About 2 weeks ago there were some messages posted on this forum about Sir George
Caley's glider, and reference to the intended flight of a replica.
I am now able to update you all about the actual event, which was witnessed by
two of my friends, both PPL's of much experience who live close to the late Sir
George's home, Brompton Dale, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire; a descendant
of Sir George still lives in the house.
It was decided that the original 1853 glider, which is housed in the Museum at
Elvington airfield, Yorkshire, could not be taken out for this anniversary.
British
Aerospace agreed to make a replica in their factory at Brough, and this
was completed on time. (Brough is the home of BAE Hawk manufacture).
The day itself - Friday 4 July I believe, but it may have been the following day
- was overcast with solid cloud cover at 1000ft or less agl. All the active
participants were in period costume. A dummy run was made to start with, about
20 men pulling the glider downhill so that the pilot (who had a beard!) could
get the feel of the machine, which is controlled by a "paddle" rather than by
elevator and ailerons.
A second run was then made and the pilot successfully completed a flight
described
to me as about 6 feet.
An additional attraction, not quite at the same moment, was the appearance below
cloud level of a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747/400, which did several graceful
circuits around the site before disappearing almost silently into the cloud.
As those who followed the original thread will have guessed, the pilot with the
beard was none other than Richard Branson.
Oh to have been there!
David
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