This was very popular with the social members who wanted to avoid the hordes of holiday-makers, and produced a profit with which to pay for the gliding activities.

[6] An old Hawkridge Dagling glider was acquired in 1951, registered BGA 493, suitable only for being dragged along the ground by a car while the student pilot practised keeping the wings level.

Soaring (climbing in rising air after cable release) was a rare possibility at Blackpool, but occasional thermals did occur.

84 flights were made there between August 1958 and May 1960, some of them in the EoN Baby BGA 629 which had been operated by the club since 1956, but the location was too gusty, steep, and obstructed by trees and boulders, so the site was abandoned.

[10] In 1961 EoN Olympia 2B BGA 1056 was bought with financial assistance from Herbert J. Liver, their then president,[11] providing a step-up in performance, and the Cadet was sold.

Being enthusiastic about all forms of flying, Beamont readily gave permission to use Samlesbury Aerodrome as their base, completely without charge.

They had to use the runways, which were composed of tarmac with granite chips to give maximum braking for any Canberras and Lightnings aborting take-off, and which caused severe wear to glider tow cables, especially the preferred stranded type, so piano wire had to be used.

[13] Relations with BAC staff were cordial, and the club was regularly permitted to use their hangars, thus reducing the chore of rigging and de-rigging the gliders every day for trailer storage.

The site gave the opportunity for much more soaring, both thermal and ridge, than Blackpool, and average flight times grew significantly.

During this period a Bréguet Fauvette single seater, a Blanik tandem two-seater, and a Slingsby T45 Swallow single-seater were acquired – some of the finance still coming from The Kite club at Squires Gate.

[14] The club bought an old fuel bowser as scrap from BAC and its Bedford chassis was used as the basis for a new winch which was built by the members.

[15] The idea of building a hangar for the BFGC at Samlesbury was discussed, and BAC even drew up a plan, but the members wanted a flying field of their own, preferably nearer the hills of Bowland Forest.

[16] In 1967 the club discovered that the owner of Lower Cock Hill Farm, Fiddlers Lane, Chipping, was retiring and considering selling his 57 acres, including the farmhouse and barn.

[21] While flying continued at Samlesbury, the club members started a phase of hard work at Chipping, using outside contractors as little as possible.

The rest of the fleet followed in August 1973, and the work was largely completed by the end of the year so that a full flying and social programme could begin.

Unfortunately local opposition was aroused and after a long wrangle, including a court case, powered aircraft were banned again and the Pawnee was sold in June 1994.

[35] Since the club moved to Chipping, hang gliding and paragliding have become common activities, and Parlick Fell has become a popular location for them, as well as for radio-controlled model aircraft.