Visitors to today’s Farmers’ Market may be surprised to see a full size glider has ‘landed’ in West Bridgford.
Buckminster Gliding Club, based at Saltby Airfield near Melton Mowbray brought the aircraft to West Bridgford to showcase the club and its services to the community.
The glider was delivered to Central Avenue part-disassembled on a trailer and built on the lawn this morning.
There are introductory flights and courses to allow you to experience gliding for yourself. If you wish to go further and take club membership, instructors can train you to the point of flying solo.
The airfield is in use all year round and boasts one of the few seven days a week gliding operations in the country.
Buckminster Gliding Club was founded in 1971 and since it’s inception has flown from Saltby Airfield, a former RAF base on the Leicestershire-Lincolnshire border.
RAF Saltby was active during World War II hosting British, American and Polish squadrons. Airborne troops departed from Saltby for the Normandy invasion and Operation Market Garden.
The airfield originally had three concrete runways that intersected in the middle. The main entrance was in the village of Saltby, hence the name. Since then almost all of the original buildings have been demolished and most of the runways have been removed.
The airfield today consists of most of the main runway (07/25) and around half of runway (02/20) which runs from the start of 02 to its intersection with 07/25. In addition there’s a large grass runway to the south of 07/25. The club hangar and clubhouse now covers just part of the concrete footprint of the original war-time main hangar.
If you’re interested find out more here: https://buckminstergc.co.uk/
