Last year, we celebrated Valerie’s birthday with a hot air balloon flight launched from Bath. This year, she wanted to try gliding. I’d flown with the RAF (only 55 years ago, so the memory’s still quite strong), so made the event entirely for her. I searched for ‘Gliding flights near (my home postcode) and the first link was for IntoTheBlue, which I’d used for the balloon flight.
Long story cut short, we decided to go with the IntoTheBlue experience, and I booked a flight for her birthday last April. The nearest location was at Bidford Airfield near Bidford on Avon, around 65 miles away.

Gliding is, of course, weather dependent. We booked a date as close to her birthday as possible. On the morning of the proposed flight, I was due to call the airfield to check whether it was still on. They called me. The runway, a grass strip, was under several inches of water at one end, sporting a couple of ducks, and the rest was too soggy after the rainfall of the previous weeks to take the weight of a towing plane. So, we re-arranged for a later date with Mark at the Bidford Gliding and Flying Club.

Last weekend, I made the necessary call to Mark to check on availability and all was well. But he warned me there’d be a short delay to our 13:00 take off due to the Red Arrows’ flying display at the Midlands Air Festival at Ragley Hall, a couple of miles away. Not a good idea to have gliders occupying the same airspace as high-speed jets! The delay was no problem for us, and we set off slightly early, aware of the rail strikes and that our route would take us through Bidford on Avon, where the busy village was holding a street market.

There’s a good-sized car park at the airfield, also serving a small caravan park. The Gliding Club office sits at one end, and a pleasant café, with outdoor seating as well as a spacious indoor area, is sited at the other end. There are toilets there, too.

Mark greeted us and put Valerie through the short induction and safety session before we went to the café for a quick bite prior to the flight. There’s a good selection of treats, and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. Valerie had coffee and cake and I devoured a rather good chicken and salad sandwich before I finished off the remains of the large slice of chocolate cake Valerie couldn’t quite manage. Very nice, too!

One of the pilots, Alan, has an ancient Buik, which he often uses to take passengers to the take-off point, some 800 yards from the office location. It was a busy day, and Alan and his classic car had already departed with other flyers, so we were taken by Mark in an old four by four kept specifically for that purpose.

On arrival at the site, we circled a half dozen grounded gliders all awaiting their turn to be towed into the sky by one of the two towing aircraft. One had just taken off with pilot and passenger, so we waited. The mood was jovial, the various staff gathered for the different tasks involved in organising and performing the needed functions were all friendly and helpful.

Valerie’s turn came. The pilot helped her into the parachute, a modern bow to the requirements of health and safety legislation (when I glided with the RAF, parachutes weren’t even mentioned, the idea being a glider has no engine to fail, so should float safely to the ground). A cushion, placed into the front passenger compartment, helped her sit comfortably upright for the best view. Alan, her pilot, described the small array of controls and instruments, explaining she should need none of them, but it was useful to know, just in case.

The Perspex canopy was lowered, and I moved out of the way after taking the photos I wanted. Bill, in charge of the launch crew, attached the tow rope to the hook on the glider, and the tow plane slowly set off until the rope was taut. It took only seconds for them to be skyborne. I watched until the pair of craft disappeared over the far hills.

A few chairs stood by the aircraft recovery van, and I joined the group there. Most were volunteers or others awaiting rides or lessons. A young man carrying a camera similar to my own was using a very long lens. We chatted, as photographers usually do when we recognise fellow addicts to the craft. Chris Graham had an impressive 150-600mm Sigma lens attached to his Nikon D3300. My 105mm Sigma macro attached to my Nikon D3400 didn’t have the same reach. He volunteered to capture Valerie’s landing for us. A friendly and much appreciated gesture.

The flight ended and Valerie was back on the ground, smiling and happy after her experience. ‘It was lovely. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The landing was really smooth, too!’ She’d declined the pilot’s offer for her to ‘take the controls’ during the flight, preferring to take in and enjoy the views of Bredon Hill, the Cotswolds, Malvern Hills and distant hills in Wales. ‘The sense of space and the aerial views of our green and pleasant land below were wonderful.’ She thanked Alan, her pilot, who now had another lady, this one celebrating her 80^th birthday, to take into the skies. Mark drove us back to the office, where he told us the club does its own flights and flying lessons as well, so those interested in the idea might like to contact them direct.

I didn’t fly on the day, so the photos shown here are from our hot air balloon trip and included to give an idea of the views possible from up to 2,000 feet high. We had a thoroughly enjoyable day. And another item on Valerie’s bucket list is now ticked off.