Glider destroyed by lightning

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

15 years 1 month

Posts: 8

Hi I would like to share my story with you of what happened 10 years ago to me in a glider and what I am now planning to celebrate my 40th.

Please click on the link below to see my scrapbook of the days events 10 years ago.

http://sites.google.com/site/thebig40reachfortheskiesagain/Home/999glidingpdf1.pdf?attredirects=0

I am doing it for charity but dont let that put you off, I just thought some may find it interesting

Regards
Graeme

Original post

Member for

20 years

Posts: 3,902

Graeme,

You are a master of the understatement!

''I looked to the right and noticed the wing was no longer there''

''Luckily I was wearing a parachute''

''It's a nice feeling to look up and see the parachute has opened''

What an incredible story, you must have felt you had been born again after all that. I often think of that incident when I go past Dunstable, or sit up on the Downs.

I trust your next flight will be more mundane!

Member for

15 years 1 month

Posts: 8

Well yes lest hope it's less mundane, that's why I chose an aerobatic flight and loop the loop as a gentle return to the sky. I think I must have had a mid life crisis when I came up with that idea!

There's no turning back now, I’ve committed myself and have received support and donations from friends & family as well as gliding clubs, club members, and aviators from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, America and Canada totaling over £600 so far. I would like to thank all those for their support.

I said it was lucky that I was wearing a parachute as a friend of mine had a trial flight from the same club about a year before me and was not given one. The thought of that has kept me awake some nights:eek:

If you are local to Dunstable maybe you could catch a glimpse of me on the day looking nervous before I go up again.
Regards
Graeme

Member for

15 years 2 months

Posts: 2,619

Lightning can also strike in daylite without thunderclouds...was this that sorta lightning that came suddenly outa nowhere ?

Member for

15 years 1 month

Posts: 8

No, on the way back to the airfield we were aware of a very dark cloud up in the sky and we both commented on it but we kept away from it. And yes it was sudden as we were not aware of any lightning. This was the first lightning strike of the storm. Eyewitnesses say they saw a bright light streak across the sky one person said he saw a ball of light. I saw nothing of the lightning.
A documentary was shown on TV called megalightning the script of it is on the web page:-
http://www.dmptv.co.uk/pro/mega/index.htm

They talk of our accident about half way through the text. They also suggest that this powerful form of lightning could have been the cause of the destruction of the Columbia Space Shuttle.

Member for

15 years 1 month

Posts: 8

Well I did it. See my scrapbook of the days events of 10 years ago that has just been updated to include photos of my return to the sky:-
http://sites.google.com/site/thebig40reachfortheskiesagain/Home/999glidingpdf1.pdf?attredirects=0

Thanks to all those who supported me in this for your messages of support and donations. You have helped me to help the Parkinson's Disease Society help others. The total raised so far is over £1500!

I will leave you in your aviation world, My feet are safer on the ground!

All the best and

Thank you
Regards

Graeme Cooper