DHPC Coaching Scheme

The Dunstable Hang gliding & Paragliding Club has an active coaching scheme which aims to help new low-airtime pilots in the club to gain enough experience to safely fly unsupervised on any site throughout the UK. We organise various coaching events throughout the year to assist new pilots in our club:

• Weekends away to other suitable sites, e.g. Rhossili, Blorenge, Long Mynd.
• Flying holidays in UK and abroad
• Lectures and exams for Pilot, Advanced Pilot, and powered flying
• Parachute packing, where everyone needs coaching!

The club does not teach beginners to fly, for that you must contact a school, see BHPA.co.uk for details.

The main coaching done within the club is simply to come out flying with either the club coaches themselves or talking and flying with more experienced pilots. Once you have achieved your Club Pilot Certificate with a school, just get in touch with the coaches on a Thursday or preferably Friday night, after the evening weather forecast, to find out where everyone is going at the weekend. We leave it entirely up to you to get in touch with us.

Paraglider pilots use the club message board to plan for the weekend and then make last-minute phone calls to coaches and other members. Hang glider pilots rely more on e-mails to plan a couple of days ahead, with last-minute phone calls or text messages. Make sure the coaches have your address and mobile number and that they know you are keen to get out.

Flying regularly is the only way to progress in the sport: developing your technical skills, becoming familiar with your kit, and understanding the sky. The first year is a tough time for low-airtime pilots and Dunstable is not an easy place to fly but with perserverance and a bit of help you will soon be soaring high above the Downs.

• Lesson 1: Contact the club coaches on a Friday night.
• Lesson 2: Meet at Dunstable the following morning.
• Lesson 3: Travel with a more experienced pilot/coach who can take you to other sites that he/she knows well.

Do contact any of the club coaches listed below, they will be only too pleased to give any advice needed.

Andy Scott Hang Gliding Club Coach 020 8959 8117 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  

Gary Freedman Hang Gliding Club Coach Radlett Herts 01923 858287 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Bill Bell Hang Gliding Club Coach St Albans Herts 01727 858 698 07768 028899 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Matt Moore Hang Gliding Coaching Rep Enfield Middlesex 0208 367 8068 07753 123618 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Paul Seminara Hang Gliding Lead Club Coach hg AP 01494 873888 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Richard Greaves HG & Pg Senior Coach pg AP/hg AP Totternhoe Beds 01525 221283 07776 346086 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Tanya Ephgrave Paragliding Club Coach pg AP(H) Milton Keynes  07971 522192 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Kenny Eaton Paragliding Club Coach pg AP(H) Milton Keynes  01908 425305 0794 9709097

Gary Cooper Paragliding Club Coach pg CP(H) Berkhamsted Hertfordshire 01442 877750 07840506327 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Dave Naphine Hang Gliding Club Coach Hemel Hempstead 01442 261582 07745416626 
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