Per page discussions (new posts)

Terry Aspinall: Microlight distance record

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 01:39:10 +0000

My record was achieved flying a Microlight in the under 50 kilo class.
After I had claimed the record and had it ratified the BMAA changed the definition of a microlight to under 75 kilos.
Arthur H. Trapp set his record in the 75 Kilo class of Microlights.
My record still stands, and Arthur's was the first in the new category.
Terry Aspinall

2009 Finale & Still Rambling:

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:54:52 +0000

Hi Ed,
I have just enjoyed reading your fascinating story taking a journey through your adventures. You have been honest about your failures as well as your achievements and success.I think that makes the account a good read.
Thanks for bringing back some very happy memories and seeing faces I have thought about and not seen for a very long while.
I wish you good fortune for the future and hope that you may find an alternative to hang gliding that will give you reward and pleasure. We all have to move on sometime.

Kind regards,

Bob

The Eighties & a Map: Huns'ton

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:00:15 +0000

Hi Ed, I flew Huns'ton a few times and it was a real hoot as we had to be launched from the base of the cliff on the end of a bungee rope being pulled by at least four people!
You resisted the pull as long as possible and when the moment you could hold back no longer it all happened very fast. Run a few steps, push out and when you hit the wind hold enough speed on to fly but allow yourself to be taken up above the cliff top.
The "pullers" got very upset if you botched the takeoff as it was very hard work. (for them)

Great to read your story, brought back some happy memories…

Norfolk Club competition 1979 (?): Steve Hicks where are you?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:06:20 +0000

Vince Hallam.01803316191………..07941313141

Norfolk Club competition 1979 (?): looking for Steve Hicks family

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:57:49 +0000

Can you give me a contact or "last known at" for Steve Hickswith whom I flew at Rhossiliin the late 70s
Vince Hallam 01803316191…..07941313141….Im in Devon

Mike Lake: Re: Odd coincidence

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:50:00 +0000

Could be, but I have no knowledge of anyone moving to Canada.

Great name you have there (:

Mike Lake: Odd coincidence

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:55:06 +0000

I Googled my own name, and was directed here. My family came from Norwich to Canada around the beginning of the first war. Wonder if there is a connection with your Mike Lake.

Mike Lake: I remember

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:15:41 +0000

I remember many of these exploits, although young at the time, maybe 13 or 14. A lot of things I did not know of course. What you don't know about your own family!

Stephen Lake - Mike's brother

2009 Finale & Still Rambling:

Fri, 08 May 2009 20:36:04 +0000

Dear Ed

Really good to see the old faces looking so young!, and reading the history and comments of the NHGC. They were good days and interesting flying with the personalities at the time. Tony and Rona were/are stalwarts with the hang gliding movement.

Thanks Ed
Yours
Pete and Jac

Introduction to Ed Potter's Story: Oh you Charlie :-)

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:33:55 +0000

I love the fact that the way your opening explanation says that we should make inappropriate comments to Phil. How appropriate!

i can take it :-)

email thing. I'm looking into this. Thanks for pointing it out.

2000 South Africa & Sutton Meadows: Stephen's memories

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:51:35 +0000

Stephen says: 'I remember rescuing you from the middle of a Hungarian Forest one evening - by the time we found you the family had almost married you to their daughter and you were all quite drunk! How about when we landed with the Swift at Piedrahita and the cows came down the field and tried to jump over the wing of the Swift?
One minor correction - when we went to SA it was me flying a Strikemaster (grown up Jet Provost) that buzzed you that day. I have one at North Weald now as my old JP died after 10 good years. And I did fly the Hunter and Lightning subsequently that trip. Do you remember the day when the gust from came up the valley with a wall of dust? Too many stories to tell. I'm a display pilot these days and have a big season ahead. Thanks again for committing it all to paper! '

1992-3 Norfolk Aerotowing!: Mark Dale's view

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:35:19 +0000

Mark tells me: ' I think the reason I was so keen on getting aerotowing going in hang gliding was that I had got to beyond solo standard in sailplane flying before taking up hang gliding – so it seemed to me to be an entirely normal, obvious way of getting airborne. It was perverse that we were not doing it. Once there was a workable system available (thanks to the French and the Hungarians) then it was an infringement of our civil liberties us not being allowed to do it in the UK. I think that I had also got bored with going downwind and spending half the night trying to get back: light winds and triangles were clearly far more sensible – and for that we needed to start the flight by being parked in lift.'

The Eighties & a Map: Howard Edwards

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:27:37 +0000

I am told on good authority that 'Howard Edward’s accident on the prone trike was caused by him getting part of the prone trike harness snagged on a back wire, leading to him spiralling in to the deck'. Sorry for the misrepresentation.

Introduction to Ed Potter's Story: Inappropriate Phile

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:41:06 +0000

I love the fact that the way your opening explanation says that we should make inappropriate
comments to Phil. How appropriate!

The email field above has a character limit that does not allow me to input my real email address
(which is honestly not that long).

Cheers

Charlie

Stories We Tell: The Cromer Rotor

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:02:13 +0000

I think I've told this story before, but because it happened at Cromer its worth adding to this web site.
One Sunday Snowy and I arrive first at Cromer, and as usual we both wanted to take to the air before all the others arrived. Once again I won the toss of a coin to take off first. I think it’s also about time I levelled with Snowy, and admitted that I did have a double headed coin in those days. While on other occasions I used to say heads I win and tails you lose, sorry mate!!!!!.

The wind seemed to be quite strong although we did not have an ASI, as far as we were concerned it was just marginal. Anyway I rigged up and Snowy became my nose man, and we inched the kite towards the edge of the take off point. It was then that it seems we might have overestimated the strength of the wind, because Snowy was experiencing problems holding on to the nose and keeping it steady.

Then just as I was about to abort the take off, Mel and Sharpy turned up and ran over to the take off point shouting “Why aren’t you up there” to which I asked him how strong he thought the wind was blowing. “Only about 18” he replied with that I felt confident and turned to Snowy and told him to let go. Bang, I shot up like a rocket on the fastest ride I’d ever taken in my life. Not only was I going up but I was also going backward. I had the bar pulled right back almost touching my knees, and I was still going backwards. I then climbed forward inching my hands forward up the wires leading from the ends of the A frame up to the nose. Might sound a bit crazy today, but I can assure you that during those early days, I had heard it discussed in very strong wind conditions. Anyway by this time I was game to try anything just to penetrate the very strong wing. The higher I climbed the strong it seemed to get.

By this time I knew I was in trouble as I was losing the battle, and seemed to be going further backwards. I just hung on knowing that at any moment I was going to be in the notorious rotor that always just behind the take off area. There was no warning, suddenly the bar was snatched out of my hands as the kite whipped around in a complete 360 degrees and I ended up still pointing out to sea, but about 50 meters to the east of the take off point and about 100 meter back of the cliff edge. I can remember looking down at a couple of golfers below me and knowing the site was in danger if I landed on them, I shouted at them to get out the way.

Then once again the bar was snatched out of my hands as I was completely spun around once more. This time I ended up way down the track towards the main road where we used to park our cars (on the bend). Then it felt like a massive hand just pushed me straight into the ground and I landed at great speed but dead level and still pointing out to sea, with a massive bang.

Within seconds I managed to climb out just as Snowy arrive to help me, and asked if I was Okay. He then cracked the usual jokes and I suddenly felt extreme pain in my chest. So I asked him not to make me laugh. The only damage was to my pride and a frame side, in that order. Although later when I called in to a hospital on my way home, I was informed I had a few cracked ribs. Don’t think I’ll trust Mel’s wind speed estimations in future. I think next time I’ll wet my finger and hold it up. Although later Mel did admit that he only said it as a joke, not believing for one minute that I would actually take off.

Terry Aspinall

1977:

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:37:21 +0000

On the 27th March 2007. Phil chett and Graham Drinkle were having a chat on Top of Corton (not an uncommon event). "i was on the telly once a long time ago" He says. Continuing, " … and the music they put to it was Genesis"

Dave McEwen:

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:08:40 +0000

In 2000 Phil and Dave went to Italy to fly places like Monte Cucco, It was noticeable that a number of pilots there, with their latest hot ships and all the gear would watch Dave as he prepared to fly. His rigging procedure would be as follows.

Rig Glider. Get sewing kit out of van (easily identifiable by the bog roll on the roof rack drying out) make minor repairs to wing. Put on overalls. Put on the tattyest stirrup harness you have ever seen, Get Robinsons bottle of drink with straw in top and tape to upright( Daves answer to a Camelback tight git.) Wind up vario (referred to by German Pilots as a Wireless) and attach to glider. Roll fag and watch the sky.

The hot ships would launch, looking down their noses as they went past Dave. Then Dave would launch. The other pilots would then spend the rest of the day trying to out fly Dave. They never did.