Young People and Cadets
We are accredited as a BGA Junior Gliding Centre and have a thriving Cadet Scheme. Apart from being great fun, gliding can help provide important life skills and give valuable background for future career pathways.
For many years the club has been committed to helping young people to become pilots. As well as learning to fly, there are immense benefits to be gained from participation in airsports from an early age. These include learning lifetime skills valuable in education and the workplace, such as self-confidence, leadership and teamwork, self-discipline, safety awareness, empathy among others of all ages and walks of life, work prioritisation and time management. There are personal assets that support young people in any career, but especially in aviation. Of course there is also a vibrant social scene and a lot of fun to be had!
Gliding is recognised as a route into a career as a commercial or military pilot, or other areas of the aviation industry such as air traffic control, aeronautical engineering, or meteorology. Regardless of the choice of career a gliding background is a valuable feature of the CV and of course it becomes a lifetime passion too.
At LGC there are various ways in which we help young people to fly. We set up our cadet scheme over 15 years ago in order to recruit and retain enthusiastic young people into the sport. The scheme provides the same training and facilities that a full club member would receive but with the added benefit of low cost membership and flying.
There is a new cadet intake in March each year, and we accept applications from people as young as 15 (although the legal minimum age for solo flight is 14). There are a limited number of spaces and competition is intense.
Juniors (other than cadets) are welcome to join the club from the age of 16, and enjoy subsidised fees right up to the age of 30.
The club also provides an introduction to gliding for groups from local schools, and hosts groups from organisations such as the Air League and the HonourableCompany of Air Pilots.
The club complies with the relevant regulations regarding the Welfare of Young pople, and in addition we are accredited as a BGA Junior Gliding Cenre, the accreditation being subject to regular audit.
In every other respect our Cadets and Juniors are treated as equal members, sharing the same responsibilites on the airfield and enjoying the same benefits of membership. We have produced the youngest gliding instructor in the country (at the time!) and several Junior National cross-country champions. About 30% of our cadets have become commercial pilots, and the others go on to succeed in other careers armed with the personal qualifications that comes with a background in gliding.
Cadet Scheme
Our cadets scheme has been operating for 20 years, and there is strong competition to join the annual intake. Visit the cadets website to find out more.
BGA Juniors
We have appropriate policies and procedures in place to protect young people, and we are accredited by the BGA as a Junior Gliding Centre. Find out more here:
Policies and Procedures
To view our Child Protection Policy, and other documents relating to Young People at LGC, see the links below.