Clackmannan
Note: This map only shows the location of Clackmannan within the UK. If anybody knows the precise location of this airstrip, this advice will be very welcome.
CLACKMANNAN: Private microlight strip
NOTES: The AAIB report EW/C2012/04/01 is of a very strange if not bizarre story. To quote; “Immediately after take-off, the weight-shift microlight entered a steep climb. The nose then dropped (probably as a result of a stall) and the aircraft struck the ground in a steep nose-down attitude. The owner piloting the aircraft was fatally injured. This was the owner’s first flight in the aircraft and also his first solo flight. There was no evidence that the pilot had received any formal training prior to this attempt.” The aircraft was a Gemini Flash IIA, G-MVSV and the location was given as “near Clackmannan” which is S of the A907 and E of Alloa.
I wonder if anybody has more information on this site, and if any other history exists?
SOME HISTORY OF EARLY FIRST FLIGHTS
In the very earliest days of powered flying, (and gliding too of course), pilots often came to grief on first flights although surprisingly often without fatal results, and, usually they had designed and built their aircraft. Indeed, the earliest account of flying in the U.K. that I have listed, is by the monk Eilmer (MALMESBURY – WILTSHIRE) in the 11th century who had designed and constructed a rudimentary ‘hang-glider’. He broke a leg on ‘landing’.
SINCE WW1
Since then the only account I can instantly recall of totally untrained ‘pilots’ attempting to fly a powered aircraft (in the UK) were two young lads nicking a Piper L-4 in WW2 from MEMBURY (BERKSHIRE) but I’m pretty sure I have another similar account listed.
It would certainly appear that in the main, since the first decade of the 20th century, that 99.99% of people wanting to fly have decided to have detailed theoretical and substantial practical instruction before attempting to fly solo. So quite astonishing in 2012 to discover somebody apparently deliberately ignoring this wisdom. I would welcome any accounts of people attempting to fly a powered aircraft without any instruction in recent years.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
