THE Cotswold Gliding Club near Stroud is to host the UK National Junior Gliding Competition this month.

Some of the top young (17 to 25 years) glider pilots in the UK will be competing at the club's base at Aston Down Airfield from Saturday, August 21 until Sunday, August 29 this year.

The competition gives young pilots, who are permitted to fly a glider solo from the age of 14, an opportunity to demonstrate their skills to members of the general public, who are welcome to come along as spectators.

The Cotswold Regional Gliding Competition will be held at the same time and the total entry is expected to be some 75 gliders.

The gliders will be set out in a grid pattern on the runway each day, weather permitting, and will be launched by a fleet of up to 10 powered “Tug” aircraft.

Depending on the weather each day a course, known as a “task” will be set and the fastest glider around the task, after a handicap adjustment for the type of aircraft, will be declared the winner for the day.

The overall winner of the event will be the glider with the best overall performance.

For further details see cotswoldcomps.co.uk