1971 Ground Skimmer

BRITISH HANG GLIDING HISTORY THE MODERN FLEXWING

1981 Cross Country Flyer

British Powered History

Living in the flat lands and on the east coast of Suffolk, where the highest sand dune measured only around 20 to 30 ft high, and taking a one direction wind (gale) to fly, meant that if I wanted to fly most weekends I would have to travel from one side of the country to the other. On many occasions I remarked to my fellow flyers during different trips, (i.e. David Cook, Brian Griffiths and later my good friend Alan (Snowy) Snowling), that the drive was wasted flying time. It also became a regular comment that as we were driving west it seemed that all the cars towing boats behind them were heading east to the so called calm waters of the east coast. Although having said that I’m sure I could count on the fingers of both my hands the number of calm days on the east coast of Suffolk during a ten year period. I once made the remark that it would be cheaper to change our sport, from wing to sail. Plus we would be able to spend more time participating in that chosen sport. Flying to New York with Freddie Laker was being advertised at only £50, maybe that was a cheaper way of getting into the air?

Imagine my excitement when the almost local Norfolk Hang Gliding club started experimenting and playing around with a contraption that just might be able to tow a Hang Glider up in to the air. Oh what thoughts of joy for a flatlander flyer. Unfortunately there were many problems and a couple of terrible accidents, two of which I witnessed and both placed a temporary halt on the project for many of the would be flyers. However the inventors carried on regardless, believing in their idea and knowing that they could eventually sort the problems out.

Then quite by chance and around the same time, word spread amongst the Hang gliding clubs that it might be possible to strap an engine onto the glider or the flyer. This seemed to be an answerer to my prayer, where as in towing several people and contraptions were needed to get you into the air. By strapping on an engine, it was totally down to me. If anything was to go wrong it would be my fault and nobody else would have to be involved. All I needed was a means of getting me in to the air and then I could switch it off, look for a thermal and head off into the sunset. (he says with tongue in cheek) Well that was the theory anyway. I don’t mind admitting that I never did switch my engine off and why should I. Who in their right mind would want to go looking for a thermal that might take them some distance, but it might not have been in the direction you wanted to go. No, leave it running and then you could fly anywhere you choose. Whatever the wind direction and conditions.

A couple months later I saw an article and photo about Bill Bennett in an American hang glider magazine seated pilot and a power pack strapped to his back. Not quite what I was looking for, but the ideas were starting to flow. I just knew we would get there in the end.

Gerry Breen seems to have been one of our early flyers who was playing around in the background with Power and mentions how he became involved in an article he later wrote called "Microlighting - The Early Years - Part 1". and is well worth a read.

Then in September 1977 at the annual Mere Hang Gliding Championships Len Gabriel’s turned up with what looked like a ducted fan strapped to the top of his ‘A’ frame under the sail. although it was not flown until January 1978.

September Mere 1978. Len Gabriels unveiled his latest powered hang glider to the public. Len also under took a few demonstration flights. Don Liddard was there with his camera to record the event. While at the same event Don also took a few photos of the standard Soarmaster power unit.

November 1978. Len Gabriels was building what became known as the 'Bluebird' with a McCulloch 101 engine and drive shaft unit, that was fixed under the main keel with the propeller sticking out from the rear of the keel. This became very successful and was later used when on the 27th August 1979 he fly from London to Paris. More about that later.

I guess one of the most famous pictures of the time, and the one that gave most UK flyers the idea, appeared in the French ‘Vol Libre’ hang gliding magazine. Anybody who was serious about powered flying must have seen that one. And from then on, it snowballed.

The next I heard was that Frank Tarjanyi over in Wales had built a Trike unit. I've since learnt that Gerry Breen showed Frank the 'Vol Libre' photo and that started it all for him. Since writing the above I’ve been in touch with Frank, and he tells me that his original design incorporated a monopole system. However, at the time he was working for ‘Hiway Hang Gliders’ and Steve Hunt who was running the company was not keen on the idea. As they were paying his wages Frank ended up building duo pole system. That we all wanted to copy.
Later Frank went to work for Graham Slater and was allowed to build his mono pole design that went on to become the ‘Tripacer’.  A design that has ruled the sky’s all around the world ever since. I’d like to blow my own trumpet here if I may, because I believe I took delivery of the very first production model and later grabbed the distance record with it, which still stands owing to the weight change rules that took place a few months later, thanks Frank.

I feel its only fair to mention Andy Fawcett here as for some time he was credited with being the first to fly a powered hang glider in the UK, although for the minute I have no details of what he got up to and when???

While all the time Len Gabriels was still experimenting with the engine I earlier called the Fan. There seems to have been a couple of different versions and at one time he even used two of these units on the same glider. Len used a standard Skyhook 3A glider with a McCulloch 101A engine.

During 1974/75 the Italians also got in on the act when they hung a small Daf car engine from a standard hang glider, not sure as to what the frame carrying the engine looked like. The French were next with what they called a Valiplane, this used a 210cc direct-drive engine. While Franks Tarjanyi ‘Sky Trike’ as Hiway (the manufacturer) ended up calling it, used belt reduction system and a high quality propeller to deliver good engine thrust from a relatively very small engine, the Valmet 160cc. That was the engine that most people in the UK picked up on and the race was on, as they say, to get into the air, Although a long airstrip was needed for some of the larger pilots.

Although Steve Hunt from Hiway had once told me that the powering up of a hang glider had started at Hiway as early as 1975 when he had completed some drawings that coupled a 240 glider and a small VW engine. Lack of money had brought about an end to this avenue of thought, something he had been pleased with, because he did not have high hopes of getting the project off the ground. Then two years later using a Scorpion glider and a McCullock 101. 125cc engine he seemed to have hit on a far better combination, by trying our several different ideas. The real break through for power was when the Valmet 160cc engine became available.

June 1977. The Chargus Hang Glider company release details of a powered flight made by Simon Wooton chief test pilot for the company. to date he has logged 1 and a half hours, with the longest flight to date being of 20 minutes duration. although one flight took him up to 2000ft. His glider was a Chargus manufactured Midas, using a 99cc McCulloch 92 keel mounted engine with a flexible shaft and a 2 bladed prop. Don Liddard was able to capture some of the early flights on camera. It's was also been revealed that they had been working on the project since September 1976.

September. Mere and Chargus demonstrate their powered Midas E. Don Liddard was able to capture it on film. Here is another of Don's photos.

24th September 1977. 'Flight International' runs an article in their magazine by Anne Welch, on the development of the motorised hang glider in the UK.

Don Liddard has a collection of photos taken during 1978.

November 1978. Brian Milton crashes while training for his attempt at flying from London to Paris. At the time Brian was flying one of Len Gabriels powered Skyhook Safari gliders. The incident was widely reported by the press including this unknown magazine, although it was not published until 10 March 1979.

18th April 1979. While awaiting the London to Paris air race Gerry Breen attempts a world distance record, and luckily it was documented along with the Air Race. 'Microlighting' by Gerry Breen.

23rd June 1979. 'Flight International' runs an article about Gerry Breen's record breaking 202mile flight. Flying from South Wales to Norwich Airport on just 4 gallon of fuel.

June 1979. Bertie Kennedy reports that James (Jimmy) Potts from Kilmarnock, became the first to fly from Ireland to Scotland. James took off from a field in front of the Drumnagreagh Hotel on the Antrim Coast just North of Larne in Northern Ireland and flew 29 miles to Port Patrick in Scotland in a Cirrus/Soarmaster engine combination that he obtained from Brian Harrison of Scotkites/Eurowing in Scotland. Somebody recalls that he was shadowed by a Sea King helicopter that came over from Scotland to accompany him and rescue him if he ditched. Because of the security situation at that time the Sea King was not permitted to land in N Ireland, one dreads to think what the taxpayer's bill was. Jimmy had to fly at very low level because of a headwind, but could not put off the flight any longer or he would not have had the helicopter support. Luckily Bertie took a couple of photos as Jimmy prepared for take off.

25th August 1979. The London to Paris 1st powered Hang Glider air race took place.

Don Liddard has a collection of photos taken during 1979.

8th September 1979. 'Flight International' magazine ran an article on the London to Paris powered Hang Glider race that took place on 25th August and featured Gerry Breen.

One of the founding members of the Norfolk Hang Gliding Club, Greg Thompson is reported to have taken delivery of Hiway's No 001 production model coupled to a Super Scorpion hang glider.

Closer to home two of my flying friends from the Norfolk Hang gliding club leaked out a story that they were also building a Trike. This got the better of me and I secretly drove up to Norfolk to visit Ray Watering and Mick Starling and sure enough they had secretly almost completed building a Trike. That was me sold right there and then. However it took me many more hours to talk them into helping me build what turned out to be my very first Trike, powered with a 160cc Valmet engine.  The Trike was then strapped to a Birdman Cherokee hang glider. The day I did my first 200m flight (hop) down Ipswich Airport runway changed my life forever. And the rest is history as they say. Although the Norfolk connection does not end there, because around the same time Mike Pulford another flying member of the club, secretly retreated to his parents back yard shed with the soul intention of trying to come up with his own idea as to how a hang glider should be powered.

3rd November. 'Flight International' magazine published an article reporting on the rapid growth of motorised Hang Gliding and of the direction they believe its heading.

18th November saw the winding up of the Powered Hang Gliding Club and the formation of the British Minimum Aircraft Association.

1980.

Jan-Feb. The first edition of Flight Line is published by the newly formed B.M.A.A. (British Microlight Aircraft Association). Index page for all magazines.

U.A.S. (Ultralight Aviation Systems) brings out the Storm Buggy powered by a 22hp two stroke engine, coupled to a three bladed nylon propeller via an extremely efficient and reliable toothed timing belt reduction drive, and claiming a 50mph cruise speed.

March-April the second edition of 'Flight Line' magazine, has a front page photo of the first Hiway prototype Skytike, while on the back was an advert for the production power unit that was selling for £780.00 plus vat, and the Super Scorpion 2 glider that was selling for £590.00 plus vat.

At that time the BMAA committee consisted of Steve Hunt Chairman. Paul Baker, Ashley Doubtfire, Brian Harrison, David Kirke and Dave Thomas magazine editor.

21st May The Daily Mail newspaper printed an article about a certain David Kirke who was a founding member of the then so called "Dangerous Sports Club" while attending Oxford university. David along with two fellow members had been attempting to fly from London to Paris, crossing the English Channel in powered Pteroldactyl's. Unfortunately he crash landed in an orchard some where in Kent while his two companions eventually made it to the coast but bad weather prevented them from continuing the trip.

May-June. No3 Edition of Flight Line.

Don Liddard has a collection of photos taken during 1980.

7th-8th June 1980, has to be the date that powered hang gliders became a reality to many many would be flyers from all over the country, as they all flocked to Wellesbourne Airfield to be dazzled by an array of different powered hang gliders. It was like unlocking Aladdin's cave door as they witnessed many different combinations of glider powered up with different engines. From that one meeting I'm sure that most of the serious pilots who wanted to go down the road of power, went away knowing the path they would be taking to get into the air from an airstrip, rather than the side of a hill. On display was a brace of Eagles and Pteradactyls, A fledgeling powered with a soarmaster, a USB 440cc Storm Buggy capable of carry 2 people, a Vortex prone trike, a Quicksilver, a Skytrike, a Chargus Fuji-powered trike with three blade prop and I'm sure there were more.

21st July the Lands End to John O'Groats race. The first big race that brought national interest and was well attended by entrants.

July-August. No4 Edition of Flight Line.

23rd-25th August and the first Popham Flyin and it was well attended.

The 1980 Mere Hang Gliding meeting attracted several different Powered ideas. 3 photos taken by Greg Stokes that might jog some memories.

3rd 4th and 5th September during the annual Mere fly-in Nick Wriggerly and a small group (5) of friends all flying his UAS Storm Buggys spent the weekend flying around the area showing off what the machine could do. While Graham Slater had left something important at his factory, flew home on one of his Typhoon Tri-pacer's. By the time he returned to Mere it was dark, and a few friends managed to guide him in to the riffle range by torch light.

27th-28th September A fly-in was held at Holker Hall near lake Windermere.

September-October. No5 Editon of Flight Line.

4th-5th October, the Norfolk Hang Gliding Club held its first air race. Unfortunately the weather was not kind and a strong wind blew most of the weekend and some pilots left for home early. The eventual winner was Allan Weeks from Bedfont in Middlesex, while Mark Southall from the west country came second and Les Ward from wales came third. I wrote an article for Flight Line about the event and there was also newspaper coverage.The NHGC also included an article in their monthly News Letter.

Len Gabriels designs and produces his own engine.

November-December. No6 Edition of Flight Line.

21st December Dave Jones was performing radical aerobatic manaeouvres on a Mk2 Hiway Skytrike, coupled to a large Solar Wing. The wing broke up and crashed. Dave was killed by the impact with the ground.

1981

January-February. No7 Edition of Flight Line.

By 1981 there 5 manufacturers in the UK offering powered units. "Hiway Hang Gliders", "Hornet Microlights", "Skyhook Sailwings Ltd", "Flexiform Skysails" and U.A.S. With 21 active well attended clubs, including my own the Suffolk Microlight Aircraft Club .

March-April. No8 Edition of Flight Line.

14th April. 'Flight International' magazine published an article 'How Do You Define A Microlight' It goes on to explain the rules in layman's terms, and is worth a read.

18th -20th April. A fly-in was held at Langar Airfield 11 miles S.E. of Nottingham.

2nd-9th May. A Powered Hang Glider meeting took place at 'Shanklin' on the Isle of White, and most active flying members from all over the country attended. It was also the time when a meeting took place to vote on a future name for the club, at that time being known as the 'British Minimum Aircraft Association'. There were three names up for the vote, 'Minimum'. 'Microlight' and 'Ultralight', all three names were highly supported and at times the meeting became quite heated and got very loud, but in the end as you all know 'MICROLIGHT' was agreed on. It was also a time when the club was nearly hi-jacked from us and delivered into the hands of the Air Authorities. The following years that many of us early flyers enjoyed owe a lot to common sense that prevailed at that meeting. I'm sorry to have to add that it was members who already held licence's that wanted us to go down the same road they'd had to travel, and a costly one at that. On a sad note, it rained almost every day and flying time was a little limited. There was a Shanklin badge issued to commemorate the event.

5th May. The B.M.A.A. brought in a Pilot Certificate of Competence

11th May. The British Experimental Aircraft Association holds its first fly-in at Ipswich airport in Suffolk. Microlights were invited to attend, although only Terry Aspinall flying his U.A.S. Storm Buggy was the only one to take up the offer and generated a lot of interest on the field, and later in the press.

May-June. No9 Edition of Flight Line.

Noel Whittall releases and article about Hang Gliders and Trikes easefully sharing the air space.

Don Liddard has a collection of photos taken during 1981.

25th May. Frank Tarjanyi had a serious accident while running an engine on his trike, testing its thrust. The safety wires were not attached and the trike folded. The propeller hit Franks head twice causing severe concussion, and requiring over 40 stitches. Luckily his skull was not fractured and he did not experience any brain damage. Frank was not the only casualty during 1981, there were two or three other un-reported cases of pilots hands making contact with the propeller.

1st June. Rodney Blois of Blois Aviation was importing the Rotec aircraft from the USA and operating from a field close to his stately home in Yoxford Suffolk. Rodney held a PPL and had many hours flying conventional aircraft under his belt. However, this was his first flight in a microlight and was under instruction from David Cook. After completing several circuits flying one of his Rotec microlights and accompanied by Terry Aspinall flying along side of him in his UAS Storm Buggy. He made a text book approach to land. However, just as he touched down a small gust of wind caught him and he failed to stop where he wanted, and one of his wheels dropped into a small ditch and the Rotec rolled over and he sustained leg injuries. Unfortunately the incident attracted some bad publicity, something the press of the day jumped on and milked immediately.

July-August. No10 Edition of Flight Line.

29th-31st August. The second Norfolk Air Race. A quadrangular course taking in Felthorpe to Norwich Airport, to Snetterton to Swanton Morley, and back to Felthorpe. Felthorpe airfield takes all wind directions and competitors were encouraged to use the camping facilities during the 3 days of the competition. This year it was won by Gerry Breen flying a 440cc Kawasaki powered Mirage.

29th-31st August also saw one of the first Popham meetings to allow Microlights to attend, by dave thomas

11th September. A microlight crop spraying demonstration took place at Winterbourne Gunner near Salisbury, by John Long flying one of Nick Wrigley's Storm Buggies, coupled to a double surfaced Solar Typhoon. The buggy was also fitted with two 5 gallon canisters which fed two rotary spray heads located at the extreme ends of a horizontal strut situated to the rear down tube. The whole idea belonged to Trevor Buckell-May who had designed the unit. The demonstration was flawless and was a great success. However, the C.A.A. soon put the dampers (as usual) on the idea and UK farmers were not allowed to take advantage of idea, that would have been well worth following up. Its also worth noting that the B.M.A.A. could not help because at that time they were only in existence to promote Microlight flying as a sport.

Tony Prentice Couples a Sigma Wing to a South Down trike.

12th-13th September the 'Great Microlight Show' was held at Enstone Airfield 18 miles N.W. of Oxford.

13th September. John Pilkingtion and James Potts flying a Chargus Titan with a 432cc Fuji Robin trike, become the first to fly the English Channel in a dual seater microlight.

September-October. No11 Edition of Flight Line.

22nd November BMAA holds its AGM at Wolverhampton Civic Hall

10th December. An article headlined 'Dodging Jams' appeared in one of the National Newspapers about Nick Kirby who had come up with the novel idea of delivering his products by air while flying his microlight.

November-December. No12 Edition of Flight Line.

1982

January-February. No13 Edition of Flight Line.

27th January. Bob Calvert breaks the RECORD and takes his Mainair Sports Tri-Flyer, fitted with a 330cc engine coupled to a Solar Wings Typhoon 166. to 16000ft above Blackburn.

Skyhooks comes out with its own small engine, designed and built by Len Gabriels. A 260cc single cylinder, air cooled two-stroke with 25BHP at 6000rpm, electric start weighing 46lb and costing £296+vat.

March-April. No14 Edition of Flight Line.

30th April -3rd May The Shanklin Festival organised by Peter Scott was held on the Isle of White. The event was very wet and buffeted by strong winds, so not many pilots took to he air. Geoff Ball being one of them when he was talked into it by a local lady who wanted to see her house from the air. Tony Prentice flying his Sigma/Skytrike stayed aloft for 1 hour 13 minutes. While John Long had to cancel his crop spraying demonstration because of the gusty conditions. However, a meeting was held during one of the afternoons and a vote was taken by all attending members as to the official name of the sport, as you can guess it was 'MICROLIGHT'. While the alternatives were 'Ultralight' and 'Minimum'.

11th May. Ian Stokes and Barry Gordon fly from Lincolnshire to Cornwall in a two seater Quicksilver MX. A distance of 300miles(480km) in 10 hours, using 20 gals of fuel

Tony Prentice teamed up with Peter Scott on the Isle of white, combining Peters hang glider with a Swedish designed Motolotnia "White Eagle" back power pack that belonged to Derek George.

8th-9th May. Micro-Aviation fly-in at Long Marston.

May-June. No15 Edition of Flight Line.

The 1982 Norfolk Air Race is announced and is to be held at the Royal Norfolk Show Ground on 11th September. Copy's of the Course and Regulations can be obtained from the Norfolk Club.

18th June. An article appeared in the Express and Star Newspaper that included Greg Stokes.

31st July. Knebworth House Stevenage Herts holds a fly-in.

July-August. No16 Edition of Flight Line.

August The following is a couple of short quotes from Graham Drinkell from Essex, who along  with Robin Goodwin from the Chargus factory was involved in the development of the powered hang glider. Quote “Robin Goodwin was an unsung' hero who worked at the Chargus factory, which produced the Midas E, Vortex, Cyclone and many other innovative designs (including a side by side dual micro-light)-awful! Noisy, draggy barndoor!  We built our trike around the Robin 250cc engine, reliable, quiet and with 5 galls of fuel we could fly for 5 hours! The prop and reduction /belt gear were perfectly balanced. We used a 'rose joint for the hang-point, which meant we could yaw the aircraft, say on cross wind take offs and landings. Another nice feature, was the motor cycle type throttle on the A frame bottom bar.  We had a problem when the carb departed its mount and went thro' the prop! More embarrassing, was the throttle being attached to the A frame! As the throttle cable wound round the propellor hub, the A frame violently stuffed into my chest and a sudden descent ensued. I was able to remove the pip pin attaching the throttle stub, there by pitching the a/c only just to land. Apart from the unconventional base-bar mounted (motor cycle type) twist grip throtltle, we employed a 'Rose joint hang point. This meant we could 'yaw our A/C for cross-wind take offs and landings.But if we were really dumb, we could also chop up the flying wires!”Unquote

Quote "Monopole trike units. Robin Goodwin (ex Chargus) and myself came up with a similar design and unique engine mount. We used the prototype 'Cyclone (very early floating cross tube HG), a Robin 250cc engine, home built cush-drive reduction gear and wooden prop. This single seater(GMD01) had a 5 gallon fuel tank, over 5 hours endurance and commendable dead-stick sink rate. I climbed to 9000ft in sea breeze convergence over the Essex coast with this a/c 30 yrs ago!
We further experimented with this design with 2-stroke tuned exhausts-with inevitable forced landings! I trashed the Cyclone H/G when the carb fell off and shredded the wing.. We acquired an early AirWave Nimrod A/C , and had some great fun! The Nimrod also flew well dual, when I 'free flew it, foot launched with friends" Unquote.

Quote “Found my microlight log book. First entry 'Titan' P1 Robin Goodwin (2 Aug 1982) I test flew the Cyclone/GMD01/G-MJDZ aircraft on 3 Oct 1982 from Elmsett A/F. Lot's of solo flying, including foot launched 'soarmaster/MidasE flights. Got PPL D license in Aug'83. Flew many different combinations of wing/power units with numerous problems! Still the best machine I’ve flown was a Panther wing phase 2 with a 330cc Robin trike (G-MMRC). The Chaser-S is a neat machine, but a pig to rig! I've flown a Quik, P2, but I was' unclear of P1 control-so cannot comment.” Unquote.

Quote “Robin Goodwin was miles ahead with props and propulsion ideas!.” Unquote.

1st September. All Microlight pilots must have a licence to fly, and Microlights must also be registered (£12) and display their registration number on the aircraft. They also bring out an Instructors Rating.

9th September. The third Norfolk Air Race held this year at the Royal Norfolk Show ground and was well attended. 1st Geoff Ball & John Hudson (Puma Mk2), 2nd Keith Dickenson (Puma single seat), 3rd Bob Calvert (Puma single seat), 4th Graham Hobson Phil Wyles (Puma Mk2), 5th Mike Hurley (Tripacer330/Flexiform Striker) Mike Lake sent an article to 'Flightline' of the event.

25th-26th September Micro-Festival fly-in at Long Marston.

September-October. No17 Edition of Flight Line.

1st November. The C.A.A. announces anyone wishing to undertake crop spraying via a microlight will need an Aerial Application Certificate. The cost is £360 half the cost of an equivalent certificate for conventional aircraft. In addition a charge of £60 per aircraft is payable when the certificate is granted or renewed. The equivalent figure for conventional aircraft is £175.

19th November. BMAA annual General meeting at the Civic Hall Wolverhampton Wets Midlands.

November-December. No18 Edition of Flight Line.

1983

January. No19 Edition of Flight Line.

1st February. Sadly Ashley Doubtfire died on this day, although his death was not connected with hang gliding. Ashley was a driving force during the early days of hang gliding when he teamed up with Gerry Breen and he will be sadly missed by all.

Mid February. No20 Edition of Flight Line.

1983 also saw the winding up of two well know well established company's, the largest being 'Hiway Hang Gliders', and 'Soleair'. Its seems that they had miss judged the market and were heading in the direction of continuing to use small engines while the market want large engines.

April. No21 Edition of Flight Line.

Mid May. No22 Edition of Flight Line.

28th-30th May. The BMAA organised a large fly-in at Woburn Abbey, that was covered by National Television, 'Flight Line' and a couple of newspapers. It can be viewed on the Video page.

Woburn Abbey results:-

Water Bombing - Joint winners. Sally Huxtable (Tripace/Demon) and Terry Aspinall (Tripacer/Typhoon)

Egg Rolling -1st Graham Andrews (Whittaker MW4) with a bulls eye.

Air Race Weight-Shift Class 1st Terry Aspinall (Tripacer / Typhoon). Three-axis class winner Tom Knight (Pathfinder).m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m

Concours d'elegance - Weight-Shift Class winner Terry Aspinall (Tripacer / Typhoon). Three-axis class winner David Cook (Shadow).m m m m m m m m m

Overall Winners - Weight-shift class winner Terry Aspinall (Tripacer / Typhoon). Three-axis class joint winners Graham Andrews (Whittaker MW4) and Tom Knight (Pathfinder).

12th-18 June. Lands End to John O'Groats rally.

5th June. Up until now although many people had been making long flights around the country, the official distance record stood at a mere 30 miles. Terry Aspinall flying a Typhoon Tri-Pacer combination flew a 90 mile triangle from Thorpeness, to Ixworth near Bury St Edmund's to Norwich and back to Thorpeness, in a time of 3hours 10 minutes. Later Rick Wilson the BMAA records officer managed to get the record ratified by the F.I.A.

July. No23 Edition of Flight Line.

July. The Civil Aviation Authority brought out a supplement to the Cap 53. For a private pilot's licence (aeroplanes) with a group D aircraft rating, the microlight PPL

Mid August. No24 Edition of Flight Line.

27th-29th August. Once again Jim Espin invited the microlight world to his air strip. This time he presented every flyer with a certificate recording the event.

1st September. Article in the Norfolk Hang Gliding Clubs monthly newsletter, out lining arrangements for the soon to be held 4th club Air race.

3th-6th September. London to Paris microlight competition, starting at Biggin Hill.

10th-11th September. The 4th Norfolk Air Race. Unfortunately the whole event was marred by very strong gusty winds, ranging from 25 to 45 mph. Many pilots being forced down unexpectedly around the course. However, it was won for a second time By Geoff Ball and John Hudson. Norfolk Air Race. This year a new class for under 70kg microlights was added, with the first across the line being awarded a prize of £50.

October. No25 Edition of Flight Line.

31st October The BMAA releases their Annual Account for 1983

November. B.M.A.A. AGM at Wolverhampton Civic Hall West Midlands.

Mid November. No26 Edition of Flight Line.

1984

January. No27 Edition of Flight Line.

1st January. Permits required for all 70Kg powered Microlights.

12th January. Anne Welch gives a lecture entitled 'Microlights" to the Royal Aeronautical Society in London.

10th-11th March. Manufacturers display held at Popham Airfield near Winchester.

17th March. Terry Aspinall flying Trevor Scott's Mainair dual Striker attempts to fly from East to West across the country. Taking off from Thorpeness and hoping to land somewhere on the west coast of Wales. Unfortunately weather conditions were not in his favour. He was hoping for an East or Northeasterly to help push him straight across the country, but had to contend with a Northerly. Which eventually took its toll and he ran out of fuel near Shobbdon several miles short of his target, having been in the air for 3 hours and 50 minutes. The attempt had to take place this particular weekend, as Terry knew his friend David Cook was also going to make an attempt the following weekend, with Pete Davies flying his Shadow, from Thorpeness to Cornwall. David had held back one week to allow Terry a chance to try and hold the record for 7 days, but it wasn't to be.

March-April. No28 Edition of Flight Line.

Sadly the the death of Ashley Doubtfire was reported, although shrouded in mystery at the time, it was not connected with flying. The following is a report I found from the Houses of Parliament dated 14th May and might be of interest to some visitors to this site.

'Mainair Sports Ltd' become the first manufacturers in the UK to be awards the CAA Company Approval, along with the first BCAR Type Approval, making them the leading microlight manufacture in the UK.Their first full production machine was the 'Flash'.

Southdown International Ltd, gains the approved Section 'S' for their Puma Sprint.

27th 28th May. BMAA fly-in at Woburn Abbey Bedfordshire, the biggest event of the year.

May-June No29 Edition of Flight Line.

'Huntair' annouced it was bankrupt, owing to very low UK and French sales.

July. The 5th Norfolk Air Race, now a popular event was held and once again was also well attended. Kelvin from Eastern Airsports Hang Gliding and Microlight Club wrote a very good article on the race and its well worth a read, as did John Hudson from Mainair Sports. 'Flight Line' also published an article by Kelvin Woodard. The event also added a class for under 70kg.

July-August. No30 Editon of Flight Line.

July / August. The BMAA "Flight Line" publishes an article about the F.I.A. Colibri flying awards, that have been in operation for several months. The race was on to be the first flyer to obtain the Gold award. The F.I.A. were to register the first 50 flyers in the Uk to achieve the award.

31st August-2nd September. Microlight fly-in and competition at Popham Airfield near Winchester.

September-October. No31 Edition of Flight Line.

November-December. No32 Edition of Flight Line.

1986

May 16th an article appears in the South London Free Press about Tony Prentice flying his trike unit and an organisation know as Spice.

 

HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Setting my goal of trying to come up with a full British history of the modern hang glider has turned out to be addictive. I’ve already added a towing section by Mike Lake, and I have decided to add a powered section to the site, that will included all so called Modern Flexwing power units. Even though I was around at the time and built my own trike in 1979, I’m under no illusion that it’s a big job. However for the moment I’m only going to take it up to the end of 1984 covering the start of the section 'S' and the problems it caused to get it implemented.

If you have any information, details, photos, or anything you think will make for interesting reading on the subject of the birth of the powered hang glider please get in touch and we can sort something out.

Thanks for your time and support of this web site.

Terry Aspinall 2008