Group bookings can be arranged for any group of people from as few as four up to as many as twenty. CGC has hosted groups of all kinds, work events, schools, colleges and universities and charities. We’ve even hosted national and international gliding competitions, so whatever your requirements are, we are sure we can help. Group bookings can be take place during normal working hours or in the evenings – daylight permitting.
The clubhouse has a bar, there’s kitchens and seating indoors and out. There’s also an outdoor barbecue, all of which can be booked.
What to expect
The club has a large clubhouse and plenty of parking for coaches or individuals own cars, so follow the signs from the road, around the airfield perimeter track and park as directed.
Once your whole group has a arrived there will be a short safety briefing before you are taken over the launch area ready to enjoy your flights.
At the launch point your instructor will give each person instruction on how to use a parachute, how to get into and out of the aircraft, and what each instrument and each control does, and how to use them. These briefing are individual and tailored to each persons knowledge and interest. You won’t be baffled or alienated with jargon, some will see their flight as their first lesson, others just want to enjoy the view!
The aircraft we use are all two seater aircraft with dual controls and you get the best seat, the one at the front. Once in the aircraft you will be prepared for take-off. The club has two methods of launch, one is being towed by another aircraft, a very smooth and relaxed process, the other is a winch launch where the aircraft is pulled into the air by a long cable attached to a powerful V8 6litre engine almost a mile away down the field. Winch launches can be quite exciting as you climb to over 1000ft in around a minute!
Once in the air, you will have around 5-10 minutes of flying time, which is enough time to enjoy the view, take a few photos and still have a go on the controls. The view from your seat under a bubble canopy is almost completely unobstructed, and the only sound is the air moving over the aircraft so you will have experienced flight in one of its purest and most enjoyable forms.
As the flight comes to an end, your instructor will very smoothly land the aircraft back at the launch point, almost exactly where you took off from.
After all of your group has completed their flights you will be escorted back to the clubhouse, where whatever catering has been booked will be awaiting you.
A few things to bear in mind
You don’t need any special equipment to enjoy your flight, but wearing a parachute makes jeans or trousers essential. The airfield is grassy and involves some walking, so sturdy flat footwear is required.
As the field is quite exposed, bring an extra layer as it can get cooler than you would expect.
Bucket hats are recommended on sunny days, as baseball caps can damage the canopy and obstruct your view.
You need to weigh under 103kg and be at least 5ft tall. This is to keep the glider balanced and you safely strapped in.
Cost
Please contact us directly for a more complete guild to costs, as each group package is tailored to your individual needs, but the flying portion is likely to be as set out below.
Up to two winch launches £60 per person
One winch launch and one aerotow launch £90 per person
We can offer an educational discount to schools or university groups of 20% and free planning visits.
Testimonials
Bedford School for Girls
Our school visit to the flying club was pure magic! Wide-eyed kids transformed into budding aviators, their questions bouncing off hangar walls like excited butterflies. Pilots, once textbook heroes, became real-life mentors, showing them the guts of planes and the thrill of flight simulations. From building paper model gliders to learning about weather patterns, science soared beyond the pages of our textbooks. We left with minds alight and hearts full of sky, a new generation inspired to reach for the clouds. Thank you for igniting the wonder of flight in our young minds!
Bedford School for Girls
The Air League
Before, the sky was just a concrete ceiling above my block. But thanks to Wings Up, it became a playground! Soaring above the city, clouds like fluffy marshmallows, the sun warm on my cheeks, I felt free for the first time, not trapped. It wasn’t just the flight, though. The pilot with the kind eyes, the excited buzz of the other kids, the cheers when I did a loop-the-loop – they showed me there’s a world beyond the streets, a world I can reach for. Wings Up didn’t just give me wings, they gave me wings to dream. Now, the sky’s the limit.
The Air League
City University
The highlight, of course, was the opportunity to witness firsthand the magic of flight. Some of us took scenic tours, our hearts soaring alongside the plane as we admired the world from a breathtaking new perspective. Others peeked into the cockpit, witnessing the intricate dance of hands and instruments that guides these majestic machines. And for a lucky few, the ultimate dream came true: a taste of the pilot’s seat. The exhilaration of feeling the controls respond, the wind whispering through the wings, the boundless horizon stretching before us – it was an experience that transcended words, etching itself onto our memories forever.
