Hang gliding - An Introduction
Hang gliding is the nearest we can come to flying like a bird. Flying face down, with the wing above you, letting the movement of your body steer you around the sky - the feeling is exhillarating and unique.
Come and learn hang gliding with our expert team including Chief Flying Instructor, Andy Snell, and three times World Champion, Judy Leden MBE . You will not find a more dedicated & professional team of pilots to teach you to fly.

Hang gliders fly faster, climb better and have the best glide characteristics of all the free flight disciplines. Although slightly more demanding to learn, they allow pilots to fly in a wider range of wind and weather conditions than paragliders. Modern hang gliders launch from winches and aerotow behind microlights as well as flying from hills. If you want to enjoy the freedom of the skies, then hang gliding is for you - come and learn hang gliding in the Derbyshire Peak District.
Learn Hang Gliding
Airways Airsports offer the widest range of hang gliding courses of any school in the UK. You will learn to hang glide close to the Derbyshire Peak District using the most efficient and progressive method available.....tandem hang gliding using aerotowing. Your initial six flights will be up to 3,000 feet, with each flight lasting around 20 minutes (or more if the conditions allow). You will be taught by a highly experienced instructor in the art of flying a hang glider. Once you have got the hang of turning and speed control, you will move on to our static winch, commencing your first solo flights. Once we have taught you to hang glide, conversion to hill or powered hang gliding is a straightforward step.
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Whether you are an experienced paraglider or microlight pilot wishing to convert to hang gliding, a lapsed hang glider pilot feeling rusty, or a complete beginner, you can train at your own speed, a day at a time, weekends or weekdays, or come for longer periods to progress more quickly.
Unique Facilities
Although most of our students come to the Derbyshire Peak District to learn to hang glide from surrounding areas like Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham and Stoke on Trent we also attract hang gliding students from across the UK thanks to our unique facilities. We always fly from our airfield in Ashbourne, so there is no "changing site" if the wind direction changes. Please click on the buttons on the left to find out more.





