1965-1969 Overview

  • In 1965 the club returned from Carlisle to operate in Scotland at Glenrothes before finally settling down at Strathallan in 1966. The first lifts from Strathallan were made on the 15th January 1966 jumping onto the moor at Gleneagles Hotel; the first jumps onto the airfield were made on the 8th October that year.

  • In the early days at Strathallan, students were dropped onto the moors at Gleneagles Hotel - the airfield was considered too small to use as a student drop zone.

  • The airfield facilities at Strathallan were very different to what is there now. Originally the runway was in front of the castle, and an old hangar still remains, used as one of the farm buildings. The current club building was erected in 1965, though this was for the use of the aviation business that the Roberts family owned. 

  • The parachute club was a small operation, but had enough of a focus to arrange the National Invitational Championships at Arbroath. 

  • SPC was the only freefall club north of Manchester at this time

  • Training courses were run over 6 weeks with one evening training per week at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee Territorial Army Halls. The main membership source was TA members at this time.

  • Doc Robertson emigrated to Canada in 1965, leaving the club in some very capable hands including Tom Dickson, Mac Fraser, George McEwan and Gordon Fernie. 

  • Doc visited Scotland and the club a few times after leaving for Canada, and was guest of honour at the 1968 AGM. Doc was back over for most of that year for some postgraduate medical study. 

  • In 1967 Sir Fitzroy McLean MP, CBE became Club President

  • Also in 1967, Tony Smith makes his first jumps, having been an associate member since 1964 at the age of 14. Tony went on to become CCI and Chairman amongst other positions

  • In 1968 Gordon Fernie gained his instructor rating, with which he served the club until 1993

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