Pune Gliding Center

Gliding Center, Pune is a government run Sports airfield in city of Pune, India. It is located in eastern suburb of Pune called Hadapsar. The Gliding Center is managed by Director General of Civil Aviation.
Brief History of Gliding Movement in India
The year 1929 saw the first ever primary Glider aircraft in the Indian history taking off into the Indian skies. The credit for this goes to Shri Fardun H. Irani (18xx - 1961) and erstwhile Maharaja of Aundh (near Pune), H H Padma Shri Parshuram Rao Pant (1912-1992), who contributed a handsome sum of Rs. 5,000 for the development of gliding at that time.
Dring the turbulent times when the country was struggling for freedom, in the year 1936 Gliding activity was shifted from Pune to Bombay with the hope of attracting subsides from the then British government, which subsequently proved wrong.
In 1939, after Shri F.H. Irani came back from Germany as a qualified instructor, The “Indian Gliding Association “ was established with new found energy. The association was financed adequately with donation by the house of Tatas, HH Maharaja of Jaipur, HH Maharaja of Jodhpur.
Sometime during this period, Gliding was shifted for a brief period to Willington near Ooty.
In the year 1950 “Indian Gliding Association” started their gliding operations at Fursungi (East of Pune) and in the year 1956 was shifted permanently to the present location at Hadapsar (in Pune).
The importance of Gliding as a means to build up the youth of the country was recognized by the Late Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
It is here that the Late Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru(1889-1964) of India had the opportunity to experience glider flight after which he penned down his thoughts :
“I have had a delightful, but all too brief experience - my first glider flight. I should like to repeat it for a longer period and feel for a while less earthbound” on 7th November 1950 (Gliding Center Visitors Book)
General Information
Days of operation : Sunday to Thursday - 9:30 AM to Sunset. (Joy Rides only on Sunday)
Launch Type : Winch
Average Monthly Flying
: ~ 450 hours
: ~ 250 Launches
Active Pilots : 40
Trainee Pilots : 8
Training days & Solo Flying: : Monday to Thursday. (Solo Flying only for those with a valid license).
Current Operational Sailplane Fleet
of . (Plus 2 Private Gliders - One & One )
Distinguished Visits
Honorary Air Commodore (Dr.) Vijaypat Singhania (Victor Papa Sierra) visited on GCP on 26th November 2008.
His address to the 150+ strong audience in the hanger of GCP, was awe inspiring to young and old alike. Other than the pilots and news reporters, aviators from other field like , Indian Air Force, Civil Aviation, Pune Aeromodellers Association, Paragliders, etc. were present for the lecture by VPS.
VPS being a true aviator, wanted to fly gliders and went soaring with pilots of GCP; And followed by a demonstration by paragliders.
VPS was at GCP for the entire flying day and was very impresses by the flying operations and expressed his desire to fly at GCP.
*Hon. Air Cmde. (Dr.) Vijaypat Singhania addressing the pilots of GCP on Youtube
*Commercialisation has taken away the charm of flying.
*Midday Pune - VPS Visits GCP
Tree plantation drive
During the monsoons every year the Staff and the pilots contribute and with the help of Pune Municipal Corporation, have a tree plantation drive. Children are from nearby schools are invited and tree plantation are done in the campus of GCP in the non operational areas, so as to cover the barren land with greenery.
There are three distinct advantages
1. Helps keep the green cover of the area in the midst of all the construction.
2. The objective to instill environmental awareness in the minds of youth.
3. Helps keep the ambient temperature lower around thermal generating areas cool so as to get better thermals.
The school children who are invited are given a small presentation on the advantages of Green cover in the neighborhood and effects of global warming. Also encouraging them to plants trees in their respective schools and homes. In this effort Garden department of Pune Municipal Corporation have been very supportive in providing resources.
The Children are finally treated to a hearty brunch.
* Tree plantation at GCP
* Hadapsar Gliding Centre goes green
Summer camps for Class 10th & 12th students after board exams.
Gliding Summer camps have become a hit in Pune. Only qualification you should have just appeared for 10th or 12th board exam in the current calendar year.
This camp is generally conducted in the month of April, for a duration of 1 week per batch. The aim of this camp is to expose the students to aviation and various options and career options in aviation.
The participants are exposed to short introduction to various subjects like Theory of Flight, Aircraft Basics, Navigation, Meteorology, Radio navigation Aids and Radio Communications , Air Traffic Management, Paragliding & Aeromodelling.
In addition to this we have guest speakers from , Indian Air Force, Civil aviation and our star speaker Honorary Air Commodore (Dr.) Vijaypat Singhania to address the students about aviation and motivate them.
And finally what is aviation camp without flying, the camp is wound up with joyrides for the participants.
These camps are manned by the pilots of GCP and coordinated by the Instructor-Incharge and the QCM.
See Also
Apart from Gliding Center, Pune, there are also various other gliding clubs under the DGCA.
* Ahmedabad Gliding and Flying Club, Civil Airport,Ahmedabad - Defunct
* Agni Aerosports Adventure Academy, Koramangala,Bangalore
* Delhi Gliding Club, Safdarjang Airport, Delhi - Defunct
* Hissar Aviation Club,Civil Aerodrome, Hissar
* Pinjore Aviation Club, Civil Aerodrome, Pinjore - Active
* Rajasthan State Flying School, Sanger Airport, Jaipur - Active (Motor glider SINUS912NW)
* Jamshedpur Gliding Club,Jamshedpur - Defunct
* Gliding and Soaring Centre, IIT, Kanpur - Active (Motor glider SINUS912NW)
* Ludhiana Aviation Club,Ludhiana
* Deolali Gliding Club, Nashik - Active
* Patna Aviation Club, Patna Aerodrome, Patna
* Birla Gliding Club, Pilani - Defunct
* Jharkhand Flying Institute, Civil Aviation Department, Govt. of Jharkhand Birsa Munda Airport, State Hangar, Hinoo, Ranchi - (Motor glider IS 28B2)

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