MORE than 200 people of all ages visited Brentor Airfield earlier this month for Dartmoor Gliding Society's open day, learning about this most silent of all aviation sports and witnessing a stunning flying display by vintage Spitfire and Hurricane fighters from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Flying conditions were ideal, and dozens of visitors took to the air for reduced-price trial lessons in training gliders.

Winched into the sky, most enjoyed prolonged flights over the beautiful moorland around Brentor Airfield, thanks to favourable weather conditions which produced strong thermal air currents.

Two of the first visitors to give gliding a try — and returning with smiles on their faces — were the mayor and mayoress of Tavistock, Cllr Philip Sanders and his wife Hilary.

They and other guests were entertained by club members, including several local teenage glider pilots, who have recently taken advantage of the club's status as one of the British Gliding Association's accredited Junior Gliding Centres.