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July 2025: The Saltby Open

The Saltby Open proved a turning point. With only nine pilots across Sports and Intermediate, the field was small—but the flying was high quality. Thanks to Buckminster Gliding Club’s generosity, we had use of both their K21 and Perkoz, alongside Laura’s own Pilatus B4.

 

The trusty yellow-and-black Supermunk tug flew tirelessly from noon until evening in hot conditions, towing 18 launches in a single day. Judges Paul Conran (CJ), Charles Baker, and Brendan O’Brien put in a marathon effort to keep up with the schedule, while Merlin—foregoing his own flying—ran the excellent new video system, capturing footage that raised debriefing to another level.

 

By Friday evening, every competitor had flown, just beating the incoming weather front. Saturday was a washout, but it gave us the chance to gather for video reviews and discussions—a process everyone agreed was hugely valuable. When the results were tallied, Alex Philips emerged as the overall winner, with Merlin presenting medals and the trophy in his typically understated style. The competition showcased just how far the team had come in less than a year—and proved that British glider aerobatics is on the rise again.