Ken Wilkinson

My Flying Life: Ken Wilkinson 

The longtime cross-country pilot on what matters most

9 September, 2025, by Cross Country

Where do you live? Bristol in the UK. 

How did you get into flying? I flew lots of big flights in the 1980s on hang gliders, the best being 170km, and quite a few over 100km. 

What is your earliest flying memory? Getting sucked into cloud on a hang glider when very green, in the UK. Scary! 

What got you hooked on flying? Learning how to find and use thermals, and from there fly cross country.

What does flying mean to you now? I am in my early 70s now, and just doing a few big flights keeps me engaged. 

What keeps you flying? You’ve got to keep going. There’s no choice!

Can you tell us about a really special moment you’ve had recently in flying? Getting over the 200km was a...

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