Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2015 20:10:11 GMT 1
In July 1988, we were asked to take the 146 to London City Airport (LCY) for a series of demo flights. The purpose of this was to prove to the local populace that although it was a jet, it wasn’t necessarily noisy and to the CAA that it was possible to operate the 146 in and out of LCY. In order to have the maximum impact and not to interfere with the normal movements, it had been decided that it would take place on a Sunday (Oh joy!). So the current demonstrator was dragged out of the flight sheds at Hatfield, given a wash, and off we went. This was c/n 2008, which had been registered G-BMYE. Now there is a story attached to this. We had originally asked for G-BYME 
, but a dyslexic clerk in the CAA gave us G-BMYE instead, and since the aircraft was urgently needed for demo work, there was no time to change it. The reg we wanted was apparently given to a GARDAN GY80, whose owner was no doubt both bemused and amused when the registration papers arrived in the post!
The airport had only recently opened and had only been licensed for use by Dash 7s at the time. A combination of Brymon Airways and London City Airways, which was owned by Mike Bishop of British Midland fame, operated the services, manly to the nearby European capitals. It was conceived as a convenient airport for the banking and insurance companies who were now moving into Canary Wharf as well as being quite convenient from the City area of London.
Despite it being a typical July day (cloudy and cool) the great and good had turned out in large numbers and it was clearly the busiest day at the airport since it had opened. Strangely, there seemed to be very few media people around, which is often a blessing in these situations. The test pilots had been practising 5 degree approaches at Hatfield the previous week to be ready for the big occasion. The local populace had turned out in force, many with placards with the usual, ‘No Jets at City’, ‘No More Noise’, etc. At one point I was leaving the terminal, suitably booted and suited and with my BAe badge prominently displayed, when one of the demonstrators came up to me and said “’Ere mate, when’s this noisy jet of yours gonna take off then?” It gave me great pleasure to tell him that it had already done four take-offs and would be doing a couple more before the demo ended. He wandered off, mumbling, to his supporters. We never did hear any more about the noise! Actually the later newspaper reports were very favourable.
As a result of the demo and some further test flights, the CAA agreed to allow the 146-100 and -200 to operate from the airport.
Since then, LCY has gone from strength to strength, though it is rapidly reaching its current capacity in its present condition. When I was there in ’88, I never imagined for a minute that you’d be able to fly to New York from there, nor did I imagine that some business jets would be allowed to use it. However, it shows that there is a need for such an airport, even with all its restrictions. Extensions to the terminal building are now taking place, as well as the corporate area, together with a hangar, which will please the engineers no end!
THE TERMINAL BUILDING IN 1988
THE WHOLE POINT IN BUILDING CITY AIRPORT WAS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE BANKERS TO CATCH FLIGHTS TO EUROPE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO TREK TO HEATHROW, ESPECIALLY SINCE CANARY WHARF HAD BECOME A BANKING CENTRE. THIS WAS REFLECTED IN LONDON CITY AIRWAYS' TAIL LIVERY. G-BOAY WAS ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED FOR BOAC's CONCORDES, BUT WERE NOT OF COURSE TAKEN UP.
THESE GUYS WERE STANDING BY - JUST IN CASE...
ONE OF THE REGULARS TAKES OFF
NOW IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU'LL SEE A WATER SKIER AND AN AIRCRAFT IN THE SAME PHOTO - EXCEPT PERHAPS AT ST MAARTEN!
G-BMYE RETURNS TO THE APRON FROM ONE OF THE DEMO FLIGHTS
For anyone interested in more of the background, here's a link to the story at the time: www.lcacc.org/archive/lcynews7.pdf
