Biggar glider pilot Iain Russell reaches new heights

The adventure for Biggar resident Iain began routinely with him accompanying fellow pilots from their Borders Gliding Club down to Milfield near Wooler in the North of England for what should have been an enjoyable flying weekend outing.

Indeed, for the rest of the Borders squadron it was a fairly relaxing day’s aerial sport, the usual height of 10,000 to even as high as 17,000 feet being reached by members in their gliders.

However, instead of the brief, pleasurable flight over the stark Northumberland countryside, a freak airflow saw Iain zooming up to over 20,000 feet and making an unexpectedly early return to Scotland, reaching as far north as Dunbar before returning to Milfield in a four and a half hour marathon flight.

For the full story, pick up a copy of this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette.