News & Club Stories
Expedition reports, cross-country flight achievements, cadet milestones, and airfield updates from Gransden Lodge Airfield.
How I became a pilot – Jon Linger
I originally learnt to fly as an Air Cadet aged 17 in a Slingsby Sedbergh TX Mk.1. This was at RAF Debden now carver barracks. I did 3 solos and got my A&B BGA licence. Excluding a week’s long course with Herefordshire gliding club at Shobden airfield and a bit of flying in RAF chipmunks … Read more "How I became a pilot – Jon Linger"
Tent city springs up!
Taken during the Junior Nationals last year here's a great shot showing the campsite full of competitors tents. The Cambridge Gliding Centre is incredibly lucky to have a large amount of space to accommodate even the largest events. There's bunk rooms and showers on site, plenty of space for parking cars, trailers and rigged gliders. … Read more "Tent city springs up!"
New Launch Point Bus
After many years of service the old launch point bus has reached the end of the road, so a small team of volunteers were tasked with finding a replacement, and after couple of months of searching, they found an excellent new vehicle for the club. It's a 3 litre Iveco, with space for 20 seats, … Read more "New Launch Point Bus"
Simon flies solo for the first time
For Simon, it was a day that had been circled on the calendar for months. Today was the day he would finally take to the skies alone. After countless hours of ground schooling, simulator sessions, and dual instruction flights, he was ready to experience the freedom of solo flight. As he strapped into the small … Read more "Simon flies solo for the first time"
Flora's trial flight
Flora's heart hammered against her ribs, a hummingbird trapped in a cage of exhilaration and trepidation. Today was the day, the day she would finally taste the sky, not as a distant dreamer, but as a fledgling aviator. Her trial flight in a glider awaited, a baptism by wind that promised to rewrite the contours … Read more "Flora's trial flight"
Cross Country flight to Hay-on-Wye
This was a long cross-country flight to Hay on Wye on the day of the Hay festival. The lesson is perseverance to keep going when there were slow patches. Richard Maisonpierre
Bluebell flies again
Bluebell was our mainstay for instructing for many years, after she was supplied new in 1950 to Cambridge University Gliding Club (now Cambridge Gliding Club). (New price £587.0s.0d). She has racked up nearly 80000 (yes eighty thousand!) launches and something like 10500 flying hours. Since then, she has had various periods of little or no … Read more "Bluebell flies again"