Aviator Gordon Martin to fly giant kestrel in RedBull Flugtag event

The 41-year-old Tadcaster man is 2nd Flight Engineer in a team taking part in a RedBull Flugtag event at Roundhay Park in Leeds later this month, when they will attempt to fly their home-made, human-powered flying machine as far as possible.

He said the team’s design was based on the iconic film Kes, which told the story of a young’s boys hopes and dreams of escaping the rigours of a bleak northern life by training a kestrel.

He said: “Our plane will replicate the shape and the looks of a kestrel. The wing shapes have been specially designed, following extensive research and guidance from the wing designer of the Airbus A380, taking into account weight, air speeds and so on.

“By using a revolutionary launch system, we aim to generate enough speed to not only gain a glide, but to sustain a level glide for a good distance.” He said the infrastructure was made of condensed polystyrene foam, with a laser-printed, feather- patterned vinyl material used to cover it.

“We are probably one of the most innovative and aesthetically pleasing teams,” he said.

Gordon, whose day job is head of wholesale for fashion brand Joe Browns, said the Come On Kes team, which also involves captain Paul “Woody” Woodcock, pilot Ryan “Tommo” Thompson and flight engineer Kieron “Kes” Clarke, all from Barnsley, had built a 180ft long by 9ft high test ramp to test the craft flight in a field adjoining the construction site.

Up to 25,000 spectators are expected to flock to Roundhay Park on July 17 for the first Flugtag event in Britain since 2008 when one was staged in Hyde Park.

The current world record for longest flight by a Flugtag flying machine was set by the Major Trouble And The Dirty Dixies” team in St Paul, Minnesota, USA, in 2010, when they managed 63.09 metres.

• Entry for the public to the Flugtag event is free, but a ticket will be required, with tickets distributed via a ballot system by going to redbull.co.uk/flugtag.