Flying Boats and Sea Planes
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May 1912 Amazing Flying Facts
On our way home from Cornwall I was enthusiastic to visit the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. As I explained in my talk last Monday, I never imagined I’d become a ‘flying boat’ anorak, but I was so excited to see models of the first ever aircraft carriers during World War…
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The oldest ‘Flying’ Flying Boat in the World! -Another Flying Fact from Diana
Having watched in awe as the Bleirot took off and hovered above the ground at Shuttleworth in 2009, 100 years since it first flew in 1909, my interest in old aircraft took off, if you’ll excuse the pun! Following this, my researched honed in on early development of flying boats, mainly due to my links with…
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A Ferry Good Way to Travel!
Why is there no ferry service to Alderney today? If there was one would you use it? I am collecting views of people I know to put in my next post but what do you think? Why is Alderney the only Channel Island (of those you can visit anyway) that you can only travel to by plane,…
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Aurigny and Joey!
Although flying boats or sea planes to Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney are a thing of the past and you can now fly with the larger low cost airline Flybe to Guernsey and Jersey, there’s nothing like flying in one of the Aurigny Trilanders, either between Southampton and the islands or as an interisland hop. If you…
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Why Woolston and The Channel Islands are Linked in History
Woolston and The Channel Islands have been inextricably linked over the last few centuries! Steamers to Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney left from docks just across the Itchen Ferry from Woolston for over a century and previously by sail. In fact before that, in the 18th century, Jersey was the fourth largest shipbuilder in the UK. I’ve just found a wonderful…
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Frivolous Flying Fact No 4 The rum and the umbrella!
I read this amusing story in a wonderfully detailed account of early flght to The Channel Islands called: From Sea Eagle to Flamingo – Channel Island Airlines 1923 – 1939 by Neville Doyle You can buy this through stockists via Amazon or Brian Cook’s Aviation Bookhouse Here’s the story paraphrased for your enjoyment: The…
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What do ‘Licence to Kill’ and ‘Mamma Mia’ have to do with writing my Blog?
I watched two memorable films over the festive season and surprisingly enough both taught me something about my blog writing. How? The first was a James Bond, ‘Licence to Kill’ and the second was ‘Mamma Mia’! I’ll tell you why at the end of the post. Anyway they both certainly got me thinking. A New…
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The Catalina – The oldest airworthy flying boat in the UK
Sunday was another red letter day for me in the flying world. We went to the Duxford Airshow, a first time for me and quite a different experience to an afternoon at Shuttleworth, but yet again we were blessed with a fine, relatively warm day for early October. The 80% male contingent ooohed and ahhhed…