Gordon Sweetapple

[FoLA]

Can anyone fill in some gaps with regard to Gordon Sweetapple?

We are trying to establish his exact role when he was at the Airport and the dates. There is conjecture that he may have been Airport Director for a short period but this is unsubstantiated at present.

Our resident expert of the Airport - Phil Butler - is "not absolutely sure that he was ever actually one of the Managers or Directors. He came to the airport as an Operations Officer concerned with technical matters. I can't remember the date, so I don't know if it was during the building of the new runway or shortly afterwards. He was certainly involved with the ILS and the long struggle to get it approved for 'Cat. 2'
operations. [Nothing changes!]
He was also involved in the design of a proposed terminal building on the new runway site, and the extended apron 'fingers' on the old site. I think he left when it was clear that the Liverpool council wasn't going to fund the building of the terminal which he had designed [it is said that Terminal 1 and the linked multi-storey car park at Manchester were replicas of his design for Liverpool]. Dennis Ridgeway, who was Gordon's deputy, took over from him and did become 'Acting Director'. Maybe Gordon was the Acting Director for a short time before he left."

Mr Sweetapple recently passed away in the IOM after a long career in aviation, notably at Manchester and the IOM.

Thanks

[Beemer]

Sadly, I have never heard of Gordon Sweetapple but by Googling his name quite a few mention him as "Ex Director of Manchester International Airport". Regards Beemer.

[coaxingtin]

Suggest you try the Flightglobal Archive. I've just tried with Liverpool Runway 1966 in the search box and got some page hits but for some reason can't bring the pages up. He was certainly the Airport Ops Officer for a while and I also seem to remember he was Director for a short period. This was in the days when the airport had a brilliant management team but sadly they were way ahead of their time. I can imagine what they would have thought of some of the clowns who came later!

[viscount]

A hunt around the internet has produced few hits of importance.
I thought I may have found the date of his appointment as Director at Manchester Airport, but failed. He appears certainly to have been at Liverpool circa 1966-1968, the period of Cat.II ILS installation. Then certainly Director of Manchester Airport by December 1974. Nothing found (by me) on the internet regarding his move to Isle of Man in 1984, nor his subsequent retirement either.

As Director of IoM Airport, he was guest speaker at the meeting of Air Britain, Liverpool Branch, Woolton Hall, in May 1986, talking about 'My Life in Aviation'. Unfortunately no record of the proceedings of that meeting were recorded in NWAN magazine.

Depending on when Gordon Sweetapple joined the team at Liverpool Airport, there are two 'windows' open to have briefly been Acting Director. Between Wg Cdr HWG 'Harry' Andrews resigning Feb 1964 and Keith Porter appointed April 1964. A decade later Keith Porter was ill for a while before resigning mid 70s. (Just maybe a gap here?). Dennis Ridgeway became an Acting Airport Director mid 70s until leaving May 1978, when replaced as Acting Airport Director by Bryan Trunkfield, Spring 1978 until July 1978 and the appointment of Rod Rufus.

As to the point regarding Gordon Sweetapple leaving Liverpool and using his design experience to plan Terminal One at Manchester, the dates don't match, as the new Terminal at Manchester was built 1963, too early for him to have been involved. The Manchester multi-story car park was much later though, at a guess late 70s/early 80s, so he very likely was involved as Airport Director in seeing the project through.

In the November 1985 published book 'Manx Aviation in War & Peace' author Gordon Kniveton briefly states ".... Mr Gordon J. Sweetapple became Airport Director in 1984 and brought with him a wealth of experience gained at Stansted, Manchester International and by consultancy work."

Sorry, not much help, even in pinning-down key dates to aid further research. Will be interested in reading a biography in '09/27' should a good source of material be found. Don't know that I ever met him, but clearly recall the name from my early days as a 'spotter'.

[coaxingtin]

I recall attending a talk given by Gordon Sweetapple at an Air-Britain Merseyside Branch meeting circa 1967. It was in the very atmospheric Stork Hotel in Queen Square, destroyed by civic vandalism not long afterwards and replaced by a bus station.

[FoLA]

Dec 14, 2010 18:44:51 GMT 1 coaxingtin said:

Suggest you try the Flightglobal Archive. I've just tried with Liverpool Runway 1966 in the search box and got some page hits but for some reason can't bring the pages up. He was certainly the Airport Ops Officer for a while and I also seem to remember he was Director for a short period. This was in the days when the airport had a brilliant management team but sadly they were way ahead of their time. I can imagine what they would have thought of some of the clowns who came later!

A search of the Flightglobal Archive reveals liitle other than a semi-firm date when he left Manchester Airport (role taken over by Gil Thompson) which was July 81.

[aviator21]

First time on your forum; would like to reply to posts re Gordon Sweetapple, who I am proud to say was my father. I can clear up some dates for you - he was Chief Operations Offier at Liverpool but not Acting Director - this was indeed Denis Ridgeway until his retirement. Dad moved to Manchester in early 1969 as deputy airport director and was appointed Airport Director in 1974. I have included a brief excerpt from his bio (as best we could prepare it) for interest. A memorial service is due to be held at Manchester Airport possibly end Feb/early March and we will post details once the airport has confirmed the date. It will be held in the Concorde Visitor's Centre, a location we think he would have approved of. I have appreciated reading the respectful comments......

In 1965, Liverpool Airport was searching for suitable expertise in runway and terminal development and Gordon was recommended, subsequently taking up the post of Chief Operations Officer. Working closely with Denis Ridgeway the new runway was built but prior to starting work on the new terminal – British Eagle, the main operator at the airport, went into receivership and resulted in a 50% reduction in traffic overnight. This curtailed plans for the new terminal and a more modest redevelopment of existing buildings took place instead.
While at Liverpool, he undertook the restoration of a de Havilland Mosquito that was subsequently used in the film “Mosquito Squadron” with David McCullum. The aircraft is now preserved at the de Havilland Trust at Salisbury Hall, north of London, where the Mosquito was designed.
In 1969 Gordon accepted the position of Deputy Airport Director at Manchester Airport, although most of this time was spent as Acting Airport Director due to the poor health of incumbent. He was officially appointed Airport Director in 1974. Gordon’s achievements while at Manchester are too numerous to mention however, he and his team masterminded the plans for the second runway and airfield development up to 2000 and beyond. Terminal 1 redevelopment – provision of new check-in facilities – was actually prototyped by Gordon using son Michael’s lego set! A number of new routes were established during his tenure including those operated by Wardair, Laker, Britannia and American Airlines.
All of the airfield equipment and facilities were uprated and improved – including the runway certification to Category IIIB and Manchester became Manchester International Airport. A hands-on operations man at heart – Gordon would disappear for days at a time to help keep the runway clear of snow or to cope with diversions from other airports due to inclement weather.


Always a motor racing fan, and evolving from his hobby of building racing car engines for others, Gordon became involved with kart racing and during quiet periods was known to test his kart on the main runway and taxiways – much to the entertainment of the air traffic controllers and the fire service. Each Christmas day, Gordon would head off to visit all working staff at the airport and spend the morning chatting and sharing out bottles and gifts that he had been given. All staff based at the airport knew Gordon personally; from baggage handlers to airline management and he was a popular and natural ‘man manager’.
While at Manchester and still certified as an airfield inspector, he used to carry out all the lighting and approach aid inspections – saving the airport the expense of hiring outside contractors. In 1980 Gordon was honoured by Manchester Metropolitan University for his contribution to the aviation and the regional economy, with an honorary degree.