GLIDING IN GREAT BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1935, Page 12

GLIDING IN GREAT BRITAIN

INCREASING POPULARITY OF CLUBS Thousands of young men are learning to fly for three shillings a day. They are members of gliding clubs all over Great Britain, whose memberships are increasing monthly. The London Gliding Club has its flying headquarters—more than 100 acres —on the Dunstable Downs. It has 300 members, and owns 10 machines. Seventeen other machines belong to members. They cost from £6O td £lOO each. Most of the members are working men, who fly in their spare time. This year the club has arranged a gliding .camp /on Dunstable Downs. Men who have not the time to spare at week-ends Or in the Evenings will ,be' able to take their holiday under canvas ahd team to fly in 14 days.. Gliding has an equally firm hold in the north. The Yorkshire Gliding Club has its .flying-grounds*at Sutton Bank. Thirsk, and it is expected that large crowds will gather there this summer. Membership is increasing. The same type of man is learning to soar off the slopes of Sutton Bank as at Dunstable. The Norfolk and Norwich Club are building their own machines. The Work means close team co-operation and sacrifice of spare time. There is a club at Dunbar, in Scotland, and another, at Elgin. Elgin has 90 members, and more are joining. Women, too. are playing a paft in the Scottish gliding movement. There are 24 clubs altogether in Great Britain. Their membership lists in most cases are growing, and it is expected that this year gliding will reach the stage in Great Britain that it has on the Continent. where every young man who wants to fly learns first to glide. The controls and the principle are the same as those of an ordinary aeroplane. There is none of the shock of going "solo” after many hours of dual instruction. The pupil is alone from the first.