CEP French school EPC course: The CEP school is based in Chedde close to the landing site. Their instructors speak good English and they provide all equipment for the course training and transport to and from the training hill, launch and landing sites. They charge 550 Euros plus 27 Euros for the French training insurance. For their course you will require a basic health certificate/doctors letter stating that you are fit to participate in sports. The health check needn't be too complicated just a general heart rate and blood pressure test, but it is required and necessary before you start training.
The first 1-2 days you will be working on the training hill learning how to layout the glider, inflating it using the 'Alpine Front Launch' method and once overhead steer the glider whilst running down a slope in preparation for your first big launch.
It's easy and after a little time you will be making short low flights on the shallow training slope: approximately 10-15 training hill flights/runs will be made each day. The work on the training hill is very important and the more efficient you are with your running and launching the more small flights you will initially make!
If there are windy
periods during the middle of the
day we'll spend some time down of the valley floor at one the landing areas
learning to handle our gliders in windier conditions. This 'Reverse Launch'
technique is a necessary exercise to learn for the windier hills found in
the UK.
By the third day you will be making your first big solo flights of at least
10 minutes each, from high mountain sites where either minibus transport or
cable cars carry you back to the launch area. During this and the following
two days you will fly a minimum of 3 big solo flights a day from sites 750m above the valley floor. As a new pilot you will be under constant
radio supervision! If the student responds well the EPC training is
generally completed in 5 days.
Not included in the French run course is the BHPA - EPC class room training and Exam. This is completed with Dennis and Gillian where an extra 75 Euro charge is made.. The class room work includes interesting theory on how our wings fly, aerodynamics and air flows,and how the weather effects our flying. The written BHPA -EPC exam is sat sometime during this training session.
At this stage is optional whether the new student wants to join the BHPA. However, if the BHPA training is continued then membership of the BHPA is necessary. Enrolment can be made directly with Dennis and Gillian or can be made on-line at www.bhpa.co.uk
EPC 'Direct Instruction' course with Dennis and Gillian... is often completed in 3 days. All the relevant BHPA - EPC tasks are covered and the first big solo flights are usually made on the second day of training. 4-5 solo flight are made each day, and during the latter part of this course a number of the CPC tasks are considered with some completed. Please see below 'syllabus comparisons'.
If both the EPC and CPC courses are booked back to back using 'Direct Instruction' then we merge the two syllabus's into one, adding more tasks making the whole experience more interesting!
Both the EPC and CPC exam training and sitting are including in the relevant Direction Instruction courses, but not in the French school course.
Our CPC courses are only offered with 'Direct Instruction'... Direct Instruction is a personal and effective way for the new pilot to gain confidence with airmanship and piloting skills. Our integrated courses are intensive and our objective is to produce pilots with skills rather than someone with just a qualification!
Our 'Direct Instruction'CPC course has an added bonus and includes some of our Mountain Thermalling syllabus!
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The BHPA - EPC syllabus comparisons!
The standard BHPA - EPC course requirements are basic ground handling skills, a number of low level flights that include 90° turns in either direction, completing simple flight plans and landing.
The Alpine Flying Centre syllabus includes all of the above but with alpine and reverse launch techniques, high flights each of 10 minutes or more, 90°, 180° & 360° turns, two different landing approaches, the 'Constant Aspect Approach' (down wind base-leg) and 'Fig 8' approach/landing and positional landings.
Pilots finish the EPC course with confident launches, the ability to fly simple flight plans and make their own landings, and have around 2 hours of airtime made up of flights of at least 10 minutes each flight!
The BHPA - CPC syllabus comparisons!
The BHPA - CPC course includes, 180° turns, hill soaring, top landings, cross wind landings, forward and reverse launch techniques, pitch and weight shift steering techniques, basic descent techniques, active flying and asymmetric tucks. and a minimum of 3 ten minute hill soaring flights!
The Alpine Flying Centre syllabus includes all of the above plus, 360° turns, mountain thermalling, rapid descent techniques including 'Big Ears' with and without accelerator system, fast 360° descents, soaring and thermalling flights of 1 hour or more. Our CPC clients often finish their course with 4-6 hours of airtime in mixed and varied flying conditions.
Also, variometer instruments are introduced during latter part of this course, allowing the new pilot to evaluate the rising and sinking air associated with soaring and thermalling conditions.
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If required we provide training glider, harness, safety helmet, radio and instruments all for just 25 Euros a day. We make this a separate charge as many clients have their own equipment and do not require ours.
Transportation to and from the launch/landing sites during the training is included, but not cable car costs, though cable cars are very rarely used at this stage. Equipment is of limited size there is a naked weight limit of 100kgs.
BHPA membership is required for all Direct Instruction
training, unless you are not
based in the UK then other forms of training insurance is available if you
do not have your own. BHPA membership can be made with the Alpine Flying
Centre school directly or on-line at
www.bhpa.co.uk
For your part. You will need to bring ankle high/supporting walking boots,
long sleeved top and long trousers, a lightweight windproof top, gloves, sun
tan cream, plenty of bottled water and lunch, though there are restaurants
at the training area.
Not included in the course!
Accommodation and personal health insurance. For
'Accommodation'
details.