大象传媒

Flying through the air in a light aircraft that doesn't have an engine isn't as scary as it sounds. I'll admit I had some nerves before strapping myself (tightly) into the passenger seat, but soaring over the county town and the M6 is something that needs to be experienced in life - at least once!

Once in,听 the cockpit is shut (not good if you're claustrophobic!) and it's time to take to the skies - done either with the help of a winch or being towed behind a powered aircraft.

The winch, which is placed at the far end of the field, reels in a 3000 foot long cable which is attached to the glider. It bumpily rumbles along the airfield before climbing into the air, a bit like a kite on a string, before being released.

Thermal

All you can hear is the wind rushing around you - no engine noise (!) - until you find a warm pocket of rising air - known as a thermal - to give you some lift. That's when a small buzzer goes off in the cockpit to tell you you're rising.

I'm told it's best to look for circling buzzards, or a ploughed field which always has an air pocket over it. This practice is called soaring and in good conditions gliders can climb several thousand feet in each air pocket before gliding several miles to the next one.

I found the warm air can make you feel slightly nauseous, especially as the glider at that point as going round in circles, but that sensation is soon surpassed once you level out and get to see the sights and landscape again.

Landing

And if the best bit when you're up there is getting a birds eye view on the area, the scariest bit is definitely landing...

Pushing forward on the joystick my pilot took us back down toward the airfield - swooping ,what seemed, inches over the treetops surrounding the field. We came in quite quickly and bumped along the ground as the wheels touched down.

It was then time to get the glider all the way back to the hangar - latching it onto a tow truck which dragged it all the way back. An exhilarating trip, but what if I actually wanted to pilot one of these things...?!?!

My guide for the day David Wootten told me that anyone who is able to drive a car can learn to fly a glider.

Going solo

Going solo is a different matter though, depending on how often you fly, how good you are at it and your age.

You do have to be reasonably fit, although there are no great physical requirements, and people with different disabilities have found it possible to take up the sport.

It is an advantage to start young although the minimum age for solo flying is 16, younger members can still learn before this age.

There is no maximum age and many members have begun gliding after retirement and gone on to become successful solo pilots.

Some facts

Staffordshire Gliding Club is based at Seighford airfield near Junction 14 of the M6.

Gliding at Seighford takes place every weekend and bank holidays throughout the year and on Friday's during the summer (May to August).

During the summer months there are open days (mainly on bank holiday weekends) where you can have a trial flight to see if you want to take up the sport. For more details look at http://www.staffordshiregliding.co.uk/