Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association
A voluntary UK organisation providing recreational gliding, training and soaring opportunities for Royal Air Force personnel and the wider RAF community.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association (RAFGSA) is a voluntary organisation established to provide recreational flying opportunities for Royal Air Force servicemen and women, particularly personnel whose primary duties are on the ground. Its activities combine introductory flying, structured gliding instruction, recreational soaring, cross-country flying and participation in competitions. The association operates within the RAF community rather than as a conventional commercial aviation brand, and its facilities are delivered through a central centre and a network of regional clubs. The organisation's origins lie in the immediate post-war period. In 1945, the British Air Forces of Occupation in Germany used captured German gliders to provide recreational flying for RAF personnel. The popularity of that activity created demand for comparable facilities in the United Kingdom, leading to the foundation of the RAFGSA in 1949. Its first aircraft, a Slingsby T.21 and a Prefect, were acquired in March 1950 and based at RAF Detling. By 1952, the association operated 27 gliders across seven clubs, indicating that the original recreational initiative had developed into a substantial multi-site programme. A major organisational development occurred in October 1963, when the RAFGSA Centre was established at RAF Bicester. The centre absorbed the Windrushers Gliding Club, which had been formed at RAF Little Rissington in January 1956 and subsequently moved to Bicester. RAF Bicester became an important hub for instruction, aircraft maintenance and competitive flying. In June 2004, the central facility moved to RAF Halton, where the RAFGSA Centre remains co-located with the Joint Services Gliding Centre. The latter forms part of the Joint Service Adventurous Training Air Sports organisation and provides training courses for military personnel. The association's present operating model is built around a full-time central staff supporting training, administration and workshop functions, together with regional clubs run on a voluntary basis. The clubs are located at or near RAF stations and offer progression from novice instruction to more advanced soaring and cross-country flying. The network described in reference material includes the RAFGSA Chilterns Gliding Centre at RAF Halton, Bannerdown Gliding Club at Keevil, Cranwell Gliding Club at RAF Cranwell, Fenland Gliding Club at RAF Marham, Fulmar Gliding Club at Easterton, Kestrel Gliding Club at RAF Odiham and RAF Shawbury Gliding Club at RAF Shawbury. RAFGSA has also contributed to British gliding through the work of instructors, competition pilots and aviation engineers. Pilots associated with the Bicester operation represented the association in national competitions, while some also represented the British Gliding Association internationally. Andy Gough, who served for approximately two decades as chief flying instructor at the Bicester centre, became one of the organisation's best-known figures. The annual Andy Gough Memorial Trophy commemorates his contribution and recognises an outstanding RAFGSA member. The association's fleet has included approximately 60 gliders of diverse types, ranging from basic training aircraft to high-performance cross-country and two-seat gliders. It has also operated powered aircraft used as aerotow tugs, including de Havilland Canada Chipmunks and Pawnees. The RAFGSA therefore functions not simply as a recreational club, but as a structured aviation community linking military adventurous training, technical aircraft support, pilot development and competitive soaring. Publicly available material does not establish a separate commercial ownership structure, public listing or conventional corporate parent.
History
The RAFGSA traces its origins to recreational gliding undertaken by the British Air Forces of Occupation in Germany after the Second World War. In 1945, captured German gliders were used to give RAF personnel access to recreational flying. The experience generated demand for an equivalent organisation in the United Kingdom, and the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association was founded in 1949. The first RAFGSA aircraft were acquired in March 1950: a Slingsby T.21 and a Prefect, both stationed at RAF Detling. Expansion followed quickly. By 1952, 27 gliders were being operated at seven clubs around the United Kingdom. This distributed structure allowed RAF personnel at different stations to participate while providing a pathway from basic instruction to more advanced soaring and cross-country flying. In October 1963, the RAFGSA Centre was established at RAF Bicester. It incorporated the Windrushers Gliding Club, which had been created at RAF Little Rissington in January 1956 before moving to Bicester. The Bicester centre became an important base for central administration, flying instruction, engineering and competition activity. Among the notable people connected with it was Warrant Officer Arthur William Charles Gough, known as Andy Gough, who served for around 20 years as chief flying instructor. His achievements included a 1975 cross-Channel flight from Aston Down to Holland during the RAFGSA Championships. Following his death in an aerobatic accident at RAF Brize Norton in 1982, the Andy Gough Memorial Trophy was created to honour an outstanding association member. The Bicester operation also supported technical innovation. Richard B. Stratton, an aircraft engineer and licensed Civil Aviation Authority inspector, contributed to glider launching, aerotowing and aircraft modification practices. His work included the civil conversion of military de Havilland Canada Chipmunks for glider towing, including changes related to starting systems, seating and operating limitations. Some aircraft were later fitted with Lycoming engines or adapted for alternative fuel arrangements. These modifications helped make former military aircraft useful in civil-registered towing roles. In June 2004, the RAFGSA Centre moved to RAF Halton. The centre provides organisational, training and workshop facilities with full-time staff. It is co-located with the Joint Services Gliding Centre, part of the Joint Service Adventurous Training Air Sports organisation, which provides gliding courses for military personnel. Around the central facility, regional clubs continue to operate on a voluntary basis at or near RAF stations. These clubs support novice training, recreational flying, soaring, cross-country activity and competition participation. The association's fleet has included approximately 60 gliders, covering basic trainers, two-seat instructional aircraft, powered sailplanes and high-performance single-seat machines. Aircraft types associated with the RAFGSA include the Grob Astir and G 109B, Rolladen-Schneider LS8-18, Scheibe SF25 Falke, Schempp-Hirth Discus, Duo Discus, Janus and Ventus variants, Schleicher K8B, ASK 13, ASK 18 and ASK 21, and Slingsby T61 Falke. Powered tug operations have included six Chipmunks and two Pawnees in the fleet described by the reference material. The RAFGSA remains best understood as a voluntary RAF-community and military-adventurous-training organisation rather than a consumer-facing commercial company. Its historical role has been to broaden access to aviation, maintain a network of gliding expertise and provide a recreational and developmental activity for RAF personnel.
- 2004
Central centre relocates to RAF Halton
[1]The RAFGSA Centre moved to RAF Halton and became co-located with the Joint Services Gliding Centre.
- 1963
Central centre established at RAF Bicester
[1]The RAFGSA Centre was created at RAF Bicester and incorporated the Windrushers Gliding Club.
- 1952
Network expands across the UK
[1]The association operated 27 gliders across seven clubs.
- 1950
First aircraft acquired
[1]A Slingsby T.21 and a Prefect were purchased and based at RAF Detling.
- 1949
RAFGSA founded
[1]The Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association was established in the United Kingdom.
- 1945
Post-war gliding begins with the British Air Forces of Occupation
[1]Captured German gliders were used in Germany to provide recreational flying for RAF personnel, creating demand for a comparable UK organisation.
Products and positioning
A UK military-community aviation organisation focused on accessible recreational flying, progressive gliding instruction and adventurous training for RAF personnel.
Training service
Gliding instruction
The association provides introductory and progressive gliding instruction for RAF personnel through its central facility and regional clubs. Training can develop from first flights and basic aircraft handling into more advanced soaring, cross-country and competition flying. The Joint Services Gliding Centre at RAF Halton separately provides courses within the military adventurous-training system.
Recreational aviation
Recreational soaring and cross-country flying
RAFGSA clubs support recreational gliding and soaring after initial training. More experienced pilots can undertake cross-country flights and represent the association in national or international competition environments. The offering is organised through a network of RAF-linked clubs rather than sold as a conventional commercial travel product.
Aviation operations
Aircraft and aerotow support
The RAFGSA maintains and operates a mixed fleet of gliders and powered tug aircraft. The fleet described in reference material includes training gliders, two-seat aircraft, high-performance sailplanes, Chipmunk tugs and Pawnee tugs. Its central workshop and technical capability support aircraft maintenance, launching and aerotow operations.
Controversies
1982
Death of Andy Gough during aerobatic display
On 12 June 1982, chief flying instructor Andy Gough was killed while performing an aerobatic display in a LET L-13 Blaník glider at RAF Brize Norton after a wing separated under high-G loading. The Andy Gough Memorial Trophy was subsequently established in his memory.
Brand decisions
2004
Relocate the central centre to RAF HaltonStrategyBackground
The association reorganised its central facilities within the RAF station network.
Action taken
The RAFGSA Centre moved from RAF Bicester to RAF Halton, where it was co-located with the Joint Services Gliding Centre.
Aftermath
RAF Halton became the association's central organisational, training and workshop base and linked it more closely with joint-services adventurous training.
1963
Create a central RAFGSA centre at RAF BicesterStrategyBackground
The association had expanded into a multi-club network and required a central base for organisation, instruction and technical support.
Action taken
A dedicated RAFGSA Centre was established at RAF Bicester, incorporating the Windrushers Gliding Club.
Aftermath
Bicester became a long-term hub for RAFGSA training, aircraft support and competitive flying until the centre moved to RAF Halton.
Recent events
- 2004
RAFGSA Centre moves to RAF Halton[1]
Other
The association's central centre relocated from RAF Bicester to RAF Halton, where it is co-located with the Joint Services Gliding Centre.
- 1963
RAFGSA Centre established at RAF Bicester[1]
Other
The central RAFGSA Centre was established at RAF Bicester and absorbed the Windrushers Gliding Club.
Sources1 sources
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