Paragliding plus Gliding
Twice the Challenge - twice the fun!
Shalbourne Gliding
Since 1972, Shalbourne Gliding has operated from Rivar Hill - roughly in the middle of the ridge that runs from Combe Gibbet down into the Vale of Pewsey. It's a playground we share with our fellow aviators from the hang-gliding and paragliding community. But why stay with just one flying discipline when you can do both?
Your soaring skills and weather knowledge translate beautifully into gliding. Your feel for lift and all-round airmanship will enable you to progress quickly. The winch launch is an exhilarating experience unlike anything in paragliding or hang gliding which on a good day can take you to over 2000 feet in 30 seconds!
We want to extend an exclusive offer to the free-flight community of 4 flights for the price of just £99 to start to learn sailplaning too
Paraglider above Rivar Hill
The Offer in Detail
As a special offer to the free-flight community, we are offering an exclusive introductory gliding package (available to BHPA card-holding members only)
Sailplane starter course for £99:
• Four winch launch training flights in our two-seat gliders
• Full briefing and debrief with a BGA-qualified instructor
• Open for 3 months from 1 April 2026. Offer closes 30 June 2026
• Max. 2 flights / visit - so you can reflect & improve between sessions
• 1 year from purchase-date to complete this introduction to gliding
To redeem this offer and in so doing donate to our fund-raising campaign book now via this page and show your valid BHPA card on arrival at the airfield
On The Winch - All Out! All Out!
You Will Be Helping our Sport
In association with Sport England, we are raising money to upgrade the essential safety and training equipment across our fleet of training gliders. With your help we hope to add:
-
New variometers: so student pilots get clear, accurate feedback in the air and can better develop their soaring skills.
-
Radios: to provide reliable air-to-ground communication for every training flight and enhance safrty
-
Replacement harnesses: up-to-date harnesses for student comfort and improved safety.
Better kit = better training, safer flights, and more pilots.
Thanks to a matched funding grant, every pound earned through this campaign is matched by Sport England: up to £6,400 in total.
Your money will further the sport of gliding for a new generation as well as enhancing your flying skills in new directions. Come and find out why so many free-flight pilots have caught the gliding bug.