Werner Bem

British Gliding Association

The British Gliding Association is the governing body for the sport of gliding in the UK. Our members are the 84 clubs that provide gliding facilities for their members – clubs that are spread throughout the UK from the north of Scotland to the SW tip of England and which range from small, member-run clubs through to some of the largest gliding clubs in the world. Through these clubs we represent and provide services to some 7000 UK glider pilots. Our roles are many and varied. We provide advice and assistance to clubs on a wide range of topics, including finance, regulation, operations, and marketing and take a leading role in the development and promotion of gliding. We are responsible for managing training standards in the sport and are committed to safe practices with the objective of facilitating a sport gliding environment where the levels of risk are as low as reasonably practicable. We hold Part M subparts F&G approvals and manage the ongoing airworthiness of the UK glider fleet, working closely with the UK CAA. We work in close collaboration with the Royal Aero Club (which represents all of UK airsports) and with other pan-sector bodies such as the General Aviation Safety Council and the GA Alliance. Internationally, through the European Gliding Union we partner with Europe Air Sports to protect the rights of the UK glider pilot and, in the wider arena, with the FAI International Gliding Commission. The BGA is responsible for gliding competition in the UK and for the British Gliding Team, one of the most successful teams in international gliding competition.