Great name you have there (:

Stephen Lake - Mike's brother

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

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.

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

All that week after I arrived home from work, I would assembled the glider on my back lawn, you would not believe how many different ways I invented to achieve this and even now I’m not sure I ever did it the correctly way. Mind you with my lateral thinking, I convinced myself that I had found a better way than all the so called experts.

The very next weekend, along with Emily my wife, and Trevor Pearce one of my friends from my country band, we all went down to Sizewell Beach to assemble this giant kite (180 squares). This took us a couple of hours, mainly because all the time I was talking to Trevor explaining something I knew absolutely nothing about, but was trying my hardest to sound like an expert. As you might have guessed I had to make a couple of changes and minor alterations when a few of the bolt holes did not line up. When it was finally constructed, I found a large rabbit hill amongst a thick gathering of Blackberry bushes, which must have been all of a meter high. This I preceded to tell Trevor would be high enough for the first test flight of the day. Trevor then shocked me by asking how far I was going to fly up the beach. Somehow, I managed to evade the question, but I hoped I’d left him believing that it was going to be in miles rather than meters. At one time he even asked if I had clearance to fly from RAF Bentwaters the local military airfield about 12 miles away. Gee this guy seems to think he knows more than me when it came to flying.

Anyway I climbed into the seated harness strapped myself in, and picked up the glider and somehow managed to position myself on the top of the rabbit warren with the nose of the glider pointing out to sea. That much I had learnt while at Mere. Where I’d seen the so called expert nose men throwing grass into the air. Although to be honest at the time I believed it was some sort of ritual, a bit like making a cross on your chest.

The nose has to always point towards the wind in order that it might pick up the kite so you can fly, or that was how I keep answering most of the questions that were being fired at me. At this stage, I must add that there was absolutely no wind, so I tried jumping up and down on the rabbit warren, but with no luck. All I could hear was the flapping of the sail being generated by my frantic jumping up and down in order that I might get airborne. I felt like Tony Hancock the comedian in a scene from one of his famous films, where he turns up at an airport dressed as a chicken and asks the booking clerk “Can I fly to France”. I heard one guy tell his little boy that I was going to fly to France. Gee that guy had more faith in my Hang Glider than I did. By this time I had secretly settled on hopefully making it to the beach just in front of my one meter high rabbit warren.
After about an hour of me jumping up and down, which I might add was all taking place in front of a very large growing crowd. All of a sudden out of nowhere a large gust of wind just picked me and my glider up and tossed me over backwards. What had happened I did not have a clue? Not understanding the principles of flying, it was a crazy thing to do. With what I know now, it is a wonder I did not kill myself that day. The eastern coast line of England can be quite treacherous at times, especially when it comes to wind. It’s nothing to see the wind suddenly whip up to around 20mph. With a wind like that instead of going to France I believe I would have ended up in Wales going backwards. I guess I should also add that most flyers who came after me, at least had the help of others to not only help them build their gliders but to also advise them on the best way to fly it.

Anyway, my antics on Sizewell beach seemed to amuse the still steadily growing crowd, leaving me to feel like Co-Co the clown. I could also see that my sudden backward somersault amused the crowd to such a point that’s by now there were tears of laughter streaming down their faces. As they watched me desperately trying to get my car keys from my trousers pocket, while all entangled up in a mass of steel wires, aluminum tubing, sail material and the seat harness. Emily and Trevor then had to race back to my car to get some spanners to release me from my imprison position, and that took them another twenty minutes. While all the time I was trussed up within the heap of scrap. I was further humiliated having to answer some of the gathered crowds silly questions. Like, “Will you be flying again today mister”, or “Is that supposed to happen”. Then there was the usual, “Did it hurt”, while one young kid said he thought the wings were going to flap. One little old lady walked away saying that she could not see what all the fuss was about with these new fangled Hang Gliders, claiming that I hadn’t gone far, she also thought I was going to whiz up and down the beach, her words not mine.

The whole event was very humiliating for me in front of all those holidaymakers. As slowly, Emily and Trevor started to undo as many nuts and bolts as they could. The whole time Trevor was wetting himself laughing at me. It took them a further fifteen minutes to extricate me from the mess that was once my pride and joy. The net result was £50 worth of damage, I had only been off the ground about a foot and that was backwards at a speed of ten mile an hour. Trevor even measured it out to a distance of around five meters. That means that the flight cost me something in the region of £10 per meter. At these rates, it would have been cheaper to fly with Freddie Laker to New York.

I then had to contact Birdman Sports to organise them to send me some spare parts. This took several weeks, as we did not have telephones in those days it was all done by letter. Needless to say, I had to answer many many questions as the factory was always interested just in case it was their workmanship that had failed. I made up some cock and bull story that I had had a great flight, but unfortunately I had landed rather hard. It seemed to satisfy them and they sent the necessary parts, but not before, I sent them the postal order for £50.

Once I had rebuilt the glider, I started worrying that I might have weakened something during the crash and at that time, I was not game to write another letter to Birdman. Therefore, I just put it all into the back of my mind and took it down to the beach once again. Only this time Emily was my only helper and I found a spot that was deserted and secluded. However, it was all to no avail as I still did not get the dam thing up off the ground, nor did I at the second and third attempts. The whole exercise was very frustrating and I really did not have any idea how I was going to progress past this point of my flying career. For some reason I strongly believed that I could run down a runway, pick up some wind and just take off and fly away. My complete conversation with anybody who would listen was always about flying. And so you can imagine how I continually bored my wife. I’m sure there were times when she wished I would just fly away.

I remembered at some time I had been told about a local guy named David Cook, who was into Hang Gliding. Unfortunately, I had never met him, even though he worked at Richard Garrets a company I had also worked for a few years earlier. Anyway after my third unsuccessful attempt at trying to fly at Sizewell I called it a day. As I was leaving the site, I caught sight of a car pulling a very long trailer with what looked like a giant Hang Glider on board. This had to be David Cook, so I sped after it, and followed it all the way to his house in Aldringham. I watched him pull into his drive and through some trees where he parked. I parked on the roadside out front of his house and ran up to introduced myself.

And the rest is history as they say.

Terry

Mike

You are right about Ken’s inexperience and this was a perfect example of enthusiasm overtaking common sense. Ken’s accident made me (us) 10x more careful.

Frank LeBurge I think was the Pegasus glider man. I think this picture is of Rod Pace on his.
Notice the curved leading edges.

Mike Lake

As Ken took off I was standing directly behind him and he rose into the air quite quickly then suddenly the glider started to lock to the left and went in, I’m not sure if it tucked what I do remember is that there was a very loud bang as he hit the ground.

Being scared and not wanting to watch, my wife had stayed up on the main road sitting in my car. The next minute Mike Pullford is banging on the side of the car for her to start the engine. He then jumped in and they race off looking for a phone box to get an ambulance. All the time my wife who had also heard the bang is thinking it’s me that had crashed. Mike in his desperation to find a farm house just forgot to tell her exactly what had happened.

I would like to also add that most of the Norfolk club members had all attended a first aid course run by a St John’s Ambulance officer just a few months early to the crash. However, the horror of seeing Ken crash, left most of us wondering what the hell to do next. When up stepped Paul Whitley one of the few attending who had not been at the first aid course. In the past Paul had been described as a bit of a wild type of guy, and had attracted a nick name of the bionic baby. To me it was Paul who saved Kens life that day by taking full control of the situation. He was cool, calm and most of all knew exactly what to do. My opinion of Paul went up 1000%, that day and I have admired him greatly for what he did that day for Ken. I visited Ken several time while he was in hospital, feeling a little guilty that he had taken my place in the queue.

Since the accident I’ve had time to think about it and I’m sure I’m right when I say that I don’t think Ken should have been flying that day. I say that because he was a total novice pilot, who had only completed a few top to bottom’s while flying at the RAF Bawdsey site in Suffolk.

Am I right in thinking that this all took place before the Little Snoring event??

Would like to know more about Frank, as he might fit into my early History of UK Hang Gliding article I'm trying to put together.
Terry

The name Mel Mayes does sound familiar and Ashley Doubtfire I think was involved also with Gerry Breen in the very beginning.

No one in our region had had anything to do with towing until Little Snoring. Greg was certainly not the first to fly at the event his role was one of a local ‘test dummy’, well into the event. As I have said Greg was also the ‘test dummy’ when we went to collect the Skyhook winch (we were always willing to volunteer Greg for anything that might turn upside down!)

I can’t remember if anyone else flew the Skyhook winch up until Ken Cole’s accident I think this was the first winch outing. You were at that event Terry can you remember if his accident was the first (and last) flight on that day? Or had others had a tow?

Mike Lake

Strange how our lives change, can you remember Mel Mayes, he's in America flying Lea Jets.

I knew Ashley Doubtfire very well as he was also a Birdman flyer. I'm sure you are aware that he died in strange circumstances.

Can’t believe that it was Greg’s first tow flight at Little Snoring even though I was there. Am I right in thinking he was also the first to fly at the event??

Terry

Just for the record. Well before I had even built my glider one Ashley Doubtfire was seen at Sheringham running down the SIDE of Beeston Hill. Ashley was a friend of a family member of mine. I don’t think he ever got off the ground.

Mike Lake

We had a few weekends of these light wind top to bottoms until one day we arrived to find two pilots flying ABOVE the top of the ridge (I didn’t know you could do that!) This was Frank (somebody or other) and Brian Griffith. That day, after some soul searching, I made the first souring flight (from us lot) as well.

The first person to tow was Greg at the Little Snoring meet. He was also the test dummy for the Skyhook winch when we all went to collect this from Oldham.
I do not know who or if anyone else other than the ill-fated Ken Cole flew on this winch before it was abandoned in a garage after this accident.
I collected the winch about late ’80 to try to revive interest… but that’s another story.

Mike Lake

And also who was the very first to fly using a tow system, where and when.

Hope somebody might be able to help as I'm writting an article on the history of hang Gliding in the UK
and I know that the Norfolk club played a big part during those very early years.

Would also like to hear from anybody who feel they might be able to help me

Terry Aspinall

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

History of Bognor Birdmen
Between 1971 and 1978 the South of England's annual Birdman Really was held in the seaside resort of Selsey. With a distance of 46 metres to be covered and a prize of £3,000 to be won, intrepid flyers flocked to compete in the event. Despite fierce competition from the likes of Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and a naked jumper called John, the closest any came to the distance was 44 metres, achieved by David Cook in 1974.

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.

You may be interested to know that i meet up with Greg Thompson Just before xmass (2006). I'm hoping to see him again soon. He has given me a few more vids to sift through. OH MY GOD! :-)

Looks like I'm going to be a bit busy over the next few weeks reading and watching.

If I can help you with the Norfolk Club history, I will. I was a member for several years. Like I said I did their magazine for them, and in order to make it more appealing I went colour during a 6 month period. My wife and 2 children hand coloured the front page logos ect with crayons. Used to take us three nights to do about 60 copies. Unfortunately I never kept any when I left the UK. I think I told you before that when I left I gave Pete Bowden a couple of cardboard boxes full of historical information going back to 1973. At that time I claimed that I had every manufacturers leaflets ever printed, I believe Pete might have handed it all over to Rob Fox (not sure of name)
Catch You later
Terry.

"Number of members form Suffolk Club
26th September A meeting was held at “The Fleece” Bungay, in conjunction with the Suffolk Club club. Nearly 60 people attended for a discussion on towing and a film show."
I'm sure thats the meeting I exsplained to you, via E-mail, that Brian Pattenden first came up with the idea of towing the man instead of the glider, I hope he gets a mention becuase he deserves a little credit after the flack other club members leveled at him. Terry

Where we know how to play Cricket

OUCH!!! (but, alas true :-( )

You must all remember the BEST and WORST flights you ever had at Cormer or Mundsley, so why not let us all know about it.
Me well the worst flight I ever had was the day I was Buzzed at Mundsley by Bistowes Helicopter, only a week after Bob Wills from the USA was killed by one when it moved off station while filming a jeans advert. The down draft smashed him into the ground. I consider my self luck that day. But I would not like to tell you the stupid thoughts that went through my head that day. And the best flight well I'll leave that for another day. NOW HOW ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!!
Terry Aspinall
Sunny Brisbane
Where we know how to play Cricket