THE world’s best female gliding pilots will fly into the region in three years and Tamworthians had the chance to get up close with the aircraft on Saturday.
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Gliders from Lake Keepit Soaring Club had Tamworthians swooping in for a look, despite the wet and cold conditions.
The aircraft were set up on Jewry St as the club promoted membership and information about the 2019 Women’s World Gliding Championships that it will host.
Club president Ian Downes said, although the weather wasn’t on their side, members received about six good inquiries at their set-up near the minor league fields on Jewry St.
“People driving past were looking as well,” he said.
“Gliding is not an in-your-face sport, so it takes a little bit of time for it to sink in a bit with people, but we certainly got some good inquiry and people were really positive about it.”
To entice new members to take up the sport, the Gliding Federation of Australia is offering deals for people who want to join during June, with half-price membership, free introductory flights and other initiatives.
“We want to gee up interest and membership, although our membership is stable,” Mr Downes said.“We’re the second-largest gliding club in Australia, with about 140 members.”
The gliding and powered aircraft pilot said it was also an opportunity to promote the hosting of the 2019 Women’s Gliding World Championships.
“It is only the second time that this region has hosted a world championship that we’re aware of across all range of sport, with the last time being the World Hang Gliding Championships at Mt Borah,” Mr Downes said.
He said the competition should attract about 60 competitors, plus every competitor would probably have about two team members or supporters.
“We kept on putting in submissions to gain a world championship,” Mr Downes said.
“We’ve tried for other Worlds, tried for junior world championships and we were successful in this one. It’s all about perseverance and not taking no for an answer.”
Mr Downes described gliding like a “three-dimensional game of chess”.
“You’ve got to watch the sky to find out where the lift is occurring, got to make tactical moves against others if you are competing, and you’ve got to practise to get good at it,” he said.
“There is nothing better than taking a launch and drifting around for half an hour on quiet days, though.”
More information days are planned at Jewry St to promote the club, and gliding as a sport in general.
