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"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned
skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return" Leonardo da Vinci
"I love flying....if it wasn't for gravity, I'd be flying all the time" Robert Yunque
Essex Gliding Club Home Page. Photograph By Charles Forsyth
About Ridgewell Airfield
Ridgewell airfield was built during WWll and first used by 90 Squadron of the RAF.
In 1943, they were replaced by the American Air-force. “THE 381st”. After the war, until 1957, it was used by the RAF as a munitions storage and disposal area.
Over TWELVE HUNDRED servicemen died in operations from this field. There are memorials at the first building on the left on the Ridgewell/Great Yeldham road after the junction on the left, to Tilbury Green.
While flying is in progress access has to be restricted but visitors are welcome. However, there are no public rights of way on the airfield.
People wishing to have access for other recreational activities than gliding, that do not conflict with gliding operations, cause annoyance to our neighbours or breach our Planning Permission, are very welcome, and are invited to join the club as social members.
If you would like to use our airfield for recreational purposes i.e. dog walking etc., please contact us first by using the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Our Airfield
Essex Gliding Club is a small, friendly club operating from our superb airfield at Ridgewell, on the Essex Suffolk borders.
You are welcome to come and visit our club: families are very welcome.
We operate one day during the week - used to be Wednesdays, but we now pick the best looking day weather wise - Saturdays and Sundays from Ridgewell Airfield on days during the summer months whenever the weather is good enough to fly.
Ridgewell is only licensed for gliders and a nominated tug aircraft.
NO OTHER LANDINGS ARE ALLOWED, except in emergencies.
Office Hours
Our office phone 07538 639772, (no text message forwarding) is 'manned': Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm (best to avoid phoning across lunchtimes).
On Saturday and Sunday across the summer, the phone goes through to the clubhouse but we are often taken up with gliding, so do leave a message.
At other times, too, you can leave an answerphone message, and we will call you back as soon as we can.
When viewing this web site on an Android mobile device, we recommend Google Chrome or Firefox browsers
Last update: 5th February 2019
PPL?
If you are are a private pilot/ATPL
we have a deal for
you!
Please check-in
to the pilot reporting
area!
Kestrel perched on club sign - Allen Cherry
Find us on waze
Skylark & Common Buzzard!
The beautiful warbling song of the Skylark and the shrill cry of the Common Buzzard are often heard on our peaceful airfield in summer
Some of our visitors flags In 2017
Visitors since January 2016
Glide Britain with Jago Roberts Learn all about the Glide Britain project!
"If flying was the language of man, soaring would be its poetry" Origin unknown
A photograph from the last day at the 'New Scientist Live' exhibition, (London Excel Centre September 2018). Essex Gliding Club and other gliding club members helped the BGA over a five day period. The BGA simulator was extremely busy!
GLIDING GIFT VOUCHERS - CLICK IMAGE ON LEFT TO PURCHASE
Call us
07538 639772 (Office)
No forwarding of text messages possible on this voice call forwarding service!
Contact: Tony Brook
