these remarkable aircraft will be with you for a long time. If you do decide to continue with the EP, the Intro course will have given you a true taste of the learning process.
5 Day Elementary Course £420 (BHPA membership not included)
All Hang gliding equipment is supplied for the course; you just need to bring adequate clothing and good, ankle supporting footwear and a packed lunch. Even from early on day one you will be connected to the glider learning the basics of pre-flight checking and ground control. We then move to a slope where you will first defy gravity!
What is achieved on an Intro course is obviously dependent on the weather and your level of fitness and ability, but you can expect to be making short flights on the first day.
On the second day we build on the basics learnt on day one and progress you higher up the slope to give you more airtime. By the end of the day you will have achieved a number of flights with takeoffs, good air speed, some shift control and controlled landings under the direct supervision of your instructor.
At DFC we like to keep the student to instructor ratio low to ensure a rapid, but above all, safe progression. At all times you will have either visual or radio contact with an instructor.
The EP course is designed to bring the complete beginner up to the accredited BHPA level of Elementary Pilot. At the end of the course the pilot should be capable of site selection, weather assessment, self launch and adequate flight planning to perform a flight with turns and a landing within a designated area.
The classroom work comprises of theory sessions on flight theory, meteorology and air law. Your knowledge will be tested with a short multiple choice exam at the end of the course.
By the end of the course you should have experienced the truly
wonderful sensation of flying above the ground with the stunning scenery of the
Once you have achieved this level you are also able to purchase your first hang glider (link to shop) on which you can complete your training.
5 Day Club Pilot Course £420 (BHPA membership not included)
If you have committed to starting a CP course, then this normally means that you intend to take up the sport, so it makes sense to be using your own equipment for this. A new glider and harness will cost about £2400, but used equipment is usually available from about £800. Buying your own equipment has several advantages:
- You use the same wing each time you come.
- Your harness is always adjusted correctly for you
- By the time you qualify, both you and we are satisfied that your equipment is right for you and is correctly set up and adjusted. We are able to give a discount when you purchase your glider from us because as a school we do not have to invest in a wing for you to fly
All Hang gliding equipment can be supplied for the course; you need to bring adequate clothing and good, ankle supporting footwear and a packed lunch. Once the CP level has been achieved you are qualified to fly without an instructor.
The CPC course usually takes between 5 days and progresses the EPC holder onto soaring skills, often with flights of 15-20 minutes or more. Tandem flights are used for some tuition. Radios are used for communication between instructor and student at all times.
At the DFC we take great pride in producing pilots with a high skill level and a good attitude to embark on a long and safe flying career.
Flying in the
We now run CP courses in the spring and summer that split the day into 4 sections: 7am to10am, 10am to 1pm, 1pm to 4pm and finally 4pm to 7pm. This can often be a fast track way of progressing quicker than the weather here allows in the standard 10am to 4pm day. For more information speak to your instructor.
We are happy to talk to you about the best options for you including package deals including equipment etc.