Oct-Nov 2026

It’s been a summer for record-breaking flights. Read about a 1,340km UK flight in the Oct/Nov issue of S&G, which also has top tips on getting to know your parachute and good advice on how to avoid accelerated stall. Plus, discover “the best glider you can get your hands on under £15k”

Some impressive tasks have been flown in recent months, with many setting new UK records. One of these was the 14-hour, 1,340km flight from Denbigh on 2 July – with 300km of the task over open water – that has broken UK 20m and Open Class records. It was the day Chris Gill had been waiting years for to break the UK gliding distance record(s). All those 3am starts at the airfield had not been a waste of time, with Chris learning more about the weather every time he attempted a big wave flight. This flight started in North Wales with a high climb in wave and a glide across the Irish Sea, continued in wave with a several legs between the east and west coasts of northern England, involved a return leg over the Irish Sea back into North Wales and then some thermal cross-country into western England. It ended with a steak dinner and celebrations at the Mynd. James Roland was P2 for the flight and Chris says: “He was helpful when he needed to be and quiet when I needed to think – the perfect teammate”.

An emergency parachute is one of the few pieces of equipment that you carry on every flight but hope never to use. It can only save lives if worn correctly, properly maintained and understood by the person relying on it. Emergency bale outs in gliding are rare, but rare does not mean impossible. Should the unthinkable happen, your parachute becomes your lifeline. Preparations for ‘Plan B’ should start long before you even strap into the cockpit. Chris Goodwin highlights 10 simple guidelines that every glider pilot should follow.

A couple of accident report extracts from recent years exemplify a class of recurring heavy landing accidents. While these were both categorised as late take-overs by instructors, such accidents are not limited to training flights. There are other ways to have a heavy landing, including failing to round out, floating too long too high, or simply finding a hidden undulation. What these accidents have in common is that, when the pilots tried to round out, the glider – which had been flying happily until then – couldn’t create the lift required. In other words, they were accelerated stalls. The BGA Safety Team offers advice on how to avoid accelerated stalls.

The Standard Libelle is still a common sight on club flying days and competition lists and is said to perform as well as its peers: the Astir, ASW 15 and Cirrus. Sonny Rising says: “Don’t be fooled by its low handicap. The Libelle will always beat an Astir and, on the right day, it will beat Cirruses too.” Sonny came 6^th in the 2025 Club Class Nationals flying his. Prospective buyers are advised to sit in one before you buy – you will either fit comfortably or you won’t. Rumours of how easy this glider to rig are said to be true. Chris Davison says that Libelles are truly a delight to fly and by far the best handling first or second generation gliders. Once you own a Libelle, you are unlikely to want to sell it, says owner Rob Hines. It’s as much a companion as an airframe with an iconic shape.

Also in this issue: Maddy Draper is in the spotlight for our pilot profile. Michelle Strickland enjoys a landout from heaven. Alistair Bridges reports from the Inter-Services. Grimshaw admits to some shocking discoveries. Kevin Atkins looks at spread out. Guy Westgate explains how small stuff wins big in his second Born to Fly article. Sébastien Celles has developed OGN 3D Viewer. Andrew Jarvis reports on vintage events around the UK. Alison Randle looks at how good governance leads to fun flying. Pete Stratten highlights valuable work, looking to the future. Sir John Allison and Patrick Naegeli pay tribute to David Roberts OBE. Plus, many more of your stunning images in the Gallery pages.

Fly safely and have fun