As free as a bird

soaring above Texel

Gliding on Texel

Want to admire Texel from a bird’s eye view? Gliding Club Texel offers the opportunity to make a gliding flight from De Vlijt airfield. Within seconds you’ll be climbing at breakneck speed and as soon as the glider has reached its altitude, all you’ll be doing is enjoying yourself. And what a beautiful view of the island from the air!

Photo gallery Gliding

Introduction to motor gliding

After some explanation, a flight with an experienced pilot of the Motor Glider Club Texel takes place over Texel for approx. 30 minutes. For those who have always wanted to get acquainted with motor gliding, this is the opportunity. Perhaps the start of a new hobby? This opportunity is available to anyone aged 13 and over who weighs less than 100 kg.

Visitor information

Also want to make a gliding flight above Texel? Then contact:
Gerard Bouwman: tel 0222-315575
If there is no answer you can leave a message and we will call you back as soon as possible.

Discount for guests of De Krim Texel
Special price for a 30 minute round trip for guests of De Krim Texel: €75.00 (Normal price: €95.00).
Flying is possible year round, provided the weather is good.

Address: Postweg 122B, 1795 JS De Cocksdorp
Website: Gliding
Check the current information and opening hours on the website of the provider!

Our tips on… gliding on Texel

De Krim Texel is a true Texel company. When we're not at work, we ourselves enjoy everything that Texel has to offer. And of course, we try everything ourselves... Today, Mariska, our raging Texel reporter, takes you along in a glider during a tour above Texel.

A warm welcome

I drive my car to Zweefvliegclub Texel. There I park my car in a parking space and walk towards the door. There, Gerard Bouwman is already waiting for me. Gerard has been flying since he was 15 years old and is my pilot for today. He opens the door for me and as we walk to the hangar, he starts talking enthusiastically about flying. Today is a perfect day. The sky is a clear blue, the sun is shining brightly and here and there a single cloud can be seen. Outside I can already see the small plane. Gerard has already checked it this morning so we are ready for departure.

Takeoff

Once in the plane, Gerard explains what I see in front of me. From the altimeter to the fuel gauge and from the brake to the speedometer. After contact is made with the tower, the runway is clear and Gerard has done the last check, we can take off.
Along the way, Gerard explains all sorts of things about the plane, his previous flying experiences and the island. It is not a moment of silence with Gerard as pilot. He also tells us what the advantage of a glider is: First of all, the canopy is completely transparent and starts low. This allows you to see very well what is happening around you. In addition, the wings are on the bottom, so you still have a perfect view even when making a turn.

Round trip

The flight started at De Koog. From the air you immediately notice the length of Camping Kogerstrand, you really camp there on the entire campsite directly by the sea. Via the coastline we went in the direction of De Cocksdorp. Of course we could not skip Golf Course De Texelse and Holiday Park De Krim and we also viewed the lighthouse from the air.
A little further on we spotted seals on the sand banks. What a lot of them there are! Gerard - who also works at De Vriendschap - tells me that there are about 14,000 seals in the Wadden area, about 1000 of which live around Texel.
After the seals, it's time to go higher up. Beyond the clouds, Gerard turns off the engine, what a silence. I look around me, we are very high up now. Gerard indicates that piloting a glider is not that difficult and that I may also try. Soon I am making turns on my own.
If we descend a little we fly literally and figuratively through the clouds. What a beautiful sight. Be sure to check out our Reel at @dekrimtexel, because of course I filmed it.

Experience

This is an experience you definitely want to have on your list! Especially if you don't know the island yet! You see everything from above and can pick out the best spots. Also with Gerard as your guide this will definitely work out. He tells you with great pleasure where De Slufter is located, where you can spot wild horses and where all the areas are. Are you - like me - already familiar with the island? Even then it is definitely worth it! You see the island from a completely different perspective. Furthermore, with clear weather you can see the other Wadden Islands. We could see as far as Ameland, we could see the coast of Friesland, the Afsluitdijk and we could even see the Flevopolder. When are you going to take to the air?

Love for Texel

For a number of years, De Krim Texel has sponsored the Gliding Club of Texel. With this sponsorship, the club can train people who would like to become pilots. The pilots who fly with the Texel Gliding Club do not have to pay any membership fee because of our sponsorship and also the instructor's costs are paid with our sponsorship. In addition, the TESO cooperates so that the pilots in the making get their first 15 crossings reimbursed.