UCLU Gliding Club

About

About our club

As a university club, UCLUGC is a means of providing students and staff with cheap and easy access to the incredible sport of gliding. The club owns two gliders and is subsidised by the UCL Union, so we can provide flying at affordable rates. Furthermore, we are based at an RAF airfield and not a commercial site, thereby keeping our costs lower.

Please Note: no prior flying experience is required to join the club. People of all abilities are welcome to join. We will handle all your training.

Our aircraft

The club is lucky enough to own two of its own aircraft, which include a K21 and a K6cr. The former is a sleek, glass-fibre, twin seater which was built in 1980 and has flown over 8300 hours (that's the equivalent of 346 days!). A recent maintenance program has seen the replacement of the entire surface 'gel-coat' (a protective layer covering the fibreglass). The work undertaken has only been possible thanks to a generous grant from the Friend's of UCL Trust, which kindly donated £2000 to the club. The K6cr is a single seat aircraft constructed from steel and wood which was bought in 2004.

To maximise the number of aircraft available as well as to teach students about the characteristics of different gliders, we also have the use of the Chiltern Gliding Centre's own aircraft, including K21's, K13's, a Duo Discus and two-seat motorgliders.

When we meet

Organised club trips to the airfield currently take place on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, weather permitting. This applies all year round, and (subject to prior arrangement with the airfield staff) club members are even welcome to turn up, help out and fly on other days when the airfield happens to be open. Flying during the summer holiday can be particularly rewarding, with long, hot days ideal for gliding. It is even possible to arrange for members to glide over the course of two days and spend the night at the airfield.

When you visit the airfield please dress warmly, regardless of what the weather is like in London. The airfield is a very large, open, windswept area and can get very cold, so bring waterproof/windproof clothing. Rugged shoes are a must, particularly in winter when the ground gets wet. Also, sunglasses are strongly recommended regardless of the time of year.

The club meets for a weekly social event during term time, every Wednesday in the Phineas Bar on the third floor of the UCL Union from 8pm. Please come and say hello! (N.B. Friday meetings in the Cloisters have been discontinued as most club activity is now organised by e-mail and on the forums.)

If you wish to fly during the holidays, please e-mail the club, phone a member of the committee or let us know via the forums.

Where we fly

The club's operations are based at RAF Halton, located five miles south-east of Aylesbury, in south Buckinghamshire, at position N51°47' W00°44'. Home to the Chiltern's Gliding Centre with whom we fly, the airfield is one mile to the west of the Chiltern Hills, where the west-facing ridge rises 700 feet above airfield height, providing ridge-lift when the wind blows from between the south-west and the north. This is particularly important during winter when thermals, bubbles of rising air and the main source of lift, are usually lacking. Because of this, the club, unlike many others, easily operates all year round. There are two runways, both grass, allowing four launch directions: 020°, 080°, 200° and 260°.

One of the assets of the airfield club is its bar, which sells pints at £1.10. There is, however, a tradition where anyone who does something stupid, clever, flies solo for the first time, etc. must ring the bar bell and pay £5 to provide free drinks for others. Whilst flying, there is a converted bus with a kitchen, located at the glider launch point, which provides hot and cold food and drink throughout the day.

The maximum altitude gliders can fly above the airfield is 3500ft, but to the west, permission is up to 5500ft. These restrictions are set by the Civil Aviation Authority as civil airliners approaching and departing Luton and Heathrow Airports regularly pass overhead. It is possible to get a good close-up view of a 747's belly from the air!

GETTING TO THE AIRFIELD

Groups led by a committee member (usually Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays) normally meet at Marylebone at 9:00am. If you are meeting a committee member at Marylebone or Wendover, please remember to call them to say you are awake / on your way. Otherwise, they might leave without you if you are running late! It is important to let us know if you are unable to turn up on the day, no matter how late the notice - it will avoid a delayed departure for those who attend. Click here for committee contact details.

Travel to the airfield is either by train or private car.
Travel arrangements are usually worked out by the committee in advance.
We endeavour to provide car transport where possible (to minimise travel costs), but these are subject to group numbers and car/driver availability.
Don't forget to bring: warm clothing (e.g. hat, wind/waterproof jacket), sturdy shoes, sunglasses, chequebook and guarantee card or sufficient cash.

As stated above, the club normally organises group outings to the airfield but if you need to make your own way there for whatever reason, the following information may be of use:

BY TRAIN:

Take the train from Marylebone Station to Wendover Station (look for the 'Aylesbury via Amersham' service).

Monday - Saturday: trains leave at .27 and .57 minutes past.

Sunday: trains leave Marylebone at .59 minutes past the hour.

Don't forget to check the Chiltern Railways web site for train times and scheduled engineering works.

An alternative (but slower) route is via the Metropolitan Line from Baker Street to Amersham (end of the line). At Amersham board a Chiltern Line train for two stops to Wendover.

From Wendover station you can walk to the airfield (see map below for route details). However, it is sometimes possible to get a lift from the station to the airfield - ask a committee member if this can be organised with airfield staff.

Map of the route from Wendover station to the airfield

BY CAR (if arrangements have been made...):

Take the A41 north from the Marylebone Road and follow signs to the M1.
Leave the M1 at Junction 5 and rejoin the A41 heading towards Hemel Hempstead and Aylesbury.
After Tring turn left onto the B4009.
When you reach RAF Halton camp turn right at the red/white aircraft (see point 4 on map above).
Follow the road until you reach the hangers and airfield entrance on the right-hand side (see point 5 on map above).

For security reasons, cars must be parked off the airfield in the car park provided. If you own a car and are willing to take passengers, then you are a wonderful person! Please inform one of the grateful committee members. If you carry passengers to and from RAF Halton you will be reimbursed petrol costs.

FOR YOUR SAFETY!

The airfield is full of moving aircraft, and gliders are not the only aircraft using the site. It can be a dangerous place if you stumble about thoughtlessly so we insist that your first visit is in the company of an experienced member who can show you how to move around the airfield safely.

Key points to remember:

Keep to the edge of the airfield when moving to and from the launch/landing point.
Do not approach powered aircraft when the propeller is rotating.
Do not walk over launch cables.
Do not walk in front of gliders that have been attached to launch cables.
Do not stand next to the cable winch when in operation.
Do not touch the cables when winch lights are on.
Do not walk into launch cable drop zone.
If an aircraft is landing while you are crossing the field, STOP, wait for it to pass and continue walking. It will avoid you. Do not try dodging around it: this will make life very difficult for the pilot.

These points will become obvious when you are there and other people will probably tell you more. If in any doubt ask a UCLUGC or Chiltern's Gliding Centre member; they will be happy to ensure both your safety and theirs!