Powered Hang Gliding History

17th March 1984

Terry Aspinall attempts to fly across the country from east to west on Trevor Scott's dual Mainair Striker.It was a very cold day and you can see that he has plastic bags taped over his leather gloves. He was hoping for and Easterly wind to help push him across the country saving fuel. Unfortunately, it was a Northerly and after fighting the strong wind by crabbing most of the way he ran out of fuel near Shobbdon a few miles short of his target. Near Cambridge he even flew through a small thunderstorm and at one time dramatically dropped a thousand feet, which can be seen on the barograph record.

This was Terry's last chance to make the attempt as his friend David Cook had penciled in the following weekend as the time he would also attempt a flight from Thorpeness to Cornwall with Pete Davies flying his Shadow. David had promised to hold off for one week hoping that Terry could at least hold the record for 7 days, but it wasn't to be.

Davids Shadow went on to break the record, weather conditions did not affect his atempt.

David Cook and his son Jacob signing the baragrath

Photos From Terry Aspinall