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Post by controller on Jan 1, 2017 10:08:14 GMT
Here's a puzzle to while away the cold: When was Blackbushe declared as London's second airport, other than in this forum? I have spent odd times trying to find the answer without success. When I was young, Croydon was referred to as "second to Heathrow". Think of it - a grass airfield with such status and it was the first airfield to introduce Air Traffic Control.
In 1949 Stansted was "pencilled in as London's second airport". In 1953 Gatwick was designated as London's second airport but nowhere can I find any reference to Blackbushe ever being similarly christened.
Any comments?
HNY one and all.
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Post by rj on Jan 1, 2017 11:08:47 GMT
Very interesting question Controller. Blackbushe was part of the MCA London airports group but was never titled as a London airport as LHR was THE London Airport. Blackbushe fulfilled the second airport role between Northolt closing and Gatwick opening. There is no doubt in my mind if it had not been for the common land issue Blackbushe would have been chosen instead of Gatwick as the long term second airport. Of course in 1953 Blackbushe was officially designated as a secondary airport for diversion and smaller operators. If it wasn't for a combination of events in 1958/59 Blackbushe would be a very different airport than it is today.
happy new year
Rob
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Post by PB on Jan 1, 2017 11:19:53 GMT
An interesting question to launch the new year! It depends, perhaps, on how you quantify "second airport"? Second in what, movements, environment, weather, fog diversions from London's "first airport", access, proximity to the Capital, interest, variety, suitability to aviation requirements...?? Blackbushe was a strong contender in all these categories, and home to a generous cross section of the growing British independent airline community, UK home of the US Navy, and from the outset had excellent runways, and an excellent good weather record. Gatwick and Croydon were grass fields, and indeed Gatwick took the title "second airport" in due course, but it took the title at the expense and demise of Blackbushe. You may have read elsewhere on 'this forum' of the US military's scheme for Blackbushe as a base for their strategic bombers? For a period our government saw this US financed mega runway development as a possible future "London's first" airport and visualised the eventual closure of their precious Heathrow. You will rightly have observed that that failed to happen!
The title "second airport" may well be subjective, but there was no other airport so close to London with hard runways that would appear to qualify quite so well? Certainly, "Blackbushe people" of the era referred to Blackbushe as London's second airport and I'm happy to uphold that even if not all are happy to agree... The role of "second airport" was so obvious maybe it didn't need to be written down - except here!!
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Post by chevvron on Jan 23, 2017 0:56:35 GMT
I recall reading about 6 (or was it 8) airports as well as Heathrow being designated as 'the' London Airports, these being (and I may be wrong) Blackbushe, Bovingdon, Luton, Stansted, Southend, Biggin, Northolt, Manston. Others like Fairlop were purely military (Bovingdon being joint until the RAF took over in the 50s) with Gatwick being mud, Croydon and Hornchurch being grass.
Certainly it would seem that if a diversion from Heathrow was necessary, Blackbushe was the No 1 choice, as proven in the film 'The Runaway Bus' of about 1953 starring Frankie Howerd and Margaret Rutherford.
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Post by PB on Jan 23, 2017 7:58:42 GMT
Thank you Chevvron. Excellent analysis, I've changed our "header" picture as a result to reflect those days when LK offered an open door when LL's was closed.
PB
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