There are few things in life that can absorb your finances, your time and your life quite like an old aircraft. They like to live in dry, unheated hangars, but they insist on plenty of fresh air. And they object strongly to birds, rodents and the feral cats that love to frequent airfields. Keeping them flying is even worse. First and foremost, they have to be safe, which means conscientious maintenance and lots of paperwork. Add to that the fact that you can't pop down to Halfords when you need a spare part. A new magneto for an engine designed seventy years ago can take some finding.
So the notion of preserving more than 20 classic, temperamental prima donnas probably looks like a special kind of madness. But that was far too easy. We made the decision a good few years ago that we wanted to give everyone the chance to experience vintage flying in as many of our aircraft as possible.
So we created a vintage airline. That means we operate to the same standards and safety criteria that govern the world's largest operators.
No one said it would be easy. But it's very, very worthwhile.
Our roots first started sprouting in 1969, when Mike Collett started General Aviation Services Limited in Jersey. Initially it was a hangarage and maintenance company, but by the end of the year, air taxi operations had begun. From that humble beginning, serviced by a single Cessna 336 aircraft, grew what may well be the world's best-known vintage passenger fleet.
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The 336 was quickly joined by two more Cessnas, a 337 and a 310. A sales operation followed, at first dealing in new aircraft, but soon becoming the UK distributor for American Aviation, selling the AA-1 Trainer and AA-5 Traveler. 1971 saw a move to Yorkshire - Sherburn in Elmet to be precise. As the company grew it moved to Doncaster, changing its name to Eastern Aviation and taking over the operation of the airfield and flying club. In 1974, General Aviation Ltd was sold, along with the Doncaster operation, and Air Atlantique was born. |
The purchase of two Douglas DC-3 Dakotas in 1976 marked a milestone in Air Atlantique's development. Since then the Daks have become an iconic element of our identity. They were - and are - magnificent aircraft. The first duo were quickly joined by others, until we found ourselves operating the world's largest Dakota fleet.
Our first flirtation with giant aircraft came in 1979 when we purchased a pair of Douglas DC-6s. Unfortunately we made our move at the height of the 70s oil crisis, and these beasts came with a thirst which was impossible at the time to assuage.
In 1981 we moved our operations to Blackpool Airport. We were now operating eight Dakotas, some of which had previously worked there for Starways. When we returned to Blackpool in 2007 we had the privilege of flying in G-AMPY with some of the original Starways staff. The following year, a ninth Dak joined us.
1984 saw us move again, this time to Stansted. A new division of the company, Atlantic Air Transport, was born, its name first adorning a recently acquired Bristol Freighter, a cavernous aircraft often seen ferrying cars across the English Channel in the sixties.
The redevelopment work at Stansted meant that we needed to look for a new home. The search led us to our current home at Baginton. At last we had the space to expand - and we needed it. We were awarded the contract for pollution control for the Department of Transport. The Dakotas were equipped with detergent spraying equipment, and continued to demonstrate their strength, reliability and versatility. A great many environmental disasters were minimised when off-shore oil spills were dispersed by the Daks.
Meanwhile, the ad-hoc cargo operation was growing fast, and the Dakotas began to demonstrate one of their very few shortcomings - a carrying capacity of just 3.5 tonnes.
Our second foray into the world of the DC-6 was somewhat more successful. These things are smaller than a Jumbo. But stand next to one and the first thing you'll notice is its size. Unless the engines are running, when the first thing you notice is that you can't hear any more.
With the arrival of the Sixes, our maximum cargo capacity per flight jumped from 3.5 to 13 tonnes.
OK, all this looks very like a business. But what should also be becoming clear is that we love aeroplanes. By now, the Dakotas and DC-6s were already venerable aircraft, becoming a magnet for enthusiasts. We'd proved that true classic planes could be viable workhorses. Throughout its brief history, aviation has given birth to a small number of truly astonishing aircraft: machines with the capacity, given proper attention, to live forever.
We began acquiring classic aircraft. And the rest, truly, is history.
So here we are now. Surrounded by living history. Doing our level best to keep the sounds, smells and sensations of thirties, forties and fifties aircraft alive and airborne. Sometimes, inevitably, we wonder why.
Then the sun glints off a cockpit canopy and we remember.
