Gliding is one of the cheaper forms of aviating but can also be very expensive and hence attracts a wide range of people from different back grounds. Different people aim to get different things out of gliding for some they are happy to just bumble round the patch while others push cross country (flights of over 1000km are not uncommon). There are two common types of launching these are aero tow and winching (less common include auto tow and bungie). Aero tow is when the glider is towed up behind a powered aircraft, much like towing a car but in three dimensions. A winch launch is the type used at Howick and comprises being towed up much like a kite by a large winch.

Once airborne, by what ever means, the challenge is to stay up. One does this not by surfing the wind as many believe but rather by using a variety of lift sources such as thermals, ridge, convergence or wave this enables the unpowered aircraft to stay aloft for many hours at a time, of course if no lift is to be found you find your self back on the ground in a matter of minutes. Once aloft as mentioned before what one does is up to ones personal preference. Many strive to go cross country relying on lift en-route, should the lift die down or be difficult to contact it may well result in a “land out” where the pilot puts down at a different airfield or in a cultivated field. Instead  of going cross country some choose to stay close to the field and just enjoy the sights, sounds and beauty of being aloft. Still others choose to practice aerobatics with maneuvers like stall turns, chandelles, loops and spins being the norm. 

All in all gliding is a relatively inexpensive and highly diverse form of recreational flight with a niche place for everybody. It is one of the simplest forms of flight and also one of the most enjoyable.