Fees

The BGA is a not for profit organisation that supports its membership in numerous ways. The entirely self-funded BGA does need to charge fees to cover overhead costs. The BGA fees are periodically reviewed. The BGA membership affiliation fee charged to clubs is subject to annual approval by member clubs.

The following fees apply from the 1st October 2024.

Gliding Certificate and Badges

Gliding Certificate with Solo Endorsement application- £28

Bronze Endorsement application – £28

Cross-Country Endorsement application – £28 (50% reduction where applying at the same time as an SPL conversion).

Cloud Flying Endorsement application – £28

Aerobatic Endorsement application – £28

Silver, Gold, Diamond per leg (more than one leg claimed in a single flight is charged as one leg) – £28

UK 100km diploma, UK or FAI 750km, 1000km, 1250 km diploma  – £28

For each of the above where the applicant is age 21 or under – £15

Competitions and Competition numbers

Comp Licence issue/renewal – £24

Comp Number issue/renewal 1 year – £24

Comp Number issue/renewal 5 years – £103

IFP, instructing and examining

Introductory Flight Pilot, Basic Instructor, Assistant Instructor, or Full Instructor initial Issue application – £28

Introductory Flight Pilot, Basic Instructor, Assistant Instructor, or Full Instructor 12-month validation, revalidation or renewal (included as activity insured under the BGA aviation risk insurance policy and is payable by the instructor’s club) – £49

BGA MGIR, BGA Aerobatic Instructor Initial Issue application – £28

BGA Instructor Coach or BGA Examiner Initial Issue application – £0

Airworthiness and maintenance

The BGA airworthiness organisation operates under CAA issued and audited Part 21 and BCAR compliant approvals in respect of Part 21 sailplanes and all tugs and motor gliders. Non-Part 21 gliders are certified and maintained in accordance with established BGA standards and procedures with no CAA involvement. The BGA airworthiness exposition details the associated processes.

The BGA maintains an aviation risk insurance policy that insures the BGA including its inspectors in respect of activities and responsibilities in connection with the airworthiness of gliders, motor gliders and tugs which are recorded as being within the BGA airworthiness organisation.

All Part ML and BCAR related approvals and certificates are subject to CAA fees. Fees payable to the CAA are included below.

BGA Airworthiness Support

Part 21 Sailplanes. Includes 12 months access to the BGA airworthiness organisation and its inspectors, one ARC, and the fee payable to the CAA – £144

Part 21 Self Launching Sailplane / TMG / Aeroplane. Includes 12 months access to the BGA airworthiness organisation and its inspectors, one ARC, and the fee payable to the CAA – up to 1000kg £194 or 1001kg and over, £240

Non-Part 21 Sailplane. Includes one BGA Certificate of Airworthiness – £110

Non-Part 21 Tugs and Motor Gliders (501 kgs to 1000 kgs MTOW). Includes 12 months access to the BGA airworthiness organisation and its inspectors, one NARC (including transfer from expiring C of A), and the fee payable to the CAA – £194. Subsequent issue POA.

BGA Inspector annual authorisation – £65

Adding a privilege – £0

Refresher seminar – £0

Complex task authorisation all initial applications on BGA Form 277 – £64

Authorisation with site visit requirement – £187. No site visit – £0

Where significant additional BGA engineering oversight or support is required, authorisation may be subject to additional fees to recover costs. These will be agreed in advance.

Transition from Non-Part 21 to Part 21 C of A

The vast majority of gliders and aircraft operated by BGA clubs were able to transition to a Part 21 CofA through a process agreed by the BGA and CAA. As previously noted on many occasions, this transition process had to end in 2009. With effect from 1 April 2014 the CAA reduced fee rate transition ended. Part 21 CofA transition takes place under a permanently revised CAA process and significantly higher CAA fees. The BGA fee includes these fees and access to and the support of the BGA airworthiness organisation. Application made through the BGA is subject to the following fees payable to the BGA (includes CAA fees):

Glider Transition from BGA C of A to Part 21 C of A & ARC – £544

Motor glider or Tug with CAA C of A expiry on transition to Part 21 C of A & ARC – £544

Includes estimated fee for MTOW 501 to 1000 kgs payable to CAA. CAA surveyor involvement is included but may attract additional CAA charges if nominal investigation time is exceeded.

Instructor training

Part 1 and Part 2 instructor courses are delivered by clubs and/or centrally managed BGA courses. All trainee instructors must complete the BGA Teaching & Learning seminar.

Teaching & Learning seminar – £16

BGA delivered Part 1 instructor course – £285  or where aged 21 or less – £145

BGA delivered Part 2 instructor course – £285) or where aged 21 or less – £145

BGA instructor refresher seminar – £0

BGA examiner refresher seminar – £0

SFCL SPL Conversion

Conversion to lifetime SPL including all existing privileges, etc – £85 or where aged 21 or less – £65

Adding a privilege to an existing SPL (eg TMG) – £65 or where aged 21 or less – £55

Adding Flight Examiner (Sailplanes) privilege to an SPL – £65

Others

Official Observer issue – £0

Gliding record application (please note that an FAI fee of CHF200 applies on successful award of the record) – £28

Sailplane and Gliding Subscription (all 6 issues through your letterbox) – £35.45

Sailplane and Gliding Magazine single edition – £6.50 including postage

Simulator (subject to terms and conditions). Minimum hire (up to 3 days – additional days at £55 per day) – £150

Affiliation Fees – club membership 1 Oct 24 – 30 Sep 25

(invoiced to clubs after 30^th Sep 25 based on the annual return 1 Oct 24 – 30 Sep 25)

Affiliation Fee per full flying member – £37

Affiliation Fee per temporary member – £6

Affiliation Fee per full and temporary member aged 21 or less – £0

Payment

Payments should be made by credit or debit card via the relevant application form or via a phone call to the BGA office.

Bank transfer payments should be submitted with a suitable reference or description to British Gliding Association, Sort code 30-94-97, Account No 00041622.

We cannot accept cash payments or American Express cards. Please send any cheque payment to: BGA, 8 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1RJ