Gliding Books

[Hap Hazard]

Do any of you out there have any recommendations for some good yarns on gliding.
I am interested in books more along the lines of "Exploring the Monster" (Sierra Wave Project), rather than the usual run of the mill training books, any suggestions welcomed.;)

[henry crun]

Look for anything by Phillip Wills, "Where No Birds Fly" and
"On Being A Bird" are two that spring to mind.

Somewhat dated now but interesting stories on his experiences in several world championships and record breaking attempts/flights plus much more.

[Pom Pax]

Probably spelt it wrong.

Her autobiography now dated as it came out in the fifties, but interesting as early gliding history, claims 1st helicopter flight and various pilot jobs. Hitler's personal pilot, one of if not the last to fly out of Berlin when the 3rd Reich collapsed.

[SPIT]

Hi there
Try a book named Delta-Papa isbn 0720709792 by Derek Piggot, it is a cracking read. Also if you like Mil Gliding try Glider Pilot , sorry no isbn of Author for you. Hope this helps.:) :) :)

[Hap Hazard]

Thanks guys, will give them a go, any more suggestions welcome, if you havent read Exploring the monster, isbn 1-891118-32-3, can recommend it as it is also a good read.

[astir 8]

"A Glider Pilot Bold" by Wally Khan contains some early post-war gliding gems.

but skip the songs and the panto sketches.:)

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

There seems to be a dirth of good gliding books which celebrate flight. Plenty of training books, but not much along the lines of what's available from the world of powered flight (Bach, Gann, Prest etc).

I wonder why that is?

SSD

[yellowperil]

Try also 'The Platypus Papers - 50 years of engineless aviation' by Platypus aka Mike Bird (no pun!) of S&G's tailfeathers fame; basically a collection of his columns from over the years.

As the man himself says "never mind the quality, feel the weight"!

you can get it from the books and merchandise section of the BGA website: www.gliding.co.uk

Wills, Wally Kahn, Exploring the Monster all equally fascinating

yp

[treadigraph]

Remember reading a book years ago about the gliding club based around Itford and Firle in Sussex; I would imagine that it was probably around the 50s, and presmably the club is the one that's now at Ringmer. Can't remember the title or the author, but it was a good read.

Anyone know the one I mean? Author's first name might have been Peter.

[Census boy]

Think it was by a Peter Champion but suspect it's long out of print by now as are probably the Phillip Wills ones. I've also got a fiction book that I picked up in a sale which is quite a good read. Can't be many fiction stories based on gliding around. It's a story about a young lad who gets forced to smuggle drugs across the Mexican/USA border whilst taking part in a competition. Can't remember the title but I've got it at home somewhere.

[treadigraph]

Well done Census Boy, that's the very chap! WIll try the second hand web sites, you never know...

Cheers

Treadders

[Mr_Grubby]

Hap Hazard.

A little better than the average mil training book is :-

Pacifist to Glider Pilot by Alec Waldren.

Autobiography. Tells of conflict of interest, Plymouth Brethren verses War service as glider pilot. Well worth a read.

ISBN 1-873203-53-5

Also, The Sky My Kingdom, Hannah Reitsch

ISBN 1-85367-262-9

Mr G.