Six sign up for Rotary’s sponsored ‘Loop the Loop’ in a Glider

“I didn’t think I’d ever have the courage to do it”; “Seeing things topsy-turvy is really strange”; “I’ve done several fundraising things for charity in the past but never anything quite like this” - these are just some of the comments from the six sponsored participants who took up Rotary’s annual fundraising challenge of doing a loop the loop in a glider.

The event, held on Friday evening 25 May at the London Gliding Club in Dunstable and now in its sixth year, was organised by Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary Club, with support this year from Milton Keynes Satellite Rotary Club.

After an initial briefing, the flyers waited anxiously for the low cloud over the Downs to lift before the official go ahead could be given, but after a seemingly long delay, and to the relief of everyone concerned, the weather conditions improved sufficiently for the first glider to safely take to the air. In the capable hands of a fully qualified and experienced glider pilot, each flyer was then treated in turn to a flight with at least two, and for some, three or four full 360 degree loops.

With feet firmly back on the ground and enjoying the barbecue and a drink to round off the evening, one of the flyers commented “Gliding around the sky sitting in the front seat of a glider with the pilot at the controls behind you was exciting enough for me in itself, but seeing the earth disappear beneath you and then reappear above your head when we did the loops was just so exhilarating”.  

Thankful for that break in the weather, organiser John Moss concluded the evening with a big thank you to everyone for making the event possible, especially all the brave 'loopers', their sponsors, his fellow Rotarians and the London Gliding Club and its pilots.