c. 1949

Documentary about learning to fly gliders. A Times Film Production. Commentator - Philip Slessor (by arrangement with the BBC), Editor - Douglas A. Clarke. Music Adviser - Reginald Jordan. Directed by Frank Chilton. Photographed by Phil Dennis. Camera Operator - Peter Kelly.

Reel 1. L/S of landscape, camera pans. It is the vale of Bradwell (?) in Derbyshire. Bradwell Edge is shown - home of one of Britain's oldest and largest gliding clubs. L/S of a glider flying over picturesque countryside. Aerial shot of a farm. Glider taking off. Club members stand by the hangar and watch one of the planes in flights. M/S of some of the club members looking into the sky - some with binoculars. C/U of a couple looking into the sky. They are Peter and Pauline who are about to learn how to fly. M/S of their instructor with a glider behind him in the distance. Peter and Pauline walk over to a "slider" with the instructor. The fabric is cut out of the wings so that it cannot fly - it is a training glider. C/U of the instructor showing his pupils how to control the glider. C/U of a woman moving the wing of the glider. Pauline climbs into the seat of the slider. She is strapped in with a seat belt (it doesn't look very safe). She braces her feet against the front of the craft and it is moved around so that she practices how to keep the wings level. The instructor attaches the towing cable. The batsman signals that the glider is ready to be towed. We see Pauline bumping across the field. C/U of Peter sitting in the slider and having his safety belt attached. The batsman gives his signal and Peter is towed along the field. Moving shot of Peter trying to keep the wings level. He isn't as good as Pauline. L/S of the hangar. Senior instructor does a routine inspection of a glider. C/Us of his hands as he tests the wings. Another man makes notes and the instructor signs a form confirming that the aircraft is safe to fly. C/U of a winch. Glider takes off. Shot of two gliders in the air. A group of women watch the gliders. Various air to air shots of the gliders. Aerial shot of the training field with several gliders on the ground. A glider comes in to land. C/U of several club members mending a damaged glider. C/U of a young boy who is making a model glider.

Continued.