Buckminster Gliding Club
Encyclopedia
The Buckminster Gliding Club (BGC) is a gliding
club based at Saltby Airfield on the Leicestershire
/ Lincolnshire
border, England
. It is affiliated to the British Gliding Association
(BGA) and runs a seven-day-a-week operation throughout the year except on Christmas Day.
station during World War II
, one of many such stations on the eastern side of the country. British, American and Polish squadrons were based there.
The airfield originally had three concrete runways that intersected in the middle. The main entrance was in the village of Saltby
. However over the years the airfield has changed. Many of the original buildings have been demolished, and one of the concrete runways was completely removed. Approximately half of the land within the original perimeter track is now used for agriculture. The remaining half of the airfield contains the entire main runway (07/25) and half of the second remaining runway (02/20) which still runs from the start of 02 to its intersection with 07/25. The old hangar now covers just part of the concrete footprint of the original war-time main hangar. Alongside 07/25 is a grass runway of similar width and the same length which is primarily used for the winch launching of gliders
, and for most landings, so avoiding the aerotow operation on the concrete runway.
The currently active airfield is much smaller than the original and no longer has direct access to Saltby village, and instead there is a new entrance on the road between the villages of Skillington
and Sproxton
. The club is named after Buckminster Estate, from which the airfield is rented.
The Viking Way
runs across the airfield passing near the start of runway 25. It is a popular route for horse riders, quad bike riders and walkers.
The club owns two Puchacz
and one ASK 21 two-seater training gliders, and two single seaters: a Ka 8
and an Astir
. Two ex-RAF Venture T2 motor gliders are also used for training. Aerotows use the club's Rallye
tug, and a privately-owned Robin DR400
is also available. The winch-launch uses a Skylaunch winch.
The club has a campsite, adjacent to the car park and main hangar, currently housing a number of caravans and statics, both serviced with electricity. This campsite becomes busier in the main summer months, and particularly during competition weeks and weekends. Some members also choose to pitch tents.
The club has about 100 full time members (at January 2007). Some own shares in some of the latest types of gliders, such as: LS8-18
, ASW28-18
, ASW 22
and Duo Discus T
. Motor glider
s are also based there. Its members compete in several competitions each year, and annually the club itself hosts one round in the Eastern Interclub League, the first round of the 'Yellow Bung Trophy' and two national aerobatics competitions.
The club is currently (at January 2007) expanding its operations and has in recent years:
In 2006 the club built a new private hangar to house ten aircraft, in such a way that any aircraft may be moved in or out without the need to move another aircraft. Due to the success of this, a further three bays will soon be added to one end of the hangar.
The 2006 summer soaring season was the most active for the club for some years. Five members competed at the Midland Regional Competition
at The Soaring Centre (Husbands Bosworth
), and others competed at the Bicester Regionals
, Lasham Regionals
, Competition Enterprise at Aboyne and The Northerns at the Yorkshire Gliding Club (Sutton Bank
). The club was once again very active in the Eastern Interclub League, and won overall in the two part Yellow Bung Trophy.
The 2007 soaring season sees further pushes into rated competitions with pilots entered into the Midland Regionals Competition
at The Soaring Centre (Husbands Bosworth
), the Bicester Regionals
, The Gransden Regionals at the Cambridge Gliding Centre
, the 18 m Nationals and Competition Enterprise.
Each year in September the club hosts a popular 1940's big band night in the hangar and visitors are encouraged to dress in period costume for this event.
In late 2007 the club continued the expansion of its facilities with new building work that will see a new toilet block and extended clubhouse and kitchen area built.
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
club based at Saltby Airfield on the Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
/ Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
border, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is affiliated to the British Gliding Association
British Gliding Association
The British Gliding Association is the governing body for gliding in the United Kingdom. Gliding in the United Kingdom operates through 85 gliding clubs which have 2,310 gliders and 9,462 full flying members , though a further 17,000 people have gliding air-experience flights each year.-History:A...
(BGA) and runs a seven-day-a-week operation throughout the year except on Christmas Day.
History and changes
Saltby Airfield was an active RAFRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
station during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, one of many such stations on the eastern side of the country. British, American and Polish squadrons were based there.
The airfield originally had three concrete runways that intersected in the middle. The main entrance was in the village of Saltby
Saltby
Saltby is a village within the civil parish of Sproxton and Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It lies close to the River Eye and the border with Lincolnshire.The village includes the former RAF Saltby....
. However over the years the airfield has changed. Many of the original buildings have been demolished, and one of the concrete runways was completely removed. Approximately half of the land within the original perimeter track is now used for agriculture. The remaining half of the airfield contains the entire main runway (07/25) and half of the second remaining runway (02/20) which still runs from the start of 02 to its intersection with 07/25. The old hangar now covers just part of the concrete footprint of the original war-time main hangar. Alongside 07/25 is a grass runway of similar width and the same length which is primarily used for the winch launching of gliders
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
, and for most landings, so avoiding the aerotow operation on the concrete runway.
The currently active airfield is much smaller than the original and no longer has direct access to Saltby village, and instead there is a new entrance on the road between the villages of Skillington
Skillington
Skillington is a rural village, located to the south-west of Lincolnshire and is within three miles of the Leicestershire border. Nearby villages include Buckminster, Sproxton, Stainby, Sewstern, Colsterworth and Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, with the latter famous as the birthplace of Sir Isaac...
and Sproxton
Sproxton, Leicestershire
Sproxton is a village and civil parish within the Borough of Melton in Leicestershire, England, close to the border with Lincolnshire. It has a population of 480....
. The club is named after Buckminster Estate, from which the airfield is rented.
The Viking Way
Viking Way
The Viking Way is a long distance footpath in England running between the Humber Bridge in North Lincolnshire and Oakham in Rutland. The Countryside Commission recognised the significance of the Viking Way as a high quality long distance walk linking other major routes in Eastern England, these...
runs across the airfield passing near the start of runway 25. It is a popular route for horse riders, quad bike riders and walkers.
Present day
The Buckminster Gliding Club was founded at Saltby in 1971. Today its members fly cross-country and aerobatics and they train new pilots.The club owns two Puchacz
PZL Bielsko SZD-50
|-References:* * *-External links:*...
and one ASK 21 two-seater training gliders, and two single seaters: a Ka 8
Schleicher Ka 8
|-References:*Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67. London:Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966.**...
and an Astir
Grob G-102 Astir
-References:**Hardy, M. Gliders & Sailplanes of the World. Ian Allan, 1982*...
. Two ex-RAF Venture T2 motor gliders are also used for training. Aerotows use the club's Rallye
Socata Rallye
-Bibliography:* Donald, David . The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.* Taylor, John W R. . Jane's All the Worlds Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0 354 00538 3....
tug, and a privately-owned Robin DR400
Avions Robin
Avions Robin was a French manufacturer of light aeroplanes. It was previously known as Avions Pierre Robin and Centre Est Aeronautique. The company was bought by Apex Aircraft in 1988.-History:...
is also available. The winch-launch uses a Skylaunch winch.
The club has a campsite, adjacent to the car park and main hangar, currently housing a number of caravans and statics, both serviced with electricity. This campsite becomes busier in the main summer months, and particularly during competition weeks and weekends. Some members also choose to pitch tents.
The club has about 100 full time members (at January 2007). Some own shares in some of the latest types of gliders, such as: LS8-18
Rolladen-Schneider LS8
The Rolladen-Schneider LS8 is a Standard and 18 metre class single-seat glider developed by Rolladen-Schneider and in series production since 1995. Currently it is manufactured by DG Flugzeugbau.-Development:...
, ASW28-18
Schleicher ASW 28
|-See also:-References:***Simons M, Segelflugzeuge 1965-2000, Eqip, 2004...
, ASW 22
Schleicher ASW 22
|-References:***Simons M, Segelflugzeuge 1965-2000, Equip, 2004-External links:*...
and Duo Discus T
Schempp-Hirth Duo Discus
|-See also:-References:*...
. Motor glider
Motor glider
A motor glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with or without engine power. The FAI Gliding Commission Sporting Code definition is: A fixed wing aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion ,...
s are also based there. Its members compete in several competitions each year, and annually the club itself hosts one round in the Eastern Interclub League, the first round of the 'Yellow Bung Trophy' and two national aerobatics competitions.
The club is currently (at January 2007) expanding its operations and has in recent years:
- Increased its cross country flying activities,
- Started NPPLPilot licensing in the United KingdomPilot licensing in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority under the auspices of the Joint Aviation Authorities and European Aviation Safety Agency. Each member nation in the EU has responsibility for regulating their own pilot licensing...
training, - Bought the new K21 training glider,
- Rented further land on which to rig gliders,
- Built new offices and store rooms above the main clubroom at the front of the main hangar,
- Installed a broadband connection and Wifi hotspot to improve communications for both the club office and members and visitors.
In 2006 the club built a new private hangar to house ten aircraft, in such a way that any aircraft may be moved in or out without the need to move another aircraft. Due to the success of this, a further three bays will soon be added to one end of the hangar.
The 2006 summer soaring season was the most active for the club for some years. Five members competed at the Midland Regional Competition
Gliding competitions
Some of the pilots in the sport of gliding take part in gliding competitions. These are usually racing competitions, but there are also aerobatic contests and on-line league tables.-History of competitions:...
at The Soaring Centre (Husbands Bosworth
Husbands Bosworth
Husbands Bosworth is a large crossroads village in South Leicestershire on the A5199 road from Leicester city to Northampton and the A4304 road from Junction 20 of the M1 motorway to Market Harborough....
), and others competed at the Bicester Regionals
Windrushers Gliding Club
Windrushers Gliding Club is a gliding club flying from Bicester Airfield, where it moved to from Little Rissington in 1956, later merging with the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association....
, Lasham Regionals
Lasham Airfield
Lasham Airfield is located north-west of Alton in Hampshire, England, in the village of Lasham.It was built in 1942 and it was an operational RAF during the Second World War. It was used for recreational gliding from 1951. The airfield is now owned by the world's largest gliding club, Lasham...
, Competition Enterprise at Aboyne and The Northerns at the Yorkshire Gliding Club (Sutton Bank
Sutton Bank
Sutton Bank, also known as Roulston Scar, is a hill in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire in England. It is a high point on the Hambleton Hills and the North Yorkshire Moors with extensive views over the Vale of York and the Vale of Mowbray...
). The club was once again very active in the Eastern Interclub League, and won overall in the two part Yellow Bung Trophy.
The 2007 soaring season sees further pushes into rated competitions with pilots entered into the Midland Regionals Competition
Gliding competitions
Some of the pilots in the sport of gliding take part in gliding competitions. These are usually racing competitions, but there are also aerobatic contests and on-line league tables.-History of competitions:...
at The Soaring Centre (Husbands Bosworth
Husbands Bosworth
Husbands Bosworth is a large crossroads village in South Leicestershire on the A5199 road from Leicester city to Northampton and the A4304 road from Junction 20 of the M1 motorway to Market Harborough....
), the Bicester Regionals
Windrushers Gliding Club
Windrushers Gliding Club is a gliding club flying from Bicester Airfield, where it moved to from Little Rissington in 1956, later merging with the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association....
, The Gransden Regionals at the Cambridge Gliding Centre
Cambridge Gliding Centre
Cambridge Gliding Centre is a gliding club based near Cambridge in the United Kingdom on the Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire county border. Nearby major towns include Bedford, Cambourne, Huntingdon, Royston, Sandy, St. Ives and St...
, the 18 m Nationals and Competition Enterprise.
Each year in September the club hosts a popular 1940's big band night in the hangar and visitors are encouraged to dress in period costume for this event.
In late 2007 the club continued the expansion of its facilities with new building work that will see a new toilet block and extended clubhouse and kitchen area built.