Terms and Conditions
BOOKING FLYING DAYS
To book, or re-book, a time and date to fly please call the office on 01335 344 308. Booking early usually means you can choose the slot you want. If you do not cancel a booking that you have made more than 24 hours before 09.00 on the day you were booked to fly you will forfeit that day’s training and or be liable to pay a cancellation fee. This includes paraglider and paramotor day tasters, microlight and all tandem flights.
ON THE DAY YOU ARE BOOKED TO FLY
You must call our Flightline 07801 987882 after 8.15am on the day of your flight to see if your flight is going ahead with the weather that is forecast. Please get to the airfield in plenty of time for your flight. If you are on a Paragliding day taster you should be at the airfield for 09.00. For microlight or tandem hang glider or paraglider flights, please arrive at your allotted time.
WEATHER
Weather is a big factor in all our flying. The conditions under which we fly are closely monitored and if it rains or the wind is too strong your flying day may be shortened or postponed. If this is the case call the office and book a new day. Vouchers are valid for 12 months from date of issue and courses are valid for six months from the first day of training to maintain pilot currency.
WHAT TO WEAR
A strong pair of boots with ankle support is essential for paragliding. Bring gloves, a jacket and clothes suitable for the season we don’t recommend shorts but a hat and suncream is essential in summer. Bring sunglasses, warm clothes and a windproof jacket for tandem hang gliding and flexwing microlighting.
AIRFIELD FACILITIES & SPECTATORS
The Cafe serves hot and cold drinks, meals, sandwiches, homemade cakes, crisps and chocolate. There are toilets and a viewing area and a shop on site as well as a pilot’s room and classroom. Feel free to invite family and friends to see you fly. For safety everyone must keep to designated areas. If you bring dogs please keep them on a short lead and clean up after them. Children must be closely supervised at all times.
PAYMENTS & VOUCHER VALIDITY
Vouchers are only available on payment of the full fee and are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. If you wish to extend your flight voucher you must contact Airways Airsports up to a maximum of 3 months after the original expiry date, paying a £30 administration fee making the voucher valid for another 3 months. For courses and group bookings a deposit will be required to secure your booking. Any balance must be paid before you fly. Prices secured by payment of a deposit are valid for 9 months from the payment date. To maintain pilot currency courses must be completed within six months of the first day of training. Vouchers, or a course you have not started, may only be passed to another suitable party with the prior agreement of Airways Airsports.
CANCELLATION POLICY
A full refund will be given up to 30 days after payment of a fee or deposit. Refunds in this period will incur a £30.00 administration fee. Where the payment is within 30 days of the start date of the course or where the cancellation is more than 30 days after the deposit or full payment has been made no refunds will be given. You must give at least 24 hours notice if you want to postpone any training or experience flight that you have booked, failure to do so means you will forfeit the booked training **and may be liable to pay a £35 cancellation fee.
SUPPLIER INFORMATION
All paragliding, paramotor, hang gliding and powered hang gliding training at Darley Moor Airfield is undertaken by Airways Training (Darley Moor) Ltd. All microlight training at Darley Moor Airfield is undertaken by Airways Microlight Training Ltd.
Airways Airsports Ltd is responsible for equipment sales.
SAFETY
Safety is our primary concern. We reserve the right to terminate individual flights and training courses at any time if, in the opinion of our instructing staff, safety is compromised. We adhere to and enforce the strictest of safety guidelines in respect of the type and level of wing students can fly on the winch and hill, at any given stage of their training. The decision of the CFI will be final.
BHPA MEMBERSHIP
We issue memberships of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association which includes £50,000 3rd party insurance. There is no personal accident included in any of our hang gliding and paragliding vouchers or training. If you wish to take out personal accident insurance please call the Airsports Insurance Bureau on 01983 298480 at least 2 days prior to your booking.
AGE AND MEDICAL RESTRICTIONS
The minimum age to fly solo is sixteen for Hang Gliding and Microlight flying and fourteen for Paragliding. For dual flights, if you are under eighteen years of age parental consent is required. There is no upper age limit although in the interest of your own safety you must give details of any medical condition that may affect your ability in the air. If in doubt, please contact your GP for advice. The weight limit for tandem hang gliding, tandem paragliding and all microlight flights is 14.5 stone. Your weight should be in proportion to your height. If you fail to meet any of these requirements please call the office on 01335 344308 immediately.
AIRWAYS EQUIPMENT POLICY
None of the information below removes the duty of care any student assumes in flying the wing of their choice. We will always try to teach you using the best current practice and offer you up to date advice. We generally teach students on school equipment until 1. They purchase their own or 2. The end of their early training, whichever comes first. It is common sense that students complete as much of their training as possible on their own equipment, so that when you leave the school you are familiar with flying your kit. The earlier a student becomes familiar with their own equipment the better. In line with current best practice we recommend that students only fly modern novice paragliders with suitable EN rating, with a suitable harness until they have enough experience to move up to the next level. That is why our school has new and modern wings, and why every expert in the land says it’s better to fly a lower performing wing at 100% than a higher one at 95%. In the absence of exceptional mitigating circumstances it is strongly recommended that students, or low airtime pilots, only fly a suitable DHV1 (or similar) glider. We also strongly recommend that students do not purchase any gear until they have spent some time at the school. This will ensure you get the right kit whether you get it from us or not. We always reserve the right not to teach a pilot if we assess their equipment and level of competency to be unsuitable or mis-matched.
FLYING IS A RISK ACTIVITY. YOU UNDERTAKE TO FLY WITH US IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF AIRWAYS AIRSPORTS AND ITS EMPLOYEES FLYING CAN LEAD TO INJURY OR WORSE.