This was my second visit to the annual Birdman event. My first was in 2007 when it was held in Bognor Regis for the last time (photos here), it is now held at Worthing which is a bit further east on the West Sussex coast. It followed the same pattern as before, hang gliders and flying machines on the Saturday and the lovely loonies on Sunday. I don’t find the hang gliders very interesting so I just pitched up on the Sunday. The lovely loonies, as I call them, are the brave souls who dress up and jump off the elevated pier into the sea, having raised substantial amounts for their favourite charities, God bless ‘em! This year they did have a few hang gliders and “things” on the Sunday. One was a huge device from Southampton University, piloted by “Mr Gadget Man” as the gathered press and photographers named him. I have included a photograph here. Another, was having a second attempt to win the £30,000 price for flying 100 meters, having missed it by a few centimeters the day before. With the wind in the opposite direction to Saturday he flopped into the sea right next to the pier, to the relief of the Worthing Borough Treasurer no doubt. The one I will always remember was the device that crashed into the pier right where I was standing, I had to dive onto the floor to avoid it. Nobody was hurt but it did remove a large piece of wood from of the pier’s supports. Better that than my head, some would agree!
Latest News. I entered the photograph of “Laurel and Hardy” and the red airplane (see it below) into the Evrium Software monthly photograph competition, it was judged runner up. Thanks Evrium.
