Imagine being in a big plastic egg balanced on a giant perspex ruler thousands of feet above York Minster and praying quietly that the laws of physics will keep you aloft.

That’s gliding – and it’s absolutely brilliant.

When we board an aeroplane our primary aim is rarely to enjoy the flight, it is usually simply to survive it intact.

Part of our brain constantly processes risk, and that means supressed qualms about flight – with engine failure the all-time favourite angst.

But on a chilly sunny morning, soaring silently in a fragile plastic shell there is nothing to tinge the magic of pure flight.

Nothing beats simple physics – wind hits shaped wings and you stay up for hours, days if you choose, wheeling and banking with nature’s support.

And to add to one’s peace of mind, the overwhelming majority of gliders are all German.

Due to a ban on powered military flight in Germany between the world wars, gliding became highly developed to give young men a taste of the skies.

And so when arriving at York Gliding Club based at Rufforth Airfield, it’s a reassuring fact that all their training gliders are made to the world’s highest standards.

Again, one less thing to worry about.

The gliders themselves look odd and uneasy on the neatly clipped grass airfield, rather like sci-fi dragonflies eager to escape the ground.

Bright white against the green, there is a combination of sculpted art and strength as the great 18m wings twitch in the wind.

But before anything leaves the ground there are rigorous safety checks to be made both in and out of the clubhouse.

Taking part in a taster session for this most serene of sports, I was in the expert care of pilot and instructor Keith Batty, who explained the procedures vital before any flights.

“As well as National Air Travel Service reports on wind and weather, we always check the NOTAMS – Notices to Airmen – which warn us of any potentially dangerous aerial activity nearby such as a Red Arrows display or a hot air balloon race,” Keith said.

Rufforth was an airfield for Halifax bombers during the Second World War, which reminds you that all modern hazards are relative.

And flights of great adventure are still taking place, with some members of the thriving gliding club having flown as far as Dijon, France, by skilful use of air currents and thermal lift.

“How long you stay in the air is largely your own choice,” said Keith.

“You can ride up the thermals in circles and then hop from the top to cloud after cloud – it’s up to you.”

But a beginner’s first flight lasts approximately 25 minutes, which is just the right length for an initial challenge.

The safety instruction continues with a full in-cockpit briefing on how the controls work, including escape procedures and parachute routines.

Foot pedals combine with the joy stick – or “control stick” as it is now less racily known – to govern lift and direction in what seems a simple procedure when on the ground.

After visual checks on the two-person DG 505 trainer, the next job is to wheel the gently wobbling glider out on to the runway and await the arrival of its tow-plane.

Gliders can be launched by a high-speed line, which is fixed at one end of the field and then whisks the glider up into the air with a brisk pull.

However in our case, the traditional method of attaching to a powered “tug” arrived in the form of a Piper Pawnee with a 235hp four-stroke to do all the heavy lifting.

And semi-prone in the front cockpit with just thin plastic and fibreglass dividing you from a bumpy reality, any anxiety vanishes at the relief of finally being airborne.

It is an instant thrill to watch the umbilical rope snake away as the tug peels off, leaving you sky-high and climbing on wave lift caused by air rolling eastwards from the Pennines.

“Rufforth is ideal for wave lift as the air from the West sort of bounces up beneath us and gives smooth waves to 10,000ft.

“That’s one of the joys of gliding here as even if there are no warm air thermals, we can glide almost all through the winter, which few other places can,” Keith said.

Once up, the beautiful design of the glider becomes more of a wonder as it responds like a living thing to the slightest touch of its controls.

Barely pull the joy stick back and the horizon sinks out of view, a hint forward and the nose dips groundwards as the “sail-plane” picks up speed for its next manouevre.

And under Keith’s close guidance from the instructor’s cockpit, it was possible to practise some of the basic skills even in that brief flight.

And on my second attempt, as we swooped above York Minster, it really felt that learning the secret of pure flight was indeed possible.

York Gliding Centre offers a range of learner packages from trial flights to full pilot’s courses.

It’s relatively cheap, it’s true flying and it’s magical. Try it.

FACTFILE:

York Gliding Centre is at Rufforth Airfield, Rufforth, York.
For more information about gliding lessons call (01904) 738694, e-mail office@yorkglidingcentre.co.uk or visit yorkglidingcentre.co.uk