Branson Replicates First Glider Flight | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.21.25

Airborne-Unlimited-07.22.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.23.25

Airborne-Unlimited-07.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.25.25

Sun, Jul 06, 2003

Branson Replicates First Glider Flight

Virgin Atlantic Chief Gets All Dolled Up To Fly 1853 Glider Replica

You know, it's hard to outdo someone who's determined to do the impossible.  Especially if he's got a lot of money and time on his hands. 

Virgin Airways honcho Sir Richard Branson wanted to replicate the 1853 flight of the world's first glider.  It was 150 years ago that Sir George Cayley sent his coachman aloft in the primitive, unpowered machine -- much to the coachman's chagrin. In Branson's duplicate attempt Saturday, this British knight did his own flying, thanks awfully.

Branson, ever the fashion plate, wore a 19th century braid-trimmed coat and lace cravat for the flight in the same field where Cayley's glider took off -- at Brompton Dale near Scarborough in the northern English county of Yorkshire. His first attempt failed. On his second try, Branson made it into the air for a few seconds, as a crowd of about 1500 aviation fans cheered.

"Brilliant. We've done it, we've done it!" Branson exclaimed after the successful flight, which lasted only a few seconds. A few moments later, he took a few sips of champagne and told reporters, "That was fantastic. I can fly, we can fly. That was exhilarating."

In what appeared to be a calculated attempt to snub the Centennial of Flight celebrations here in America this year, Branson said most people assume Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first manned flight. "The real birth of modern aviation was achieved by a British pioneer 50 years previously."

FMI: www.virgin.com

Advertisement

More News

ANN/Oshkosh Sponsor, Gleim Aviation, Is Ready To Teach You A Thing Or Two...

Come To Oshkosh, Get Educated by Gleim At Booth #1103-1105 Gleim Aviation, industry leader in aviation training materials, was founded in 1980 for one reason: Dr. Irvin N. Gleim lo>[...]

ANN Thanks Our Speedy Sponsor... Blackshape!!!

Check out Blackshape in Oshkosh Display #190 Situated in the Apulian Aerospace district in Monopoli, Italy, Blackshape embodies the epitome of Italian craftsmanship, style, and qua>[...]

Alpha Systems AOA Guides ANN Oshkosh Coverage

A Powerhouse In Aviation Safety Technology, Visit Alpha Systems AOA at Osh Display#3124-3125 Alpha systems AOA has been developing and integrating Angle of Attack systems for the l>[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 07.17.25: Dual Ignition C172, CFI-ATP Course, FAA Boss

Also: Adventure Pilot iFly EFB X7, Endorsements Made Easy, H55 B23 Energic, Kings & USAF Cessna’s long-running Skyhawk now features a solid-state dual electronic ignition>[...]

Airborne 07.24.25: Spirit SE-1!, H55 eFlyer, King Schools

Also: Centauri Aircraft Valkyrie, Meet the Admin, Night Airshow, Pelton Intv'w When we laid eyes on this critter, we fell in love… and then we learned the amazing story of t>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC