BGA & GENIERAL NEWS======= DEREK PIGGOTT .RETIRES Derek speak'ing at his farewell party. Derek Piggott, master aviator, master instructor, for years synonymous with Lasham, has retired, again, but perhaps this time even he will recognise that Lasham and the whole gliding movement has acknowledged that he has finally stood Clown from full, time gliding instruction. The gliding movement bid him farewell in style at an aviation social event of the decade held in a banquetting marquee at Lasham on April 15, surroundings that bore no resemblance to memories 01 dripping marquees, muddy underfoot, at previous gliding events often nicknamed "S~lasham". With over 500 applicants for the 300 seats Derek was left in no doubt as to how great was the appreciation of his contribution to gliding. Anyone with over 275 aircraft and glider types in their logbooks, 14 flying films to their credit (from pilot to advisor) and six major awards culminating in Mem'ber of the British Empire (MBE) in 1987 is surely extraordinary, as is someone who flies to weil over 20000ft in a thunderstorm and is struck repeatedly by lightning yet survives, albeit in a badly aamaged glider, and wllo flies under bridges witlc1 inches (yes "inches" because he is 'of the earlier non-metric generation) to spare just to keep the film producer happ,y is unique. But that is Derek. Irrepressible, a dynamo, fearless, :running, everywhere, never walking, forever wearing out his shoes, again this is Derek. He may no longer be CFI at Lasham bul he will not stop flying - he would' not know how to. He probably will not stop writing either; with seven titles to his credit including. Beginnin$! <strong>Gliding</strong>" <strong>Gliding</strong> and Understanding <strong>Gliding</strong> - surely his next work will have tebe Stopping <strong>Gliding</strong> From the gliding movement ,at large, Derek, a sincere and grateful "thank you" for your extraordinary contribution to aviation. John Delafield 194 NATIONAL LA'DDER The scores for .June are very promising with lots of entries and good scores at the ,top. Warren Kay heads the Open Ladder with a 304km al93km/h in his ASW-24.Edward Downham was a thermal short of completing 622km in his Libelle on May 10. Ed Johnston, National Ladder Steward Open Ladder Leading Pilot <strong>Club</strong> Flls Pts 1. W. Kay London 4 6089 2. E. Johnston Cotswold 4 5672 3. T. Macfadyen Cotswold 4 5655 4. E. Downham London 4 5451 5. T. Stuart London 3 5337 6. M. Garrod London 3 4967 <strong>Club</strong> Ladder (..eading Pilot <strong>Club</strong> Flls Pts 1. O. Booth C;oventry 2 2170 2. A Smart Kestrel 1 1950 3. P. Crabb Coventry 1 1630 4. S. Crabb Coventry 2 1358 5. O. Taylor Yorkshire 3 1344 6. G. Thomas Coventry 3 1330 KENT FATALITY There was a fataility at Kent GC on Friday, June 2, when George Soper, aged 52, was flying a Skylark 3. He had flown a lairly normal circuit with the approach over the ridge. Conditions were light wind and little or no turbulence. The glider's descent steepened during the approach and it crashed into the ridge. There was no medical factor and no known explanation. Bill SCUll, BGA director of operations OBITUARY Sir Leonard Redshaw len with his grandson, Andrew. Sir Leonard, or Len as he was known amongst the gliding fraternity, died suddeAly at his home on April 29. <strong>Gliding</strong>, his lamily and work had beerl his lifetime pleasure and fulfilment in a most enjoyable 78 years. len started gliding in 1927, followiAg his father who was· a founder trustee of the original Furness <strong>Gliding</strong> Proprietary Ltd, better known as the lakes <strong>Gliding</strong> <strong>Club</strong>. His brother, son, daughter and son-in-law all became keen gliding enthusiasts and now '(still a bit of coaxing required) his three grandsons look as though they a:lso will pursue the sport. His. lamily probably have one of the longest family relationships, witl;} gliding in the UK. An extract from a 'letter Len wrote to one of his early .gliding colleagues illustrates most clearly his approach to life and his sport "I started at Vickers in 1927, with a scholarship taking me to Liverpool University for three years, followed by two years on a post graduate scholarship. During the holiday I operated with lhe local' gliding club and obtained my A certificate ,based on the standard ten second blackout method of training. I attended the 1932 National competition at our site at Kirby Moors and followed Mungo Buxton on his record breaking cross-country flight of some 14 miles in my father's car. . "War was near, members were disappearing, I became secretary and finally in sole charge of the club. The machines were eventually commandeered' by the RAF. I was a junior manager 01 Vickers, which became a very full time job. Nevertheless, I found lime on Sundays to act as CO ot 188 <strong>Gliding</strong> School, teaching pre-entry RAF cadets. "Whilst I was researching welding on a course in London, I spent most Sundays gliding at Dunstable. One day I visited my greal aunt in Tolworth, Surrey. This was about 1933 and I met a brunette who lived next door. She seemed to be suitable material for a wife. Unfortunately I only had !wa weeks to convince her that we should develop a long term friendship. We married in 1939 and, when I thought we were winning the war, we had a daughter in 1942 and a son, In 1944. They turned out to be a first class crew lor gliding competitions. Post-war every summer holiday for many years was spent entering Nationals and Regionals." Len stayed with gliding after the closure of ATC 188 <strong>Gliding</strong> School and in 1954 some enthusiasts sought his help to start another club on Tebay fells. It moved to Walney as the lakes GC in 1962. He gained a local reputation as the only man. in Cumbria to have a glider and to be able to catapult off the local fells with his lamily's assistance. He remained active in gliding up to 1982 and was chairman of the <strong>Lakes</strong> GC for many years. Most ollen's gliding colleagues have retired from the sport or passed OA to other thermals. Probably he would best be remembered in the movement lor rescuing Slingsby's when he was chairman 01 Vickers Shipbuilding In 1968 and bringing the manufacture 01 glass-fibre gliders 10 the UK with initially the Kestrel series and later the Vega. Len pioneered the world's first GRP glider with a carbon fibre mainspar which incidentally he then test flew for about six months at the age of 62. As an industrialist his achievements were numeroos and his recognition became international, be'ing knighted in 1,972. As 'a sportsman he enjoyed rugby, tennis, cricket, SAILPLANE & GLIDING
BGA & GENERAL NEWS fishing, swimming, boating and occasionally 3/882 Housden. Aulh Colswold 27.3 Antcli"e, N. R. Wolds 30.3 3/883 Aobson. T. J. Derby & Lanes 21.3 ShutUewor1h. P. Midland 26.3 golf, playing for his school, university and. 3/884 Gibson, W. R. Phoenix 23.3 Carver. Elaine. A. Derby & Lanes 20.3 company with great enthusiasm. (in Franee) Pascoe, S. M. Fulmar 27.3 However, his number one sporting love 3/885 McLean. P. Pe9asus 23.3 Robson. T. J. Derby & Lanes 27.3 (in Franee) remained gliding with over 3000hrs flown in, WiNiamson. C. G. Derby & Lanes 25.3 3/888 Pilchfork. G. R. Clellelands 1.5 Gibson. W. R. Phoenix 22.3 amongst others, his own aircraft which have (in france) included an Olympia 2B, Skylark 3, Dart 17, 3/887 Morris, C. SI,atlOfd-on·Ayoo 1.5 McLean. P. Pe9asus 23.3 <strong>Club</strong> Libelle, Kestrel 19, Motor Falke, Auster (in France) (in France) 3/888 Desmond. M. O. Pe9asus 21,3 Bur1
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