Faulkes provided £350,000 funding to John Edgley of Edgley Sailplanes Ltd to help fund the prototyping and development of a two-seater sailplane. This was the two seater version of the EA9 Optimist based on honeycomb Fibrelam board and was to be the glider of choice for the Flying Foundation. Sadly, Edgley Sailplanes went out of business before producing the two seater.