Army Sportsman of the Year's passion took off at Bidford

MAJOR Allan Tribe, whose passion for flying took off at Bidford Gliding Club, has been awarded the prestigious Army Sportsman of the Year award for 2011.

During his army career Allan, pictured below, has enjoyed success twice in the Interservices Championships when the army gliding team beat rivals from the RAF equivalent.

He is a member of the British Gliding team that flew in last year’s European Championships in Slovakia. And, as a British Gliding Association Instructor Coach, and the only one in the army, he instructs other future instructors.

Most recently Allan has introduced gliding into the ‘Battleback’ programme organised by the MoD which helps rehabilitate military personnel who have been seriously wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, this recently culminated with a triple amputee flying solo for the first time.

When he’s not airborne Allan spends time visiting his father Dereck who lives locally.

Major Allan Tribe