Video taken Summer 1980 at Pen-Y-Parc

Below is a rather scratchy video taken in 1980 at NWGC’s second location. We had moved there in June the previous year.

There are a couple of things that are worth mentioning.

• The red and white glider, an SDZ Bocian, was the second plane that the club had use of and this enabled it to start traing pupils. it was bought from a gliding club in lincolnshire from money lent to the club by founding members.
• The yellow winch was called “Otto” and it’s operator in this video was yours truly. I think that anyone seeing the launches here would be horrified at the ‘slight’ lack of health and safety. There were no cages around the winch drums and in the event of a cable hang up I had to jump down from the winch, grab the axe and attempt to cut the cable with a number of swift whacks!!

 Alan Ellicott (founder member)