Learn to Fly
Want a career in aviation?
Special deal $2,500 from zero to solo
- Never has crossing learning to fly off your bucket list, been so Easy!
- Of all the forms of aviation, gliding is the Ultimate
- The sky is a limitless playground and gliding is the ultimate joy.
- Live your life in 3 dimensions
- If not now then When?
Who can fly gliders?
Almost anyone can take up gliding. There is no age restriction. Generally though anyone under 14 will be too small to reach the controls. Just check with your Doctor that it is OK for you! A medical declaration is needed for full club membership.
How long will it take to learn?
A typical person will take around 40-50 flights before being checked out to fly solo. Tauranga is a fully controlled airfield. We operate off a side grass vector. You will gain broad superior skills here before going solo at a non-controlled airfield.
How much will it cost?
All our instructors are volunteers. Ongoing costs are the normal membership fees and payment for the use of the glider and tow plane. All gliders at Tauranga are charged on a per minute basis.
The cost of getting the glider into the air varies depending on the weather condition but in average at around $50 per aerotow. Please also have a look at our competitive learn to fly packages under Flights & Packages.
Instructors
Suitably qualified members are trained as instructors and provide their skills and knowledge at no cost to gliding students. Amongst this group of 17 instructors you will find experts in glider aerobatics, cross country flying and of course enthusiastic competition pilots. All the instructors use a standardized curriculum for students which are tracked through formal lesson/skill recording systems.
Challenges and Goals
Soaring as a sport has many challenges and levels of attainment. First is the Solo flight where a pilot takes their first flight without an instructor. Next it is the Cross Country Pilot (XCP) certificate which allows the pilot to fly across-country (away from the local airfield). The ability to carry passengers is the next most common step in pilot development.
From here a number of internationally recognised levels of achievement are available from flying to great heights 1000, 3000 and 5000 meters: or away from the training field for trips of 50 kilometres, 300km and 500km. For the dedicated a diploma is awarded for flights of 1000km and 2000km.
For those with a competitive bent a number of competitions are held around the country leading up to the annual National competition which is held alternately in the North and South Island. Most acknowledge these competitions to be the ultimate in fun and adventure!
Interested in learning to fly?
If you have more questions or are keen to take up the great sport of gliding, call James Graham on 027 571 8648.
Information
Documents
For GNZ documents including Medical Declaration go here.
Club
- MOU – 22 August 2024 Part 1
- MOU – 22 August 2024 Part 2
- Glider Pilots Radio Procedure – Bay Approach
- TGC Standard Operating Procedure Ver 12
- Membership Form
- Constitution June 2021
- Duty Pilot Guide
- Youth Glide Operational Manual
- Club Media
- Application for the private use of club aircraft
- Go Gliding
- Nomination Form
- Strategic Plan
- Summary of Key Points TGC Future Direction – August 2020
- Fai Awards
- Aviation Oxygen Course
Purchacz
LS4
Duodiscus GRZ
Duodiscus XT
Taurus
Lak17B FES
- Manual
- FES BATTERY PACK GEN2 14S 40Ah manual v1.27
- FES FCU INSTRUMENT Manual V1.82
- Winglet Fitting and Removal
- GFS LXNAV Calibration Chart
Instruments
Fleet & Rates
Gliding Clubs
Auckland Aviation Sports Club Gliding Section
Auckland Gliding Club
https://www.glidingauckland.co.nz/
Canterbury Gliding Club
https://www.glidingcanterbury.org.nz/
GlideOmarama.com
Gliding Hutt Valley
https://www.upperhuttcommunity.net/glidinghv/index.html
Gliding Manawatu
https://www.glidingmanawatu.org.nz/
Gliding New Zealand
Matamata Soaring Centre
Nelson Lakes Gliding Club
https://www.glidingnelson.co.nz
Norfolk Aviation Sports Club
https://www.sportsground.co.nz/norfolkgliding
Northland Gliding Club
https://gliding.org.nz/index.html
Piako Gliding Club
https://www.glidingmatamata.co.nz/
Rotorua Gliding Club
https://www.rotoruaglidingclub.blogspot.co.nz/
Soaring Spot
South Canterbury Gliding Club
https://www.glidingsouthcanterbury.co.nz/
Taranaki Gliding Club
https://www.glidingtaranaki.com/
Taupo Gliding Club
https://www.taupoglidingclub.co.nz/
Wellington Gliding Club
Weather
Weather Forecast for Tauranga
Metservice provides generalised forecasts primarily aimed at urban areas. However if you click the tab “Rural” and selected your area of interest (i.e. Bay of Plenty or Waikato) you will get a brief 10 day outlook. But more interestingly on the right is a graph showing the predicted temperature profile for the next 3 days. And on the top of the graph is a projected wind direction and wind speed over the next 3 days.
MetVUW Forecast Charts
A selection of forecast charts
https://www.metvuw.com/forecast/
RASP forecasts
DrJack RASP BLIPMAPs for New Zealand
https://zakalwe.com/rasp/
Tauranga Webcams
Check the weather from your couch
https://www.port-tauranga.co.nz/About-Us/Webcams/