DHPC

DHPC Coaching Scheme

The Dunstable Hang gliding & Paragliding Club has an active coaching scheme which aims to help new low-airtime pilots in the club to gain enough experience to safely fly unsupervised on any site throughout the UK. We organise various coaching events throughout the year to assist new pilots in our club:

• Weekends away to other suitable sites, e.g. Rhossili, Blorenge, Long Mynd.
• Flying holidays in UK and abroad
• Lectures and exams for Pilot, Advanced Pilot, and powered flying
• Parachute packing, where everyone needs coaching!

The club does not teach beginners to fly, for that you must contact a school, see BHPA.co.uk for details.

The main coaching done within the club is simply to come out flying with either the club coaches themselves or talking and flying with more experienced pilots. Once you have achieved your Club Pilot Certificate with a school, just get in touch with the coaches on a Thursday or preferably Friday night, after the evening weather forecast, to find out where everyone is going at the weekend. We leave it entirely up to you to get in touch with us.

Paraglider pilots use the club message board to plan for the weekend and then make last-minute phone calls to coaches and other members. Hang glider pilots rely more on e-mails to plan a couple of days ahead, with last-minute phone calls or text messages. Make sure the coaches have your address and mobile number and that they know you are keen to get out.

Flying regularly is the only way to progress in the sport: developing your technical skills, becoming familiar with your kit, and understanding the sky. The first year is a tough time for low-airtime pilots and Dunstable is not an easy place to fly but with perserverance and a bit of help you will soon be soaring high above the Downs.

• Lesson 1: Contact the club coaches on a Friday night.
• Lesson 2: Meet at Dunstable the following morning.
• Lesson 3: Travel with a more experienced pilot/coach who can take you to other sites that he/she knows well.