It's plane sailing for gliding club now
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A MORAY gliding club is again able to reach for the skies after unveiling a brand new £80,000 hangar.
Disaster struck for the Highland Gliding Club in January 2010, when a deluge of heavy snow caused the previous hangar structure to collapse on top of five aircraft that were crushed below.
Gliding club chairman Robert Tait admitted this week that the bitter blow almost crippled the club, which has been in Moray since 1970, and serious doubts were cast over its future.
However, those concerns have now been allayed with the completion of the new hangar, which, Mr Tait said, is bigger and better than the structure it has replaced.
"It was a real low point for the club . . . and it was pretty much as near to the end of the club as you can get," he told ‘The Northern Scot’.
"But we have not just replaced it, we have made it bigger.
"There’s a real buzz around the place now. We have really turned the corner and are looking forward to the future."
After the original hangar collapsed, it was decided to allow small powered aircraft to access the club’s facilities at the Easterton Airfield, near Birnie.
The aim was to boost the club’s membership, and Mr Tait said it had the desired effect.
"We brought in powered aircraft, which has really helped turn around our membership and has been a really big plus.
"We have had a lot of support from our members."
The Elgin-based Highland Galvanisers, for which Mr Tait is a company director, also offered its services and galvanised 20 tonnes of structural steel for the new building.
It means that the new building has far more strength and rigidity, and is also weather-resistant.
The new larger structure also has more space for aircraft, as well as an area that allows for maintenance.
"It’s a real good news story," Mr Tait added.
Moray MP Angus Robertson and MSP Richard Lochhead cut the ribbon this week to officially open the new structure.
Mr Robertson said: "The Highland Gliding Club is now in its 40th year, having been formed in 1971, and there is a great community spirit about the club, which brings together members from all over the North of Scotland.
"The club members have put in a tremendous effort to get the hangar re-instated and the club is now operating from better facilities than ever."
Mr Lochhead added: "It is great to see the resilience shown by the club in repairing the severe damage caused by the incredible amount of snow that fell last year.
"The re-opening is the culmination of that effort and they can quite rightly be very pleased with themselves and the work that has been carried out.
"With activities back on track the club will continue to go from strength to strength."
