Membership Categories

The membership year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Members joining during the year will be charged pro-rata for the period remaining, calculated as published in the office, unless they join in May or June, in which case they will be required to take out membership to run until the end of the next membership year. (These terms may be different for members of affiliated university clubs, as specified in their individual agreements.) .


Only certain categories of member are eligible (subject to the availability of space and payment of fees) to use some club facilities and to keep a glider or caravan on club premises at yearly rates; all other members must pay weekly or daily rates. Syndicated aircraft are the responsibility of the appointed representative, who must be a Full Member or, for powered aircraft, Power Member.


Unless otherwise agreed, all membership fees and facilities charges (e.g. hangarage, trailer storage and caravan parking) must be paid, and completed membership forms and facilities agreements received, in advance of the period to which they refer. Members are required to maintain their flying accounts in credit at all times.

 

(1) Full Membership

Full Members may pursue all club activities and have full voting rights at general meetings and polls. They may keep gliders and powered aircraft in the hangar, and glider trailers and a single caravan on site, and are eligible for yearly rates. They are also eligible to use other club facilities such as workshops, garages et.

(2) Country and Reciprocal Membership

Country and Reciprocal Members must be full members of another BGAaffiliated club, and Windrushers must not be their primary club. They may pursue all club activities except tugging and NPPL, but are not entitled to vote at any meetings or polls, and are ineligible for yearly rates for hangarage, trailer and caravan parking, or use of other club facilities. Reciprocal Membership is valid only for a single period of 3 months in any membership year, and may be extended only by paying the balance to upgrade to Country or Full Membership

(3) Power Membership

Power Members are eligible to keep a powered aircraft on site and to fly in powered aircraft from the airfield. They enjoy the privileges of Social Membership, but otherwise may not fly gliders or the club’s motor gliders and, unless explicitly agreed, may not pursue tugging or NPPL training. Power Members are not eligible to vote at general meetings and polls, to keep caravans or gliders on site, or to use workshops, garages etc. Power Members are reminded that their passengers must also be club members.

(4) Junior Membership

Junior Members must be at least 19 and no more than 25 years of age at the beginning of the membership year. They may pursue all club activities and may keep a single caravan on site at yearly rates. They are not entitled to vote at meetings or polls, and are ineligible for yearly rates for hangarage, trailer parking or other club facilities

(5) Cadet Membership

Cadet Members must be at least 14 and no more than 18 years of age at the beginning of the membership year. They may pursue all club activities but are not entitled to vote at meetings or polls or to keep caravans on site, and are ineligible for yearly rates for hangarage, trailer parking or other club facilities. The minimum age limit for Cadet Members is waived if their parent or guardian is a Full Member and is present on the airfield when the Cadet Member flies. Members of affiliated university clubs are eligible for Cadet Membership provided that they are in full time education and of no more than 25 years of age at the beginning of their membership year. Cadet Members will be separately liable to reimburse the club for any BGA Capitation Fees paid by the club in respect of their membership. Cadet Members under 18 years of age must have the permission of their parent or guardian who, except for members of affiliated university clubs, must agree to be responsible for charges incurred by the member.

(6) Temporary Membership

Temporary Members may pursue any flying or non-flying activities, except NPPL training; to fly solo they must be full members of another BGAaffiliated club. In addition to the daily membership fee, Temporary Members must pay VAT on all fees. Temporary Members are eligible to keep aircraft, trailers and caravans on site at daily or weekly rates for the duration of their temporary membership, but again incur VAT on fees paid. They may not vote at meetings or polls.

Introductory Membership

Introductory Membership is provided as part of packages such as Trial Lessons, and runs for three months from the date of the first flight. During this period, members may fly under instruction in gliders and motor gliders at Full Member rates. They may not vote at meetings or polls, keep aircraft or caravans on site, or use club facilities such as workshops, garages etc. Introductory Membership is limited to a single 3 month period in any year. The member’s flying account must hold sufficient credit for any flights made

(7) Social members

Social members are eligible to make one flight under instruction per month at the Full Member rate, and may take part in any non-flying club activities. They are not entitled to vote at meetings or polls and may not use any flyingrelated club facilities or keep aircraft or caravans on site. Social Members may pursue non-flying activities (eg. kitesurfing, flying model aircraft, exercising dogs) subject to written prior agreement.

(8) Trial Lesson.

 

(9) Family Membership

Family Membership covers the Full Memberships of a couple who are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, and the Cadet Memberships of their dependent children (aged 18 or under at the beginning of the membership year)

(10) 2 Year Full Membership

A paid-up Full or Family Member who, before the end of the first month of the membership year, pays the balance of the Two Year Membership fee shall have his/her membership extended for an additional year

Professional Membership

Professional Membership is available only to (i) paid employees of Windrushers Gliding Club Ltd. when it is specifically granted in their contract of employment and (ii) providers of contracted services when it is specifically granted in the relevant agreement; the associated privileges will be set out in the contract or agreement. Professional Members are not entitled to vote at meetings or polls unless they also hold a separate qualifying membership.

Visiting Pilots

Except when using the airfield in an emergency under the Strasser scheme, or where reciprocal arrangements exist (eg gliders landing out from BGA clubs), pilots arriving by air are required to join the club as Temporary Members. Membership must be obtained for passengers, whose fees will be waived if activities are restricted to flights in the visiting aircraft.

General Conditions

All flying operations, including access to club aircraft, are subject to the approval of the Chief Flying Instructor.

Aerotows are charged to the nearest 100 feet, as recorded by the tug pilot.
Use of the motor glider is charged according to the time recorded by the Hobbs counter;
use of the tug aircraft is charged according to the time flying when not needed for tugging.

Except when flying as a club instructor, the pilot in command is responsible for the insurance excess in the event of an accident or, in the case of aircraft which the club self-insures, the first £500 of the costs incurred.

The Glider Hangarage Fee does not include trailer storage, for which a separate Glider Trailer Fee must be paid. Hangared gliders taking fewer than 20 launches in a year will incur a 50% surcharge for the following year, after which the owner may be asked to remove the aircraft from the hangar.

The club may agree alternative membership arrangements in exceptional individual cases or where reciprocal agreements exist.

A member who behaves in a way which is outside the spirit of the terms set out here may have some or all of his/her membership privileges withdrawn