Leinster Gliding Centre, incorporating Dublin Gliding Club, traces its roots back to 1952 and has been based at Gowran Grange since 1980 (located here). The Centre is now an established centre of excellence for gliding in Ireland, and is a Designated Training Organisation with the Irish Aviation Authority for glider pilot training.
Dublin Gliding Club was founded in 1952 out of a desire to bring a gliding operation to Dublin by a small band of enthusiastic glider pilots. Since then we have grown to a modern gliding centre that has produced pilots that have competed at World Championship level and some who have taken their pilot training further and entered the work of commercial aviation.
Our last operations in Dublin were many years ago and modern airspace restriction mean we are unlikely to ever return to the skies over Dublin. Our members want to ensure that our name reflects the true nature of what we do as an organisation. So, following the 70th anniversary of Dublin Gliding Club in 2022, the decision was made to rename ourselves as The Leinster Gliding Centre.
Through our cross country flying, our gliders are a regular sight across many parts of Leinster and even into neighbouring provinces. As a registered Declared Training Organisation with the IAA, we believe that our new name is more reflective of the modern gliding centre that we are today. Our members enjoy a close relationship with the Ulster Gliding Club in Northern Ireland. Members of both LGC and UGC regularly take advantage of our reciprocal membership that has been a longstanding arrangement allowing members experience the benefits of both operations.