Slingsby Falcon BGA192 glider at Saltergate, Hole of Horcum area.
This glider was a Schleicher Falke built by Frederick Slingsby at Kirkbymoorside for his personal use and named the Slingsby Falcon, it was then registered on the British gliding register as BGA192. On an unknown date, thought to have been during the Spring of 1931, the glider had it's first flight on the Levisham Moors, near Saltersgate. The pilot for this first flight was Mr Frederick Slingsby. A launch was carried out with children holding onto the tail and a bungee stretched, when the bungee was taught, the children were ordered to let go and the glider was propelled into the air. This first flight went well. On the machine's second flight the glider crashed badly but being made of wood it was taken away and later repaired.
Pilot - Mr Frederick Slingsby.
Fred Slingsby's company would later make hundreds of gliders at his Kirkbymoorside factory. Frederick Nicholas Slingsby was born on 6th November 1894, he joined the RFC in 1914 as a Gunner/Observer. He gained the MC following him regaining control of the aircraft he was in after his pilot was killed in flight. He flew the aircraft back to the British lines. He left the service, now the RAF in 1920 and bought a partnership in a woodworking and furniture factory in Queen Street, Scarborough. In 1930 he and some friends formed the Scarborough Gliding Club and flew from various locations including Flixton Hill, Sutton Bank and Saltersgate Bank. Gliding at the time was new sport. The Clubs first glider was a Dagling primary glider bought from R F Dagnell, the RFD Company, of Guildford, Surrey. Gliders of the day were often damaged and Slingsby became involved in the repair of them, his factory being used for this. Precise details of damage incidents are not yet known, when information comes to light it will be added to this website.