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Post by billw212 on Aug 31, 2011 5:17:36 GMT 1
Good morning all,
I wonder if anyone can relate to a company that was based at Coventry Airport (Baginton) and used to fly Dakotas to I believe Southend airport every day.The company was / is "Air Atlantique". I think they still operate, but not sure if they still use the Dakota. I do have a nice model of one of them on a stand next to this PC.
Bill
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Post by viscount on Aug 31, 2011 12:15:59 GMT 1
Air Atlantique have operated a fair fleet of Dakotas from Coventry Airport since around 1984 when they moved from Blackpool. The last few of Dakotas are now with Classic Flight at Coventry as the former Air Atlantique is now known. At one time Air Atlantique formed a scheduled passenger subsiduary "Air Corbiere" with a Metro and Cessna 404, but think that the only route was Liverpool and Coventry to Jersey and Guernsey. For a while Air Atlantique had a pair of passenger HS.748s, but cannot recall what route they used them for.
Harvestair of Southend in the early '80s, also had a small fleet of Dakotas used for a pollution spraying contract. When this contract passed to Air Atlantique, so too did the Dakotas. Suspect that Air Atlantique based some of their spray equipped Dakota aircraft at Southend on readiness for some years. Maybe this is the root of your memories, I certainly don't recall a regular operation between the two airfields though.
Perhaps someone else can add to my somewhat vague reply ?
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Post by billw212 on Sept 1, 2011 4:40:44 GMT 1
Air Atlantique have operated a fair fleet of Dakotas from Coventry Airport since around 1984 when they moved from Blackpool. The last few of Dakotas are now with Classic Flight at Coventry as the former Air Atlantique is now known. At one time Air Atlantique formed a scheduled passenger subsiduary "Air Corbiere" with a Metro and Cessna 404, but think that the only route was Liverpool and Coventry to Jersey and Guernsey. For a while Air Atlantique had a pair of passenger HS.748s, but cannot recall what route they used them for. Harvestair of Southend in the early '80s, also had a small fleet of Dakotas used for a pollution spraying contract. When this contract passed to Air Atlantique, so too did the Dakotas. Suspect that Air Atlantique based some of their spray equipped Dakota aircraft at Southend on readiness for some years. Maybe this is the root of your memories, I certainly don't recall a regular operation between the two airfields though. Perhaps someone else can add to my somewhat vague reply ? |
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Post by billw212 on Sept 1, 2011 4:44:14 GMT 1
Good morning Viscount,
Yes they were visible most days flying over here towards the South East and Southend and then the return flight.
But what brought this to mind was I could have sworn that I heard a Dakota a couple of days ago but I was indoors doin something and I could not get out quick enough.
Anyway mate thanks for your reply.
Bill
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Post by ronturner on Sept 3, 2011 7:29:37 GMT 1
There was a company called Don Everall Aviation. They flew Dakotas from Coventry to various places. Jersey and Guernsey for sure. Maybe Southend as well but I cannot be certain of that. I saw, and have on B&W photo somewhere a Don Everall DC-3 taking off from Coventry in 1955. It was all grass in those days. Don Everall were based at Wolverhampton airfield. (Wolverhampton.....not Halfpenny Green which renamed itself Wolverhampton recently.) I landed there in 1966 in G-ARGY on my qualifying cross country solo flight. I should have gone to Halfpenny Green but they wanted a landing fee of 5 shillings even though I was buying fuel, so I decided to go to Wolverhampton instead where the landings were free with fuel uplift. I can remember all that but I don't know where I left my set of alan keys yesterday. LInk to picture (Air Britain colection) www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1044739/Link re Wolverhampton:- www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/Pendeford/Airport.htm |
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Post by billw212 on Sept 9, 2011 5:13:26 GMT 1
Good morning Ron, yes now Don Everall ALSO used to run a coach company, based in Wolverhampton and he used to operate all over the midlands.The company livery, if my memory serves me correctly, was brown and I think yellow, but I couldbe wrong on that one.
Bill
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