Flying activities

Fully participating members take part each time they undertake one or more flights in a private or club glider or as a pilot in a powered aircraft.

Examples of participating flights include:

• Dual training flights as a student glider pilot

• Solo flights as a glider pilot in club gliders or privately owned gliders

• Undertaking instructor duties in club gliders

• Undertaking Introductory Flight duties in a club glider

• Undertaking powered aircraft flights from the airfield in Bidford based aircraft/SLMGs

Flying support activities

Full participation also includes taking part in ground-based training and coaching. Examples of such activities include:

• Briefing/coaching individual student pilots on flying skills (both the student and instructor will be participating).

• Briefing on topics required to achieve necessary expertise as a glider pilot or instructor.

• Training courses to achieve necessary skills and qualifications as a glider pilot/instructor.

• Meetings to brief groups of pilots on gliding skills/necessary knowledge

Gliding operational support activities – flying days

In order to enable gliding to take place, many support tasks need to be undertaken by members. Fully participating members take part on every occasion when undertaking the following tasks:

• Preparation of gliders, equipment and support vehicles for each flying day

• Assisting with launch point tasks, including launching, log keeping, visitor management, liaison with instructor and the Club office

Launch point tasks are undertaken on each flying day by club members, who may also take turns to fly, under the supervision of a Duty Marshal who is in turn supervised by the Duty Instructor. The role of the Duty Marshal is critical in ensuring the safety and efficiency of launch point operations.  Without a Duty Marshal, gliding instruction cannot take place. Club members who have attained sufficient experience in gliding operations will be asked to volunteer for such duties on at least two days during the season. A full description of the Duty Marshal role is set out in the Duty Marshal Manual available in the Resources section of the Members’ area.

Other gliding operational support activities

Participating in Club activities isn’t just restricted to flying days.  Maintaining gliders, tug aircraft and equipment and keeping proper records is a vital task. Undertaking such support tasks constitutes participation in club sporting activity. Examples of such tasks are:

• Rigging and de-rigging gliders

• Undertaking maintenance on gliders and other equipment

• Maintaining flight hours/numbers record systems

• Ensuring batteries, parachutes and flight recorders are maintained and updated

Administrative/ Management support tasks

The Club cannot function without an administrative and management framework and undertaking these tasks also constitutes participation in club sporting activity. Examples of such tasks are:

• Taking part in Committee duties

• Taking part in working parties/preparation of policies and programmes for club management/operations/promotions

• Taking part in Members’ meetings; AGMs or other meetings to advise members of club activity

• Organising and taking part in fly ins and other special aviation-based events

Infrastructure support

Sporting activity at Bidford cannot take place without an effective functional physical infrastructure, maintained to an appropriate standard to ensure the safety of our members and visitors. Much of this work is carried out as a voluntary club member activity. Taking part in such tasks also constitutes participation in club activity. Examples of such tasks are:

• Mowing the grass on the main airfield and around the clubhouse area

• Maintaining the clubhouse and other buildings operated by the club

• Maintaining control over planning and vegetation on and around the boundary of the airfield

• Maintaining surfaces and fences

• Clearing and disposing of waste

Club social activity

The club wishes to have an active and enjoyable social character. It supports social activity and has a number of social members. However, though important, social activity is subsidiary to the main purpose of the Club as a provider and promoter of sporting activity, and these activities do not count towards the participation requirement for CASCs. The club will always seek to ensure that over 50% of its members are fully participating by undertaking the activities as set out above.