TERRY ASPINALLS

HANG GLIDERS & MICROLIGHTS

A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS, NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES THAT I HAVE COLLECT OVER THE YEARS. JUST CLICK ON THE SUBJECT YOU WISH TO VIEW, OR MAYBE YOU MIGHT LIKE TO CHAT WITH ME ON THE FORUM

I first became interested in Hang Gliding after watching an English children's Television program known as "Magpie". I wrote a letter that evening to the Television station and within a few short weeks I was in contact with Ken Messenger the owner of "Birdman Sport" Based in Wiltshire. Later I teamed up with David Cook who along with Chris Tansley and Neil Moran helped me learn to fly my Albatross180. Although I must mention Chris's McBroom Hang Glider. We all nick-named it the "McBrick" because its L/D performance was a mere 1/1. The McBrick had been built by Brian Griffith's and David was convinced that Brian used his wife's 3rd choice table cloth to make the sale. On one particular occasion when we all went to Dunstable, the local site safety officer declared that it still had a couple of hours flying time left in it. If you would like to read a more detailed account you could go to Chapter 16 of my Autobiography which covers my Hang Gliding exploits or even Chapter 17 which covers the microlighting years.

I have great respect for David and all he has achieved in the aviation world and over the years I have followed his career very closely. To the point where I have set up a page on this site where I can display all of the newspaper cuttings and photos I have been lugging around the world for more than twenty years. I've finally decided that now is the time to let the world have a look at what we got up to together during the 70's and early 80's. If you take a look at David Cooks.page you will not be disappointed. I went on to fly all of the new Hang Gliders that came out of the Birdman factory, right up to the late 70's, when like several other flyers I got the urge to strap an engine on to the glider. That first machine was powered by a 160cc Velmet engine, very small but it worked. Although I must give full credit to Ray Watering, Mick Starling and once again David who gave me a lot of help. From there I slowly moved up in the market, as several new machines suddenly started popping up all over the country. However, once again you can read a more detailed account of this if you go to my Autobiography. The following is a collection of Photos, Magazine and Newspaper cuttings about myself and the history of Hang Gliding and Microlighting as I saw it all develope from the early 70's right up until I left the fair shores of jolly old England and headed for a new life in New Zealand, a move that would rob me of the chance of becoming the very first FIA Gold Award winner in the world. Although it is comforting to know that I did receive the very first Bronze and later the Silver award.

If you would like to visit a site I've set up as a tribute to David please click below

This is what Hang Gliding was all about during those early days. Unfortunately only a few achieved it

Tim Travis from Sydney Australia, sadly past away from a brain tumor very early in his life

 

"Cherokee" by Solar Wings Marlbough taken at Corton 10th June 1979

 

Click History of the Suffolk Coastal Floaters Hang Gliding Club

Click Photo Gallery SCFHGC

Click History, the spread of hang gliding around the world (UK)

Click Photo Gallery New Zealand Trikes

Click Photo Gallery Hang Gliding in General

Click Video clips (still adding)

Click BMAA Flight Line Magazine about Terry 1981-89

Click Terry's Microlight Distance Record

Click Woburn Abbey Fly-in report

Click Ipswich Airport Fly-in

Click Flying in New Zealand Newspaper cutting 1985 to 1988

Click General Newpaper Cuttings about early Hang Gliders

Click General Newspaper Cuttings about early Microlights

Click Hang Gliding Licence's and Club Memberships

Click Microlight Licence's, Memberships and Awards

Click Hang Glider-Helicopter near miss at Mundesley

Click Norfolk Hang Gliding Club video clips

Click A video explaining the History of Hang Gliding (oz)

Click The S.C.F.H.G.C. Testimonial presented to Terry

Click My 2nd Microlight the U.A.S. Storm Buggy

Click Birdman Sports Promotions early H/G leaflets

Click Solar Wings Hang Gliders and Trike units

Click Graham Slater's Ultra Sports Trike Units

Click The Puma Trike unit 10000ft over Scotland

Click You Tube video clips of Hang Gliders and Microlights

Click Letter from Brian Milton to Terry

Click Accidental Parachute Deployment at Mere 1980

Click Status Microlight Systems training video

Click My Pride and Joy

Click Graeme Henderson's 'Fly Like a Bird' the dickerson wing Story