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Post by PB on Oct 13, 2021 6:45:40 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 13/10/21October 13th... 76 years ago today the Blackbushe stratagem was one of peace, it was over a month since peace had broken out across Europe, the airfield's operations were now directed toward transport and communications. On this day, 13th October, a victory parade was held in nearby Camberley. A march past of service personnel took place within which RAF representation was provided by Blackbushe's RAF and WAAF personnel. A Spitfire was placed on static display enabling the public in many cases to get their first close up view of the aeroplane that changed history. Over the passing years it has been a joy to place various Spitfires on show at Blackbushe to continue providing that moment when visitors are able to get their first close up view of the miracle known as "Spitfire".
2017, Blackbushe 75.A 16 Squadron Spitfire returned to Blackbushe for the airfield's 75th. 16's blue Spitfires were famed for their incredible photo recce work flying unarmed into enemy territory providing essential intelligence prior to occasions such as D-Day.The Spitfire and Blackbushe association continued long after the war. It was home to Doug Arnold's utterly immaculate Mk XVI Spitfire for some time and put on show at Blackbushe's 1977 Air Restival......while in the hangars now owned by BCA, Warbirds of Great Britain gave life back to numerous Spitfires as they were rebuilt and refurbished taking their place in the skies once again...No other aeroplane speaks the words that Spitfire speaks whether she's quietly on the ground or when her Merlin speaks out loud and clear.PB
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Post by PB on Oct 14, 2021 6:10:38 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 14/10/21ANNOUNCEMENT!!Some mornings it can be a challenge scribing something new regarding Blackbushe Airport. Today is NOT one of those days...
"POTD" has mentioned more than once how Father Time's relentless work will see Blackbushe Airport reach 80 incredible years of operation next year.. An occasion we cannot allow to pass by without celebration.
So...
SAVE THE DATE, Blackbushe Airport will be celebrating her 80th Anniversary with a Fly-in on Saturday 11th June, 2022.
Much as we did with the very successful Air Day in 2016 there will be a gathering of static aircraft, plus fun and games for all ages and music entertainment. The newly refurbished Pathfinder Cafe will be hosting a BBQ on the patio.
Far more detail will follow in the spring of next year, but please note that aircraft visiting the Fly-in will enjoy the benefit of a free landing. A raffle will be held to the benefit of Blackbushe home based charity 'Aerobility'.. Blackbushe Air-Day 2016 gathered some interesting hardware.. Soon be 2022's turn.Our volunteers who have been living in hopes of there being another "Blackbushe" day may now uncross their fingers, the call for duty will be heard in due course.
Blackbushe's 80th Birthday celebrations will be conducted with the full input, support and participation of the new Airport Management Team as we chalk up another occasion that will go down in the Airport's history books. Note the date, 11th June, 2022.
See you there!!
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 15, 2021 6:51:07 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 15/10/21Greetings to all Blackbushe people, hopefully yesterday's news regarding the June 2022 celebrations planned for the Airport's 80th Anniversary has you all filled with effervescent excitement. What you can start doing is communicating with the great god of meteorology suggesting we are granted fair weather for the day.. Historically we have always been lucky with our Blackbushe events, the sun shining on the righteous? Of course, June 11th 2022 will be wall to wall sunshine, the only brolly requirement being to keep the sun off?
Some memories of our 2016 Air Day, next year will be on a similar footing..Yaks appeared in numbers..Trade stands and a variety of fun and games for all plus plenty of aeroplanes to inspect went to creating an inexpensive family day out providing many the opportunity to learn more about Blackbushe, her value to all including the local economy and aviation, while some took the opportunity of a first trial flying lesson.Unusual aeroplanes for close inspection where you could also meet and chat with the pilots.As always, admirably backed up by our volunteers and ATC squadrons.Catering outlets were busy as did the now closed old Cafe who obviously did themselves well from the day. The new and totally refurbished premises of the "Pathfinder Cafe" will bring a BBQ and new and mouth watering delights to the 2022 event, plus greatly expanded space for eating and viewing al fresco - the perfect place to watch the goings on whilst feeding the inner person.All shapes and sizes were on hand, from WW2 fighters to the latest in gyrocoptery action..The one and only Capt Trevor Jones finds the gyrocopter's comforts are not quite like the bizz jets usually strapped to his back..Your scribe managed to get some airborne time in a 'new type'..The Bronco and her crew were a great hit with all who attended..The gorgeous Avro 19 courtesy of BAe Systems and Shuttleworth brought with her the charm and nostalgia of Blackbushe past and aviation's days long gone.Here's to 2022, see you there!!
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 16, 2021 6:37:40 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 16/10/21Another day christened at the keyboard as the aerodrome on Hartford Bridge urges thoughts and considerations as to her circumstances, 06.00, the irrepressible airfield needs to have her say...
Blackbushe Airport is without doubt a unique player in this country's aviation history. A good length of very hard runway located adjacent a major trunk road less than an hour to Central London and just five minutes from the M3 leading to London one way, Southampton the other. Despite being denied the ability to provide full scale engineering and hangarage facilities at the moment, the airfield hosts regular business jet movements, is home to very active and professional flying schools, offers the incredibly popular "Pathfinder Cafe", and above all she retains the hope of the better future that some of us have clung to for six decades..
The skies of north eastern Hampshire offer many chapters for anybody wishing to write about their past, present, and future... Nearby Farnborough together with Blackbushe have chalked up many chapters between them, with Farnborough Airport, built on Farnborough Common, well ahead in years. It was on this day in 1908 that Samuel F Cody took off from Farnborough Common in his "British Army Aeroplane No 1", a biplane powered by a 50 hp Antoinette engine. The flight covered 424 metres before crashing, Cody survived to fly another day. Farnborough has subsequently played a huge role in this nation's endeavours in reaching for the sky. Blackbushe came along when our nation had no option other than to fight for its survival, aviation had developed in leaps and bounds by 1942 when Blackbushe first flew from her runways. Post war Farnborough catered for aviation science and development and experimentation, Blackbushe provided the London area with a second commercial airport to London, the 'first' London airport being known today as Heathrow.
Both airfields are now in private ownership, Farnborough the exclusive business jet centre for the very well heeled, Blackbushe the affordable alternative where all are welcome..While Farnborough traffic is in the midst of an environmentally questionable location due to high levels of residential property beneath her approach, Blackbushe offers the peaceful and affordable alternative. Compare her environmental advantages with Farnborough and clearly Blackbushe is an airport to be taken very seriously when looking at the future of General Aviation in the south-east.
The future is never certain, the past year or so have shown that, but as we move deeper into the 21st Century and the need for GA runways seeks a strong and environmentally friendly infrastructure an airfield located where Blackbushe is, and with all of her 'natural' benefits, must surely be placed at the top of the list of 'must have' aerodromes...whilst others look like perhaps becoming 'leafy garden suburbs', Blackbushe has no such inclinations.. ..in the midst of acres of green....Blackbushe Airport, the "must have" environmentally unequalled General Aviation business airport for tomorrow.Comments?
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 17, 2021 6:21:23 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 17/10/21Mid October, the year might be running out of steam as the sun tracks lower in our skies each day, but Blackbushe Airport yesterday demonstrated that she is far from running out of steam, quite the opposite!
As more than once (!) our Forum has suggested the value of a business airfield where Blackbushe happens to be, yesterday illustrated to a degree the significance and purpose of that suggestion. Through the day numerous business jets and turbo prop visitors arrived from across the UK and Europe truly giving a serious impression of how life might well be if/when the airfield's facilities are upgraded. GPS approach, expanded apron facility, new Terminal and passenger handing facilities, etc etc.. For now those who share similar hopes for Blackbushe must wait for that day when all obstacles are overcome and the airfield can justly say "Here I am, the new Blackbushe awaits". For now, days like yesterday provide valuable resource for the Airport and positive indication that the business aviation fraternity are increasingly aware of Blackbushe's many benefits...
Paul has once again given the Forum's movements page a collection of excellent photos, here's a link... blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/16438 Superb aren't they?
Meanwhile our very good friend John Varndell placed the following photos on social media, and 'POTD' is very happy to present them to our Forum followers this morning.. Thanks John!!The tri-engined Falcon 50 is an increasingly regular sight at Blackbushe nowadays.Three Citation Mustangs arrived at Blackbushe yesterday, here's one of them.The ageless Navajo... yesteday piston engines still sounded as lovely as ever!Another PC-12 enjoys Blackbushe, another type increasingly seen here.Another ageless marvel of the business world, the King Air family has long been associated with Blackbushe..Blackbushe's apron playing host to a variety of shapes..If a picture paints a thousand words, these perfectly parked multi national tails tell a tale of that burning potential bursting to be released as Blackbushe shows just a glance of what she is capable of.. Finally this morning, some thoughts from an edition of AVweb recently..
The stories and theories of future electric flight abound, but the day when the sky is occupied by rechargeable aeroplanes is probably some way into the future. However, a possible candidate for fossil free fuelled flight come s from this AVweb article?The DA-40, Diamonds electrified version of a proven airframe..Why Diamond’s Electric DA40 Could Be A Corner Turner
Paul Bertorelli October 13, 2021
Rendering: Diamond Aircraft
When Diamond’s presser on its new-OK, planned-electric DA40 arrived yesterday, it almost went into the bit bucket as just another in an ever longer list of e-airplane announcements. But then … wait, this is Diamond, not a garage startup looking for starry-eyed VC dollars. Nonetheless, I have learned to carefully word search press releases for the phrase game changer and/or either word separately. The announcement passed through my filter.
Having been knocked all but senseless by weekly announcements on new electric airplanes, I have nonetheless retained enough of my wits to sense that Diamond’s entry shows promise. I’m not going to call it a game changer, because I don’t think it is, but I would coin a new phrase: corner turner. There’s a favorable alignment of timing, rising demand, advancing battery technology and a cooperative regulatory environment that could very well buoy this project into viability.
When I first started covering electric airplanes more than a decade ago, no one knew what to expect. But industry leader Pipistrel eventually concluded that the best way to build an electric airplane was not to slap an e-motor into an airframe that had a gasoline engine, but to design the airframe clean sheet as an electric. Perversely, it then slapped an electric motor into the Rotax-powered Alpha trainer and enjoyed modest sales success, albeit not in the commercial flight training world. With its eFlyer 2, Bye Aerospace is hewing to the ground-up approach and Diamond is just electrifying a DA40.
There may be method to this madness. First of all, the DA40 is a proven airframe with benign, predictable handling that’s yielded a superb safety record. It hasn’t been every flight school’s cup of tea, but it has still found sales traction. Now, something intriguing: Diamond isn’t certifying a new type here, but doing an STC for a new powerplant. Diamond’s Scott McFadzean told me they hope to be able to retrofit existing airframes with electric propulsion. Think about that. Your gasoline- or diesel-powered DA40 is timed out and three years or five or eight years from now, the electric economics look better, so you convert it. If they can make this work, it would reduce the capital requirement by leveraging sunk costs in an existing airframe.
Some numbers: Diamond says the eDA40’s endurance will be about 90 minutes, with a return-to-service charge time of about 20 minutes. One charging proposal is a truck with a battery pack that could drive right up to the airplane just as a fuel truck does now and to shave costs, the truck could be charged at night to capitalize on off-peak pricing. (I’m sure it will have an onboard computer to figure all that out and send a text reminder to the driver’s Apple watch.)
The batteries will be in a pod under the belly of the airplane and although I don’t have the weight of them precisely, the airplane will retain its 2821-pound gross weight (1280 kg) on a planned empty weight of 2403 pounds (1090 kg). Payload will be about 190 kg or 418 pounds. It’s a two-person airplane, even though the cabin retains its original volume and seats.
Diamond estimates the battery life will be about 2000 cycles, which translates to a best-case of 3000 hours. Real-world performance here matters because battery replacement is expensive and shorter cycle life could chew into the 40 percent lower operating costs Diamond thinks the eDA40 could deliver. And although 40 percent sounds like a lot, it’s not necessarily if a school doesn’t budget that for fuel. No hard numbers on price yet, but McFadzean said a working estimate of $550,000 is realistic. That’s similar to the Jet-A DA40NG.
Heretofore, electric airplanes have been curiosities and somewhat illusory. I’ve had to travel all the way to Slovenia (twice) to fly one and European owners have made themselves scarce when asked about operating economics. But I think a sea change is afoot caused by a combination of worry about unleaded avgas costing more, looming climate change regulation and a sense of inevitability of electric propulsion, given the directionality of the car and truck market. After a period of doldrums, the electric vehicle market is again booming.
While the timing is more favorable for an entry, I have no feel or prediction for the developmental timeline. I don’t see these airplanes being disruptive. Yet. They may eventually get there, but Diamond will have to prove the benefits of electrics over its efficient gasoline and diesel aircraft. Flight schools pinch pennies and while some are sure to be early adopters of an airplane or two, it’s fleet sales from the likes of the University of North Dakotas, the Embry-Riddles and other schools that drive volume and, to a degree, the cachet that leads to additional sales.
And speaking of UND, I asked the school’s chief instructor, Jeremy Roesler, what the potential might be. He thought 90 minutes of endurance was a little tight for UND’s needs, but perhaps workable. Like everyone else, he expects electrics to outstrip the infrastructure required to support them and that’s likely to yield some turbulence in the acceptance. He sees geography as potential destiny. How will those batteries perform in a North Dakota winter and what will cabin heat do to endurance? He also said something surprising: “I think we would be more likely to have a Jet-A fleet before an electric fleet.” He said the school has been impressed with the longer overhaul times and low operating costs of diesel and is viewing them more favorably.
Diamond owns the aerodiesel market so this may bode well for the company because it’s likely that electrics, when they are accepted, will go into mixed fleets. Operators will continue to need airplanes with longer legs than electric aircraft will be capable of for perhaps the next decade. By 2023, say, Diamond may very well be the only company that can offer the same model with three propulsion systems: gasoline, Jet-A and electric. That’s quite a portfolio.
Although Roesler says UND may not be ready to buy electric airplanes at the moment, he says he’s bullish on Diamond’s chances. And he does consider the eDA40 a game changer. “If there’s a company to get electric airplanes into the industry, Diamond is the one. I have great confidence in Diamond doing this,” he says. That bodes well, too, because while I just flap my lips, Roesler actually signs the checks for new airplanes. Food for thought? Blackbushe's potential and some current thinking about electric flight..have a nice Sunday!
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 18, 2021 6:21:30 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 18/10/2106.00 and a slight mist is in the air at Blackbushe after a particularly mild and very clear night. T'was such a clear night for star gazing or observing heavenly bodies in the firmament, of note around 19.00 was the number of twinkling nav lights at all altitudes over north east Hampshire, such a welcome contrast to the many months of lock down and travel restrictions whereby our skies were devoid of aviation life and those navigation lights that told us that life goes on..
Flying back to our POTD account of life at RAF Blackbushe in 1945 - we have from time to time accounted for life on 'this day' - 18th October, 1945 was noted for in particular FOG. The airfield's fog dispersal system FIDO was once again released to do its business by breathing fire either side of the 6,000ft of main runway. The result was that a Danish Airlines service using a B-17 was able to land in conditions that would have totally precluded said arrival. Out of interest, the airline had carried 483 Blackbushe passengers during the previous month and the newly constructed Terminal Building proved a considerable help in handling these travellers.
The Terminal Building constructed in 1945 is the same one that exists today, but was completely renovated in 1997 when a new Control Tower was added during the period when British Car Auctions owned the entire Airport. Returning to October, 1945, mail and paper flights continued with RAF Mosquitos flying to Rome and then on to Naples. Flight times were approximately 4hours and 30 minutes in each direction. An expensive operation but considered necessary to keep up morale of Allied troops and maintain communication.
October, 1945, witnessed transport flights using RAF Blackbushe throughout the month wherein famous names would be found amid the passenger lists. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was one of the month's important arrivals whilst en route to London. Again, Blackbushe was the airfield of choice for VIPs heading to the Capital. On arrival at Blackbushe a guard-of-honour was provided by RAF Cadets and refreshments were served for the Queen and her attendants. In 2021, despite her facilities being currently somewhat smaller for entertaining passengers, the Terminal still provides a very comfortable lounge for their benefit benefit.Don't forget that when at Blackbushe Airport today the new "Pathfinder Cafe" awaits you, the Cafe that is proving immensely popular with Airport staff and her visitors. Named after AVM "Pathfinder" Donald Bennett, who saved Blackbushe from extinction back in 1961, the "Don" shown above is the latest and greatest 'big breakfast' available, just one of many options from the ever growing menu choices at Blackbushe's incredibly popular dining venue.While enjoying the "Pathfinder" experience as business jets and training flights taxi by your window, spare a thought for the history that lies across those famous acres. The sacrifices of war, the growing and busy activity of post war independent airline operations, the United States Navy's tenure, and the wilderness years after closure. The Blackbushe Airport you see is testament to the determination of the Airport's owners to save this supremely important aviation facility from 'predatory forces' and develop her into the south's most outstanding General Aviation facility to benefit employment, and the local economy, while providing an affordable and well equipped option for GA 'tomorrow' and into the future...
Air Ministry photo of RAF Hartford Bridge, as Blackbushe was originally known, back in 1942 shortly before being officially opened. A couple of gliders can be seen adjacent to the main runway. The RAE Farnborough used the new runways for glider trials before the base became officially operational.
Blackbushe Airport as she is 'today'..
Hopefully see you there...
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 19, 2021 6:23:13 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 19/10/21Coming up to 07.00 and still dark as pitch outside. "Photo of the Night" feels as if it might be a more appropriate title for our daily coming together?
19 October recalls one of British/French aviation's golden moments, back in 1977 the magnificent Concorde made her first landing in New York, an occasion described as "Love at First Flight" by New Yorkers, although efforts to limit the SST's ingress within the US marketplace indicated perhaps a degree of upset that an American aeroplane had not reached commercial Mach2 capability first? The New York Port Authority were very keen to measure Concorde's noise output as F-WTSB made her arrival known...Having visited New York Concorde obviously had to take a look at Blackbushe too. Requiring a runway at least twice that of Blackbushe's remaining tarmac she could but fly around the circuit showing off that dramatic high angle of attack attainable by those of delta winged persuasion..Had the 10,000ft runway once planned for Blackbushe actually gone ahead no doubt the Airport's traffic would have included Concorde capability.As this John Varndell photo confirmed, Blackbushe's business jet traffic of today keeps observers, young or older, perfectly happy..keeps the Airport happy too... A couple of hours to go and Covid jab No3 will be zapped into a waiting arm, the POTD editorial staff hopefully ready for winter with the flu jab already in situ fighting off the invaders.. While we seem to have returned to a more normal lifestyle, it's of interest how Covid's 'active' cases in Hart District continue to rise. This morning's graph from the ZOE Covid study indicates cases in Hart have risen by 53 from this time last week giving a total today of 1,606 active cases withing the bounds of Hart District.
As they say, 'mind how you go'....
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 20, 2021 9:26:35 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 20/10/21Whatever the weather at Blackbushe, last the home weather system recorded .50" of rain, the 'Pathfinder Cafe' will offer you a warm welcome and a great choice of eating options..Homemade Lasagne and Garlic Ciabatta Bread are this week's "Pathfinder" specials...Looking backwards once again, it's a prerogative of the Forum, and reflecting on some of the moments in the life of AVM Donald "Pathfinder" Bennett after whom the new Blackbushe Cafe is so poignantly named.
His command and development of the RAF's Pathfinder force is legend and wide knowledge. In peacetime once war was behind us he continued to exert the strength of his mind in various directions. The advent of peace was not an easy time for populations geared to war, the industrial machine was not one to stop overnight. Brand new Lancaster and Halifax bombers continued to roll out of the factories before being flown to various airfields where they were met by the blow torch boys. Brand new RR Merlin and Bristol Hercules engines fell to the ground while the aircraft were in turn reduced to scrap. Peacetime brought the need for decisive action from Bennett. Apart from his qualities as an outstanding pilot and engineer he was known for clear thinking and a remarkable grasp of situations. One such idea was the formation of an international police force to maintain world peace in future. Approved by the Air Ministry the booklet was published despite requests from the Chief of the Air Staff not to.. It was felt inappropriate for an RAF Officer to publish such thoughts. As it was Bennett was due to leave the Air Force shortly.
Don Bennett was appointed first Chairman of the United Nations Association of Great Britain. At an early meeting of the Association Bennett was joined onstage at the Albert Hall by Clement Attlee, Lord Alexander, Anthony Eden and Eleanor Roosevelt. The booklet affair convinced Bennett that this was the time to leave the Air Force, Sir Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air, asked him to stand as an unopposed Liberal Parliamentary candidate for Middlesbrough. He was immediately released from the RAF and a career as an MP beckoned. In Parliament newly elected members out of the Army, Navy and Air Force sat on the benches wearing the colours of their previous careers. It's interesting to note that in the early 1960s the Battle of Blackbushe included an ex Royal Navy Lt Commander who was totally against Bennett's ambitions for the airfield...
Tomorrow "POTD" will continue tomorrow with the next steps in Bennett's career that took him back to flying and the post war growth in civil aviation...As if a reminder was necessary. Blackbushe, the Airport saved by Bennett from final destruction, as seen during an Auster sortie in May 1962. The last chance to see Blackbushe with her 6,000ft main runway fully intact...The Parish Council were planning their attack.At the time I took the above photo Blackbushe advocates assumed it would only be a matter of time before Bennett's extensive plans for regenerating Blackbushe as a major General Aviation site would be able to come to fruition. 59 years later we still hope that similar plans will come to fruition before too much more time has escaped us..Finally, as airfields continually fight for their existence as bodies of opposition apply their bigoted reasoning as to why an airfield should not be allowed to expand or improve, this news from the BBC News ... "Opponents of a plan to extend an airport runway have been refused judicial review hearings, a council has said.
Eastleigh Borough Council approved plans in April to lengthen Southampton Airport's runway by 164m (538ft). It said the High Court had rejected challenges from Bournemouth International Airport and a local protest group. The applicants have seven days to appeal the court's decisions, it added.
Council leader Keith House said: "This is good news and supports the decision made by the council". "We were confident that both the way in which the decision was taken and the arguments to justify it were lawful and sound."Per ardua ad astra...
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 21, 2021 6:53:28 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 21/10/21Another PC-12 became acquainted with Blackbushe's waiting acres yesterday. The superb record by our Paul Phillips more than qualified for the Forum's current header photo as OH-SSS posed for pictures.Another arrival at Blackbushe yesterday was the new outside arm of the Pathfinder Cafe..Drop down side awnings are coming soon, but now diners can get even closer to the aviation action while enjoying the latest creations from the Pathfinder's kitchen!!A few more lines on the journey taken by AVM "Pathfinder " Bennett after the war...
Yesterday 'POTD' related a very brief encapsulation of AVM "Pathfinder" Bennett's latter days with the RAF and a move into politics. Post war Bennett soon became dismayed by Parliamentary wrangling when our nation urgently needed the capability to re-build after the dismay and destruction that war had brought. Left wing politics under the Attlee government brought about tragic resentment to Bomber Command, left wing politicians denying Bomber Command the campaign medal so richly deserved by the thousands of crews who failed to return. The first General Election after the war brought the Labour party into No 10 Downing Street. Bennett lost his seat in Middlesbrough and with no small relief his days as an MP came to an end.
As it happens, in 1944 Don Bennett accepted the Deputy Mastership of the Guild of Air Pilot Pilots and Air Navigators of the British Empire, the organisation founded back in 1929 whose aim was maintaining the very highest standards amid professional aircrew. This position would have significant bearing on Bennett's post war activity. Tomorrow I'll add a couple more paragraphs illustrating the Bennett influence in post war civil aviation...A few names come to the fore when discussing the rebirth of civil aviation in the United Kingdom after the War. A name of great significance in the establishment of independent commercial aviation was Harold Bamberg, Founder and Chairman of Eagle Airways. Our great friend Eric who manages the Eagle Archive sent me this picture of the surviving Eagle shield with the accompanying text... "It constantly amazes me at just how much memorabilia is still out there and is offered to the archives, from photographs to crew log books, company paperwork and documents, stories from when employed with Eagle. From Bovington where it all started to Luton and Aldermaston to Blackbushe finally London airport. Many of the items have been stored in roof spaces, cupboards, and other places for many years. Much of this has come from ex staff and ex passengers. Also of course eBay.
The latest item to arrive was donated by Mrs Patricia Castleton who served with Eagle as a receptionist both at Blackbushe and London airport. Her late husband Mike Castleton also served with Eagle.
When Blackbushe lost its independent airlines, it seems that the old cafeteria closed or was refurbished where a number of airlines had shields displayed. Patricia was able to acquire the Eagle one. It has been displayed at some of the Eagle reunions down the years. Just recently she contacted us at the archives telling us that she would be willing to donate this item to the archives.
Yesterday it arrived". A little bit of old Blackbushe survives! Just a slice of history and confirmation of the vital role this old airfield played as independent aviation fought its way into worthy existence despite a government and unions obsessed with the virtues of winged state owned monopolies.
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 22, 2021 6:35:21 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 22/10/21October rolls along, Blackbushe enjoyed another day of useful business movements yesterday, this morning at 06.00 a frosted glaze covers the car under powerful moonlight beamed down from our largest satellite..This Falcon 50, M-ODUS, visited once again yesterday, photo taken in September during a bit of exercise on the wild side..Of recent "POTD" has thrown a little light on AVM "Pathfinder" Bennett, trying to illustrate his contribution to aviation and how in turn we have him to thank for the saving of Blackbushe Airport way back in 1961. Yesterday we touched on his brief political career having departed from the RAF wherein his "Pathfinder" title was justly gained..
Having moved away from the distasteful going on in politics new opportunity beckoned from the world of civil air transport. Lord Beaverbrook was influential in the setting up of three nationalised airline s after the war, BOAC, BEA, and British South American Airways. Before these corporations were formed a consortium had been formed with the objective of running services to South America. The consortium consisted of Blue Star Line, Royal Mail, Pacific Steam, Lambert & Holt and the Booth Line. £1,000,000 was laid down to launch the company, the name of which had been decided upon was British Latin American Airlines Ltd..
Don Bennett was invited to become Managing Director of the new airline at the invitation of Lord Swinton. However, when the Attlee lead Labour party swept into power at the General Election Swinton lost his job as minister and it was taken over by Labour's Lord Winster. Labour policy was to nationalise every major asset of our land. Bennett tried all he could to resist the state grabbing BSAA but without success. It was thought that he would return to his native land as Governor or Australia...But, Bennett felt unable to abandon Lord Swinton and the board at BSAA. Whether the AVM would regret this move in future years is unknown, the high level post in Australia would have delivered him a Viscountcy!
Thereby came Bennett's transition from a high level post in the RAF to a new high level post in civil aviation. So soon after WW2 ended and with the move to state running of the UK's airlines the task of pioneering a new airline like BSAA was not going to be easy. It would need someone of Bennett's calibre. A little more tomorrow.Scenes such as this on Blackbushe's apron recently would no doubt have pleased Don Bennett having saved the airfield back in 1961. Bennett was fiercely pro British and maybe the line-up of all American built hardware would have been disappointing as the UK submerged beneath the waves of business jet opportunity?Thankfully in 2021 Blackbushe remains in the hand of masters who have no greater intent than seeing their investment in this valuable aviation asset become the General Aviation 'citadel' dreamed of for so many years from the day when "Pathfinder" Bennett acquired the key to the front door. A citadel is described as a fortress on high ground above a city. Blackbushe is located perfectly atop a plateau, but does not overlook a city or an other major conurbation - it's on an environmentally dream location - but it does give easy transit to a city called London.
PB
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