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Brian Wood
Brian was the first Hang Glider pilot to pass a Pilot Licence exam in the UK, and its believed that Tony Fuel was his examiner. Although Chris Corston, who was Secretary of the BHGA at the time, marked him down as pilot No 2, and was extremely sorry about it.
1974. He was the first person to soar for 35mins, on his 3rd week-end of owning a glider. When only top to bottom flights was being enjoyed by the vast majority of the flyers at that time.
1974. He achieved a 3.5hrs flight at Beachy Head.
1974. While later he achieved 8.26mins at Rhossili.
1974. Its believed that Brian was the first pilot to perform a 360 degree turn, just before his Rhossilli endurance flight of 8.26minutes. The 360 degree turn went on to become a common maneuver by almost all hang glider pilots.
1974 He won the first ever 'British Hang Gliding Championship’.
1974. Winning the class 2 in the first ever ‘International Championship’.
1976. He was the first pilot to feature in a TV commercial flying a Hang Gliding, for the ‘Blue Stratos’ After Shave commercial.
1977. He won the first ever British League Competition.
He was a top finishing pilot in many competitions in the UK and abroad.
Beating pilots like Steve Moyes from Australia, during the British Hang Gliding Championships in 1976.
Along with Ed Ceaser of the USA, during the Nordic Championships in ‘BODO’ Norway 1978
Wins he was deeply proud of.
Having taught hundreds of people to fly in the UK and abroad, is something he can and is very proud of.
I'm sure that during those early years many remember Brian and looked upon him as an Idol, by setting the standards we all tried to copy (including myself)
Many of the very early Hang Glider enthusiast will remember that it was Brian who was the Founder of the ‘Yellow Wellies Craze’. if you were not flying during those early years you will not know what I'm talking about
There is so much more Brian should be credited with, for helping making Hang Gliding into the popular sport it became.
The whole of the Hang Gliding family was as surprised as myself, when Brian disappeared from the flying sites in the UK?
There is so much more under took during those brilliant flying days, and maybe had more success than any other pilot at that time. (Terry Aspinall 2018)
To enlarge click on photo
Brian Milton who was a local radio announcer at the time, once told me that it was the newspaper article above that made up his mind that he wanted to become a Hang Glider pilot.(Terry Aspinall.)
The No 7 'Flypaper' magazine that came out in May 1974, about his first flight.
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| ....First Prize..... Brian Wood |
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Brian Wood at Devils Dyke Sussex SHGC July 1979
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| Lester Cruise & Brian Wood Flying a dual wasp Falcon 4 Dunstable Downs 24th April 1977 |
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Brian Wood in the green glider Perran Sands Cornwall May 1978 |
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Mere Year?? |
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Brian flying a Hiway prototype glider Firle Beacon Sussex 30th August 1975 |
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Brian flying a Hiway prototype Gilider Firle Beacon Sussex 30th August 1975 |
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Brian flying a Hiway prototype Gilider Firle Beacon Sussex 30th August 1975 |
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Brian flying a Hiway prototype Gilider Firle Beacon Sussex 30th August 1975 |
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| Brian setting up at Mere 1978 from Terry Aspinall |
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Brian Wood Flying a Moyes Metro glider at Perren Sands in Cornwall May 1978 |
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Family and Friends |
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| Beachy Head Date ? |
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Beachy Head Date ? |
Photos From Don Liddard,Dave Worth and Terry Aspinall.
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