Brian Wood

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Brian in 1979. The original photo was taken by Mark Junak.

Brian Wood, the first ever British hang gliding champion, was notable partly because of his appearances on television, radio, and the press, where his unpretentious ‘boy next door’ aura contributed to the popularity of hang gliding in its early years in the UK. After an absence of many years, he made a come-back in late 2019 and early 2020, flying ‘free flight’ hang gliders in Britain and Spain and also flying a lightweight powered ultralight near his home in the south-east of England.

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This related topics menu links to material in the main hang gliding pages. The links here are in chronological order.

Hang gliding 1974 part 2 for Brian’s first hang gliding experiences, including witnessing a serious accident, and his rise to fame as the first ever British hang gliding champion, followed by an arduous flight duration record of more than eight hours

Bridge too far in Hang gliding 1974 part 1 for an account of how Brian pioneered coastal cliff flying in southern England

Spiraling out of control: Brian’s crash at the world hang gliding championship at Kössen, Austria, in 1975

Gulp in Hang gliding 1975 part 2 for a color photo of Brian flying a Miles Wings Gulp monoplane flex-wing

SST in Hang gliding 1976 part 2 to compare Bob Wills’ Super Swallowtail prototype with Brian’s production SST

Antares, Ten Meter, and others in Hang gliding 1978 and 1979 part 3 for a bit about Brian and his friend Ed Cesar of Hawaii

Birdman and Solar Wings also in Hang gliding 1978 and 1979 part 3 for a photo of Brian in a Cherokee fitted for winch launching

Other related

External links in the Sport Kites/Wills Wing of California related topics menu for photos of Brian flying a Super Swallowtail 100 and a Super Swallowtail 90

External links

Brian Wood in British Hang Gliding History

Magazine Article by Brian Wood about his 1974 eight-hour ridge soaring flight at Rhossili in South Wales in British Hang Gliding History

Motocross in Off-road bikes on the author’s other web site Brave Guys and Beautiful Dolls for a photo of Brian competing on his bike

Painting the SST 90 on the author’s other web site Brave Guys and Beautiful Dolls