News
Due to the ongoing developments at Coventry Airport the decision has been made to reduce admission to AIRBASE by 50% this summer. From July 1, 2010 admission to AIRBASE will be just £4 per adult. (Classic Flight Club members will obviously still get free admission).
Furthermore, in a bid to offer parents with a cost effective way to entertain their children during the summer holidays there will be no charge to under 16s visiting during the summer holidays.
"We know how difficult it can be to find an affordable day out for all the family during the summer holidays" explains Commercial Manager Steve Bridgewater. "We also know how much young children love to see aeroplanes up close. By offering free admission to AIRBASE we hope that we can encourage inquisitive young minds to take an active interest in aviation and inspire a future generation."
During summer AIRBASE will now be open from Thursdays until Sundays from 10.00am until 6.00pm. Please note AIRBASE will now be closed on Mondays, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Classic Flight Update
Jon Corley and John Beattie both had a ball displaying the Venoms during the display and John Dodd had an equal amount of fun in the Jet Provost T.5 – especially on Sunday when he got the chance to fly a solo display. The JP only got its CAA paperwork approved at 2pm on Friday afternoon and there was a big sigh of relief when the aeroplane departed for Kemble. Sadly the Meteor wasn’t so lucky and paperwork delays meant we missed the Kemble show weekend. The Anson also missed the display due to unserviceability but John Corley displayed the Dragon Rapide in its place... including being ‘shot down’ by a Mersserschmitt Me108!
The CFC trailer was also at Kemble and the ‘Aircraft of the Classic Flight’ book was selling at an impressive rate. Thanks to all of you who have sent your feedback on the book, it is really appreciated.
We’re now turning our attention to this coming Sunday when we’ll have Dragon Rapides offering pleasure flying at both Shoreham (near Brighton) and Halfpenny Green (near Wolverhampton). G-AIDL will be at Halfpenny Green to help mark the airfield’s centenary – which is apt as she was based at the airfield in the 1950s and 60s. The Prentice will also be at Halfpenny Green (as it operated from the base during its RAF service) but sadly we can’t conduct pleasure flying with the Prentice as the runway is too short!
Here at Classic Flight HQ welcome another pilot to the fold. Amanda Harrison joins us as a pleasure flying pilot and brings with her a wealth of experience.
Amanda will also be helping us with a variety of commercial aspects of the Classic Flight, AIRBASE and CFC – including sourcing merchandise. We’d appreciate any ideas you may have for merchandise and suggestions for products you think might sell well and help support the fleet.
Elsewhere at Coventry the AIRBASE hangar is full of activity with DC-3 G-AMRA now sporting her new engine. Her Major Check is now nearly complete and she is scheduled to fly to Waddington next week in readiness for the airshow. The Howard 500 remains in the hangar undergoing work in readiness for her ferry flight to the USA. Visitors to AIRBASE at the moment can enjoy watching both of these aeroplanes being worked upon – surely this is the only place in the world both a DC-3 and a Howard 500 share a hangar and are on public view?
Meanwhile, the Shackleton Preservation Trust (who look after Shackleton MR.2 WR963 on our behalf) have forwarded an engineering report which I thought you might find of interest. This is the first of a series of promised monthly updates from the ‘Shak’ team and I’ve copied it below:
“A number of on-going tasks are in hand. After our decision earlier this year that returning the aircraft to flight condition was not feasible, we elected to render it working and keep it serviceable in a ground runnable and taxiable condition. We also stated that in order to better preserve the aircraft, it was to be repainted and returned to a cosmetically attractive condition. Due to all the changes at Coventry with the AIRBASE project, it has not been possible to allocate the Shackleton a suitable hangar. Instead we decided to cover the aircraft and working from a scaffolding frame, repaint it a section at a time. Preparation of the paintwork has begun. Although other paint schemes were considered, we decided to retain the current paint scheme (in which 963 spent most of its life) of Dark Sea-grey with white top to the fuselage)
“When investigating an oil leak on the Nr 3 engine we discovered serious wear on some of the cam lobes of that engine. Further inspection of numbers 1, and 4 engines revealed that similar worn cams were evident. A total of five camshafts require rectification (happily the Number 2 engine is zero hours since overhaul and will not require attention). Griffon engines, like the Merlin before them, are very prone to premature camshaft wear. Our problems arise from the way the engines have been used since the aircraft was retired from RAF service twenty years ago. Long periods of inactivity with short-duration ground runs at low temperatures have allowed corrosion to take hold on the cam rocker pads and lobes and taken their toll on the camshafts and valve gear. To prevent further occurrences of this problem, we are fitting American-made electric oil-priming pumps to each engine which will be operated before every ground test. These are now on order. All the oil tanks have been drained and fresh multi-grade oil is ready to replenished. The most worn cam lobes will be re-ground by a Griffon specialist overhauler and we hope that with our very low utilisation (about 100 hours per year), thorough oil priming and regular oil changes, we will soon have four running engines which will last for a long time.
“WR963 is maintained by members of The Shackleton Preservation Trust, a volunteer group with charitable status. If you would like to find out more about this wonderful old warplane, talk to engineers who serviced her and aircrew who operated her please contact one of us.”
One promise we make to all our CFC members is that you'll be the first to hear the exciting news. So, hot off the press, we can now reveal details of an interesting arrival expected tomorrow.
Over the last few months a team of Classic Flight's engineers have been on detachment to Exeter Airport working on Duncan Baker's beautiful Howard 500 executive transport aircraft. The aircraft is in the process of being sold to prospective new owners in the USA and is being prepared for a future ferry flight across the Atlantic. The team have now reached the limit of the work they are able to do at Exeter and the aeroplane is expected to be ferried to Coventry tomorrow. At this stage it is not known how long it will spend at Coventry.
Exact details and timings of the ferry flight are yet to be confirmed and the flight will obviously depend of weather and aircraft serviceability. As the AIRBASE centre remains 'work-in-progress' (in readiness for our hopeful opening on May 29) there will be no public access to see the Howard 500 arrive. None-the-less, we would be delighted to accommodate any CFC members who would like join us on the day.
This Howard 500 is registered N500LN. CFC member and well-known aviation author Peter R March offers a brief history of the machine: "It was built during World War Two as a PV-1 (Bu34670) for the US Navy but was diverted to the RAF as FP579 in a batch of 140 Ventura GR.Vs. It went to the South African Air Force in September 1943 and served (serialled 6417) until 1959. It was shipped to Howard Aero Inc at San Antonio, Texas in December 1959. Converted to a Howard 500 (line no 49 and by November 1962 it was sold as N539N. It then passed to a number of companies in the US (registered N200G/N206G/N381RD) before being acquired by Duncan Baker/Baker Petroleum and registered N500LN in June 1978. It was delivered to Coventry on October 6, 1978 and subsequently was based at Shobdon before moving to Exeter in 1982. It has only flown very occasionally. One of its rare public appearances was at Wroughton in August 1992 and the only flying display (as far as I am aware) was at the Coventry Classic Air Display in August 2000."
If you'd like to join us tomorrow please phone ahead to confirm times and details.
Monday 17th May 2010
May 12, 2010 - XV232 is here!
Hawker Siddely Nimrod MR.2P XV232 landed safely at Coventry at noon yesterday and became the latest addition to the Classic Flight fleet. A sea of people welcomed her to her new home and she attracted many admirers.
XV232 will now be kept fully live and operational (but not flown) by the Classic Flight team and make an ideal companion for Shackleton WR963.
The aeroplane is now being decommissioned by a team from RAF Kinloss, afterwhich it will assume a new position within the AIRBASE visitor centre and will be opened to members of the public for interior tours.
May 10, 2010 - Nimrod XV232 is coming to AIRBASE!!!!! Expected at Coventry at NOON on Tuesday May 11
Nimrod XV232 is on schedule to arrive at Coventry around noon tomorrow. Members of the public wanting to see XV232 make her final landing are welcome to visit AIRBASE.
The AIRBASE visitor centre remains ‘work-in-progress’ with an anticipated opening date of May 29. Therefore access to the AIRBASE hangar will be limited.
Admission on May 11 will be £5 per person but visitors will be issued with a voucher entitling them to a £3 discount on admission to AIRBASE during the opening weekend (May 29-31). Members of the Classic Flight Club will be admitted free of charge.
May 5, 2010 - Nimrod XV232 - Expected at Coventry late morning on Tuesday May 11
The most accurate information we currently have to hand indicates that the Classic Flight’s Nimrod will be arriving at AIRBASE, Coventry late morning on Tuesday May 11.
Exact details are still to be confirmed by the MoD but to the best of our knowledge the aircraft is on schedule for delivery. However, the risk of volcanic ash closing Scottish airspace remains a possibility and the delivery can, obviously, not be guaranteed.
Members of the public wanting to see XV232 make her final landing are welcome to visit AIRBASE. Other aircraft from the Classic Flight will be on display and it is hoped that several will fly during the day. It is also our hope that the DC-6 may conduct engine runs (or even taxi).
The AIRBASE visitor centre remains ‘work-in-progress’ with an anticipated opening date of May 29. Therefore access to the AIRBASE hangar will be limited.
Admission on May 11 will be £5 per person but visitors will be issued with a voucher entitling them to a £3 discount on admission to AIRBASE during the opening weekend (May 29-31). Members of the Classic Flight Club will be admitted free of charge.
Further information will be published on www.classicflight.com and www.classicflightclub.com as and when we receive it.
April 9, 2010 - Proctor Roll Out!
A few moments ago the Classic Flight's Percival Proctor (G-AKIU) was rolled out of the hangar on its own undercarriage for the first time since restoration began more than ten years ago! The aircraft, which now looks almost complete, was being moved from Hangar 7 to make space for the Anson to enter the spray shop. It is hoped that G-AKIU's first flight will happen very soon. Thanks to all the Classic Flight Club members whose subscriptions have helped make this amazing restoration possible.
April 8, 2010 - Classic Flight sets its sights on a Nimrod
April 9, 2010 - Proctor Roll Out!
A few moments ago the Classic Flight's Percival Proctor (G-AKIU) was rolled out of the hangar on its own undercarriage for the first time since restoration began more than ten years ago! The aircraft, which now looks almost complete, was being moved from Hangar 7 to make space for the Anson to enter the spray shop. It is hoped that G-AKIU's first flight will happen very soon. Thanks to all the Classic Flight Club members whose subscriptions have helped make this amazing restoration possible.
The following announcement has was made earlier today: The Air Atlantique Classic Flight, based at Coventry Airport, can now confirm that it has made an official bid to take on one of the RAF’s last Nimrod MR2 aircraft.
Subject to final agreement the aircraft is set to make its final flight on Tuesday May 11 when it is planned to arrive at Coventry Airport in the hands of the delivery crew.
Although Classic Flight does not intend to keep the aircraft flyable the team will maintain the aeroplane in fully ground running and taxi-able condition.
The Nimrod was designed as a replacement for the Avro Shackleton (an example of which is also displayed alongside the Classic Flight fleet). Developed from the de Havilland Comet airliner the first Nimrod flew in May 1967 and the type entered service two years later.
“The Nimrod will make a dramatic addition to our collection of classic 1950s and 60s British aircraft” says Commercial Manager Steve Bridgewater. “Nimrods served with distinction in the Falklands, Gulf and Afghanistan conflicts and we intend to maintain our aeroplane as a tribute to all who flew on, worked in and served alongside the ‘Mighty Hunter.’
“Air Atlantique has long been associated with classic airliners - from the Douglas DC-3 and DC-6 through to the de Havilland Dragon Rapide that we still use for pleasure flying. It therefore seems fitting that we should add a descendent of the de Havilland Comet, which was the world’s first jet airliner, to the Classic Flight’s eclectic fleet.”
In addition to its service in the Falklands, Gulf and Afghanistan conflicts the Nimrod also gave sterling service during the 1970s Cod Wars between Iceland and the UK over fishing rights. The aircraft has also been used extensively for Search and Rescue duties around the British coast and, notably, located the survivors of the notorious 1979 Fastnet race.
The aircraft is due to be replaced in RAF service by the remodelled Nimrod MRA.4 in 2012.
“The Nimrod has an important story to tell and we want to preserve an example for future generations of enthusiasts, historians and aviators,” continues Steve Bridgewater.
Classic Flight has been provisionally allocated Nimrod MR2 XV232 – although this allocation may subsequently change. XV232 was one of the first Nimrods modified for in-flight refuelling and is a Falklands veteran. On May 15, 1982 it carried out a 19 hour survey flight from Ascension Island covering 8,300 miles.
Plans are for the aeroplane to arrive at Coventry mid morning on May 11, where it will ultimately become an exhibit in the Classic Flight’s new ‘AIRBASE’ working museum.
Members of the public will be admitted to the Classic Flight area to see the Nimrod arrive.
Times and final details are subject to change and the arrival may be delayed by weather and technical reasons. Please refer to www.classicflight.com for up to date details.
March 2, 2010 - Monthly Update
It has been another busy month in the Classic Flight hangar at Coventry and our plans to turn Hangar 7 into our AI
RBASE visitors centre continue apace. On Friday we took delivery of a wonderful photograph of East Berlin taken from our Pembroke during its service with 60Sqn at RAF Wildenrath in West Germany. The image, along with a variety of other material, has been donated to AIRBASE by the Medmenham Club and was delivered by Peter Jefferies and Mike Mockford. They were joined at Coventry by fellow members Chris and Christine Halsall and presented the image to Classic Flight’s new CEO Trevor Bailey. It will form a fascinating display alongside Pembroke XL954 in the AIRBASE centre – telling the little-told story of how this communications aircraft served as a secret ‘spyplane’ for many years.
Elsewhere in the hangar the restoration of Proctor G-AKIU is coming on leap-and-bounds. The aircraft now has its cowlings, propeller and spinner fitted and is fully painted. The British weather has kept the fleet mostly grounded this month although we have been busy at work in the hangar. Rapide G-AGTM is approaching the end of its Star Annual check, the Chipmunk is now ready to undergo its CofA Renewal Air Test and the Prentice has been undergoing high-power engine runs in readiness for its first flight of the year. The Devon has also just entered the hangar for its scheduled maintenance in readiness for the year ahead.
It is now looking unlikely that we will be able to fly the DC-6 in 2010 due to the cost of the repairs necessary to the corrosion found last winter. However, the aircraft is now ensconced in Hangar 7 (right) and undergoing work to fit seats and a cabin interior. It is our intention to make the aeroplane available for ‘1950s experience’ taxi-rides at Coventry as part of the attractions on offer at AIRBASE. More details will be available soon, along with the details of the discount Classic Flight Club members will receive off these unusual rides. Please contact the office to reserve a place on the first rides of the year – which we plan for early May.
This week we have flown the Chipmunk (left) and Prentice for the first time this year. Rapide G-AIDL is also due to take to the skies on a crew training sortie or two and Venom G-VENM has just departed to North Weald (below).
Although work continues on our 2010 Dragon Rapide tour we can now confirm the first pleasure flying dates for the year. We will have the Dragon Rapide at Kemble on May 8-9 for the Great Vintage Flying Weekend event and three weeks later we will be spending the Spring Bank Holiday weekend (May 29-31) at Blackpool. The following weekend the Rapide will be pleasure flying from Perth, Scotland for the ‘Heart of Scotland’ airshow on June 5-6 and we hope to visit a couple of other Scottish airfields whilst we are north of the border.
On June 19-20 the Rapide will be pleasure flying at the Cotswold Airshow at Kemble and the following weekend Rapide G-AIDL will (subject to serviceability) be pleasure flying at the 100th anniversary of Halfpenny Green airfield celebrations. ‘Delta Lima’ has been chosen especially as she operated from Halfpenny Green during the 1960s and the Prentice will be on static display. On July 24-25 we will be at Swansea and on July 31 & August 1 we will have both Rapides flying from Shoreham to mark their centenary. A fortnight later, on August 21-22, we will be pleasure flying from the Sywell Airshow and we will then be despatching a Rapide to Jersey from September 8-11 and Guernsey from September 11-12. Finally, for now, we will be at the Battle of Britain airshow at Kemble on September 18-19.
Of course we will be adding many more dates to the calendar as year progresses and we hope to start pleasure flying in mid-April. Don’t forget that members of the Classic Flight Club get 25% discount on these flights – including those flights they book for family and friends.
We will also have pleasure flying opportunities at AIRBASE as soon as the centre is c
ompleted and the airport fully licensed and your discount will apply here too.
We also have our first airshow bookings of the year with the Anson displaying at Perth on June 5-6 and the Anson and Dakota displaying at Sywell on August 22. We will also have a special enclosure at Sywell for Classic Flight Club members to enjoy what is becoming one of the best and most relaxed airshows on the circuit. We will also have our enclosure at Kemble again for the Cotswold Airshow on June 19-20 and hope to see as many of your as we did last year (or even more!). This will provide a good opportunity to see our jets in action as the airshow has booked our Vampire, two Venoms, Meteor and Jet Provost to display alongside the Anson.
There has been significant interest in our aeroplanes from airshow organisers and we are quietly optimistic that it will be a busy year for us.
As well as booking airshows and pleasure flying venues as well as planning AIRBASE the office staff are also keeping busy in other ways. We now have a Standing Order system in place for Classic Flight Club members who want to renew their membership in monthly instalments rather than in a lump sum. Commercial Manager Steve Bridgewater has also re-written the ‘Aircraft of the Classic Flight’ book project and it will shortly be despatched to the printers. It is expected to be available on or around May 1.
Finally artist Jonathan Margetts has generously produced another wonderful painting of our aeroplanes – in this case the two Dragon Rapides in formation. This will shortly be available as a print from the Classic Flight Club online shop, along with the other paintings he has produced for us to date.
February 11, 2010 - Classic Flight takes to the skies
As the weather starts to improve the Classic Flight aircraft are beginning to flex their muscles and take to the skies.
Two of our DC-3s have been flying within the last week. Jon Corley and crew took the radome equipped G-ANAF over to Northamptonshire yesterday for trials work and last week Jon flew G-AMPY across to East Midlands Airport. He was joined by Dakota ‘expert’ Kath Burnham and took the opportunity to undertake some pre-season training, including a couple of ILS approaches. ‘PY looked resplendent in the winter sun as she climbed away from Coventry – despite a false start due to winter blues Mag drops!
Dragon Rapide G-AIDL fared less well however. She was due to undertake a training sortie and pilot rating renewal with Ben Cox but suffered an incurable Mag drop whilst at the hold. She had to return to the hangar and is being worked on as these words are written.
This morning Jon Corley blasted off into the blue yonder yet again – this time at the controls of de Havilland Venom G-DHVM. He was delivering it to North Weald for maintenance and will be returning later having collected our other Venom (G-VENM) from the same airfield.
The hangar is now a hive of activity with both Rapides undergoing work in preparation for the season. Our DHC-1 Chipmunk has also been undertaking engine runs this week in preparation for its first flight of the 2010 season. It may be cold outside, but things are hotting up at Classic Flight HQ!
January 28, 2010 - January update
Well, we’re rapidly approaching the end of another month here at the Classic Flight.
Much of our time since Christmas has been spent liaising with airshow organisers around Europe negotiating bookings for the 2010 
season. If we can turn just a fraction of the quotes into firm bookings we are facing a busy year – so fingers crossed.
Yesterday saw Shackleton WR963 fire into life for a scheduled engine run – and we’re grateful for the attached photographs provided by Karl Drage from Global Aviation Review.
Coventry Airport is now open, but remains unlicensed until a deal is finally signed between the airport owners (Coventry City Council) and a new operator. This means we can now fly but cannot carry passengers – but then again, we had no plans to do so until April at the earliest!
We were snowbound for a few days – which did make for some very spectacular photo opportunities. 
Luckily most of our aeroplanes were tucked away in the hangar though. Speaking of the hangar... Despite the bitterly cold weather the engineers have been working their socks off to ensure the fleet are in tip-top condition for the year ahead.
Major work has included an annual check on the Prentice which required new fuel prime hoses. The Pembroke has also been stripped down for a major check and was found to be in mostly good health, despite a few minor issues with the engines and propellers. The major problem we have had is the availability of replacement tailplane attachment bolts and we are still searching the globe (quite literally) for replacements...
Late last year we suffered an engine problem on DC-3 G-AMPY and an engine was ‘borrowed’ from G-AMRA to keep her flying. A spare engine has now been sourced in the USA (at a cost of $60,000!) and was put into a container last week. Other ongoing DC-3 work involves check and undercarriage swap on G-ANAF.
The Dove is serviceable and the Anson has just been the recipient of a replacement pneumatic accumulator to return it to airworthy condition. Rapide G-AGTM began her Star Annual last week and the x-rays on DC-6 G-APSA have now been conducted. These have revealed the extent of the corrosion repairs necessary and we have now asked several companies to quote on the work required to return the ‘Cloudmaster’ to the skies. We will update more when the quotes come in and a decision is made.
The Jet Provost T.3 flew up to Harwarden today for its scheduled maintenance – with Jon Corley and John Dodd at the controls. They are due to fly back in later today in another ‘JP’.
Plans for the Visitor Centre (working name now “AIRBASE”) continue apace and a fence is currently being constructed outside the CFC office, this making Hangar 7 ‘landside’ (and easier to access). We have recently been offered some very interesting artefacts for inclusion in the centre and we remain on the look-out for suitable objects (and aircraft?) to furnish the hangar.
Further plans are in place but our hands are tied until a deal is signed with the new airport operator. As soon as we know who to negotiate with we should be able to move forward. We still anticipate an opening date in April...
April should also see the first of our pleasure flying weekends take place, with an event pencilled in for April 17-18.
This evening Steve Bridgewater, our Commercial Manager, is lecturing about the Classic Flight at the Solent Aviation Society in Southampton. We do have limited availability for evening lectures so if you know of a group or organisation that would benefit from a guest speaker please do drop us a line.
Finally, we recently bid farewell to Alistair Rivers, who departs the Classic Flight for ‘pastures new’. We wish Alistair well for the future and hope we will still see him at events during the season.
As ever, we’re always on the end of e-mail or the telephone if you would like to make contact with us. We hope to see you at Coventry at some point during 2010.
January 8, 2010 - Happy New Year from the Classic Flight Club
It has been another busy month in the Classic Flight hangar at Coventry and our plans to turn Hangar 7 into our AIRBASE visitors centre continue apace. On Friday we took delivery of a wonderful photograph of East Berlin taken from our Pembroke during its service with 60Sqn at RAF Wildenrath in West Germany. The image, along with a variety of other material, has been donated to AIRBASE by the Medmenham Club and was delivered by Peter Jefferies and Mike Mockford. They were joined at Coventry by fellow members Chris and Christine Halsall and presented the image to Classic Flight’s new CEO Trevor Bailey. It will form a fascinating display alongside Pembroke XL954 in the AIRBASE centre – telling the little-told story of how this communications aircraft served as a secret ‘spyplane’ for many years.
Elsewhere in the hangar the restoration of Proctor G-AKIU is coming on leap-and-bounds. The aircraft now has its cowlings, propeller and spinner fitted and is fully painted. The British weather has kept the fleet mostly grounded this month although we have been busy at work in the hangar. Rapide G-AGTM is approaching the end of its Star Annual check, the Chipmunk is now ready to undergo its CofA Renewal Air Test and the Prentice has been undergoing high-power engine runs in readiness for its first flight of the year. The Devon has also just entered the hangar for its scheduled maintenance in readiness for the year ahead.
It is now looking unlikely that we will be able to fly the DC-6 in 2010 due to the cost of the repairs necessary to the corrosion found last winter. However, the aircraft is now ensconced in Hangar 7 (right) and undergoing work to fit seats and a cabin interior. It is our intention to make the aeroplane available for ‘1950s experience’ taxi-rides at Coventry as part of the attractions on offer at AIRBASE. More details will be available soon, along with the details of the discount Classic Flight Club members will receive off these unusual rides. Please contact the office to reserve a place on the first rides of the year – which we plan for early May.
This week we have flown the Chipmunk (left) and Prentice for the first time this year. Rapide G-AIDL is also due to take to the skies on a crew training sortie or two and Venom G-VENM has just departed to North Weald (below).
Although work continues on our 2010 Dragon Rapide tour we can now confirm the first pleasure flying dates for the year. We will have the Dragon Rapide at Kemble on May 8-9 for the Great Vintage Flying Weekend event and three weeks later we will be spending the Spring Bank Holiday weekend (May 29-31) at Blackpool. The following weekend the Rapide will be pleasure flying from Perth, Scotland for the ‘Heart of Scotland’ airshow on June 5-6 and we hope to visit a couple of other Scottish airfields whilst we are north of the border.
On June 19-20 the Rapide will be pleasure flying at the Cotswold Airshow at Kemble and the following weekend Rapide G-AIDL will (subject to serviceability) be pleasure flying at the 100th anniversary of Halfpenny Green airfield celebrations. ‘Delta Lima’ has been chosen especially as she operated from Halfpenny Green during the 1960s and the Prentice will be on static display. On July 24-25 we will be at Swansea and on July 31 & August 1 we will have both Rapides flying from Shoreham to mark their centenary. A fortnight later, on August 21-22, we will be pleasure flying from the Sywell Airshow and we will then be despatching a Rapide to Jersey from September 8-11 and Guernsey from September 11-12. Finally, for now, we will be at the Battle of Britain airshow at Kemble on September 18-19.
We will also have pleasure flying opportunities at AIRBASE as soon as the centre is completed and the airport fully licensed and your discount will apply here too.
We also have our first airshow bookings of the year with the Anson displaying at Perth on June 5-6 and the Anson and Dakota displaying at Sywell on August 22. We will also have a special enclosure at Sywell for Classic Flight Club members to enjoy what is becoming one of the best and most relaxed airshows on the circuit. We will also have our enclosure at Kemble again for the Cotswold Airshow on June 19-20 and hope to see as many of your as we did last year (or even more!). This will provide a good opportunity to see our jets in action as the airshow has booked our Vampire, two Venoms, Meteor and Jet Provost to display alongside the Anson.
As well as booking airshows and pleasure flying venues as well as planning AIRBASE the office staff are also keeping busy in other ways. We now have a Standing Order system in place for Classic Flight Club members who want to renew their membership in monthly instalments rather than in a lump sum. Commercial Manager Steve Bridgewater has also re-written the ‘Aircraft of the Classic Flight’ book project and it will shortly be despatched to the printers. It is expected to be available on or around May 1.
As the weather starts to improve the Classic Flight aircraft are beginning to flex their muscles and take to the skies.
Two of our DC-3s have been flying within the last week. Jon Corley and crew took the radome equipped G-ANAF over to Northamptonshire yesterday for trials work and last week Jon flew G-AMPY across to East Midlands Airport. He was joined by Dakota ‘expert’ Kath Burnham and took the opportunity to undertake some pre-season training, including a couple of ILS approaches. ‘PY looked resplendent in the winter sun as she climbed away from Coventry – despite a false start due to winter blues Mag drops!
Dragon Rapide G-AIDL fared less well however. She was due to undertake a training sortie and pilot rating renewal with Ben Cox but suffered an incurable Mag drop whilst at the hold. She had to return to the hangar and is being worked on as these words are written.
This morning Jon Corley blasted off into the blue yonder yet again – this time at the controls of de Havilland Venom G-DHVM. He was delivering it to North Weald for maintenance and will be returning later having collected our other Venom (G-VENM) from the same airfield.
The hangar is now a hive of activity with both Rapides undergoing work in preparation for the season. Our DHC-1 Chipmunk has also been undertaking engine runs this week in preparation for its first flight of the 2010 season. It may be cold outside, but things are hotting up at Classic Flight HQ!
Well, we’re rapidly approaching the end of another month here at the Classic Flight.
season. If we can turn just a fraction of the quotes into firm bookings we are facing a busy year – so fingers crossed.Yesterday saw Shackleton WR963 fire into life for a scheduled engine run – and we’re grateful for the attached photographs provided by Karl Drage from Global Aviation Review.
We were snowbound for a few days – which did make for some very spectacular photo opportunities. Luckily most of our aeroplanes were tucked away in the hangar though. Speaking of the hangar... Despite the bitterly cold weather the engineers have been working their socks off to ensure the fleet are in tip-top condition for the year ahead.
Major work has included an annual check on the Prentice which required new fuel prime hoses. The Pembroke has also been stripped down for a major check and was found to be in mostly good health, despite a few minor issues with the engines and propellers. The major problem we have had is the availability of replacement tailplane attachment bolts and we are still searching the globe (quite literally) for replacements...
Late last year we suffered an engine problem on DC-3 G-AMPY and an engine was ‘borrowed’ from G-AMRA to keep her flying. A spare engine has now been sourced in the USA (at a cost of $60,000!) and was put into a container last week. Other ongoing DC-3 work involves check and undercarriage swap on G-ANAF.
The Jet Provost T.3 flew up to Harwarden today for its scheduled maintenance – with Jon Corley and John Dodd at the controls. They are due to fly back in later today in another ‘JP’.
Further plans are in place but our hands are tied until a deal is signed with the new airport operator. As soon as we know who to negotiate with we should be able to move forward. We still anticipate an opening date in April...
April should also see the first of our pleasure flying weekends take place, with an event pencilled in for April 17-18.
This evening Steve Bridgewater, our Commercial Manager, is lecturing about the Classic Flight at the Solent Aviation Society in Southampton. We do have limited availability for evening lectures so if you know of a group or organisation that would benefit from a guest speaker please do drop us a line.
As ever, we’re always on the end of e-mail or the telephone if you would like to make contact with us. We hope to see you at Coventry at some point during 2010.
Happy New Year to you all. We trust you had an enjoyable Christmas and are looking forward to 2010.
The Classic Flight team returned to work on Monday January 4th but the inclement weather at Coventry has restricted our operations somewhat – although we have managed to keep the office open all week with skeletal staff.
Even today the airport remains closed with several inches of snow on the taxiways and main runway – but at least it makes an attractive backdrop for photographs!
Consequently there’s not much to report at this stage, with our Cessna 152 G-HART being the only aeroplane to venture skywards so far this year (with our intrepid cadet pilot Paul Myers at the he
lm).
Elsewhere on site plans for our Visitor Centre in Hangar 7 continue apace and we think you’ll be as excited as us when you next walk into the hangar.
We’d also like to thank those Classic Flight Club members who have rejoined so far – your ongoing support is so vital to what we are trying to achieve here at Coventry. If you are not a member yet, and feel like doing a ‘good turn’ as part of your New Year Resolution why not give us a try in 2010?
Full details are on this website but feel free to call the team on 02476 882616 with any queries... 2010 looks like being a very interesting and fun year for all involved – we’d love to have you along for the journey!
lm). December 24, 2009 - Merry Christmas from the Classic Flight Club
On behalf of the entire Classic Flight Club team - Mike, Alistair, Steve, Debi & Sue - we'd like to wish all members a very Merry Christmas. It's been an eventful year and we look forward to seeing you all again at some point in 2010. Thank you for your ongoing support. The Classic Flight Club office is now closed until 09.00 on Monday January 4th.
Best wishes from everyone at CFC.
December 23, 2009 - Dak Home to Roost - Farewell John Reeve
Today we 
welcomed back an old friend and said farewell to another. Douglas Dakota G-AMPY / KK116 flew back to CFC HQ today after a few weeks enforced absence due to Coventry Airport whilst was closed.
The aeroplane had been kept at nearby Wellesbourne Mountford aerodrome but flew home to the roost today with Jon Corley and Ben Cox at the controls. En route they formatted on our Cessna 152 ‘hack’ (ably flown by Ca.JPG)
det Pilot Paul Myers) and Steve Bridgewater snapped the accompanying photos over the wintery Warwickshire countryside.
‘Papa Yankee’s’ return to Coventry
John has bee
n with us for nearly fourteen and a half years and has finally given into the temptation of retirement.
We’re not sure how we’ll cope without him but as these words are typed the office is awash with food, drink and merriment as we bid him a fond farewell.
Congratulations on your retirement John – we’ll miss you.
welcomed back an old friend and said farewell to another. Douglas Dakota G-AMPY / KK116 flew back to CFC HQ today after a few weeks enforced absence due to Coventry Airport whilst was closed. det Pilot Paul Myers) and Steve Bridgewater snapped the accompanying photos over the wintery Warwickshire countryside. n with us for nearly fourteen and a half years and has finally given into the temptation of retirement.
December 22, 2009 - Exclusive Book Offer for CFC Members
Classic Flight Club member [and respected aviation author] is offering fellow members a special discount on his latest book.
Says Peter: “I have written and will shortly be publishing a new 128-page hardback book, with over 80 colour and black & white photographs, to mark the centenary of Sir George White forming what was to become the Bristol Aeroplane Company on 19 February 1910. ‘Boxkite to Concorde - One Hundred Years of Bristol Aircraft’ recounts the Bristol story from the flimsy biplanes at the dawn of British aviation, distinctive fighters and bombers in two World Wars, piston and jet aero-engine development, helicopters, transports, airliners, guided missiles and space satellites, culminating in the supersonic Concorde.
“Over the past 50 years I consider myself privileged to have seen, photographed and written about many of the amazing types of aircraft that have carried the Bristol/BAC name, from the Boxkite, through the M1C, F2B Fighter, Bulldog, Blenheim, Beaufort, Beaufighter, Brigand, Buckmaster, Freighter, Sycamore, Brabazon, Britannia, Types 173, 188, 192, 221 to the Concorde. And I am not forgetting the superb engines like the Jupiter, Mercury, Hercules, Centaurus, Proteus, Olympus and revolutionary Pegasus.
“It was therefore inevitable that my 70th aviation book should be this ‘Bristol Story’ - a reflection in words and pictures of the aircraft and aero-engines that have put Filton and Bristol on the world aviation map since the great entrepreneur and visionary Sir George White first established the British and Colonial Aircraft Company. ‘Boxkite to Concorde’ will go on sale (RRP £9.99) towards the end of February. I am pleased to make a special pre-publication discount offer to fellow members of the Classic Flight Club. If you place an order before the end of January 2010 you can obtain your copy for £8.99 POST FREE. Just send a crossed cheque for £8.99 per copy to PRM Aviation, 25 Sabrina Way, Bristol BS9 1ST.”
December 21, 2009 - It's cold in Coventry!
It’s freezing again at Coventry 
ering of snow over the weekend and the apron looks like a winter wonderland.
Luckily most of the Classic Flight aeroplanes are tucked up in the warm hangar but the larger machines, such as the DC-6, are braving the worst of the weather out on the ramp. We thought you’d appreciate a few wintery photos this morning.
In the hangar
this morning there was an unrivalled opportunity to peruse a plethora of pleasant Percivals. The Percival Proctor now has her cowlings fitted [and looks simply gorgeous] and she has been joined in Hangar 7 by the Percival Proctor, Percival Pembroke and the [Hunting] Percival Jet Provost.
The latest update on the airport situation is that the runway is now open but unlicensed. There have been a number of General Aviation aircraft movements this morning but we currently have no plans to fly any Classic Flight aircraft between now and the end of the year [but if this changes we will endeavour to update this site with news as it happens].
If required we can now conduct test flights or crew currency trips but we are still unable to carry passengers. Luckily our 2009 pleasure flying calendar is now complete and the airport limitations meant we lost just two days worth of fare paying passengers. Had this happened in the height of summer it might have been different story… We await future developments at the airport but are pressing on with the redevelopment of Hangar 7 into our new Visitors Centre.
The CFC office will be open until 17.00 on December 23rd and then re-opens at 09.00 on Monday January 4th.
December 17, 2009 - Engineering Update
You will no doubt have heard about the [hopefully] temporary restrictions in place at our Coventry base. The airport operating company has been wound up resulting in a short period when the airport was completely closed. Coventry is now open again for unlicensed operations
Although we have completed our flying schedule for 2009 the hangar remains busy as our engineering staff work on the fleet. This morning our Percival Prentice was dragged out into the cold for an engine test. Hopefully the Chipmunk will have an engine run this afternoon.
Elsewhere in the hangar the major check on the Pembroke continues. Engineers are studying the results of x-rays conducted on DC-6 G-APSA to determine what work needs to be done to return her to the air for 2010. Further good news is that a replacement engine has been found for the DC-3 and we are confident she will be back in the air very soon.
Tomorrow we will be dispatching engineers to Exeter to work on Duncan Baker's very rare Howard 500 (N500LN). This highly modified Lockheed Ventura has not flown for some time but we hope that situation is about to change.
106 years ago today Orville Wright made history when he became the first person to fly a powered aeroplane. More than a century later we at the Classic Flight Club remain focused on preserving some of the most important and charistmatic flying machines that have graced our skies.
December 14, 2009 - Night Runs a Success
Although we have completed our flying schedule for 2009 the hangar remains busy as our engineering staff work on the fleet. This morning our Percival Prentice was dragged out into the cold for an engine test. Hopefully the Chipmunk will have an engine run this afternoon.
Elsewhere in the hangar the major check on the Pembroke continues. Engineers are studying the results of x-rays conducted on DC-6 G-APSA to determine what work needs to be done to return her to the air for 2010. Further good news is that a replacement engine has been found for the DC-3 and we are confident she will be back in the air very soon.
Tomorrow we will be dispatching engineers to Exeter to work on Duncan Baker's very rare Howard 500 (N500LN). This highly modified Lockheed Ventura has not flown for some time but we hope that situation is about to change.
106 years ago today Orville Wright made history when he became the first person to fly a powered aeroplane. More than a century later we at the Classic Flight Club remain focused on preserving some of the most important and charistmatic flying machines that have graced our skies.
December 14, 2009 - Night Runs a Success
The long awaited 2009 Classic Flight Night Run event went ahead at Coventry yesterday, despite the current restrictions in place at the airport.
Nearly 70 people braved the cold drizzle and were treated to some wonderful photographic opportunities. Chief Pilot Jon Corley kicked events off at 16.15 with a dramatic cartridge start in one of our de Havilland Venoms - complete with jet of flame from the tailpipe! Ben Cox and Al Walker then took centre stage in DC-3 Dakota G-ANAF, the big red aeroplane lit to great effect by a series of floodlights.
As the evening progressed visitors got the opportunity to see, hear and smell a variety of aeroplanes running at very close quarters. These ranged from the humble Auster to the magnificent Gloster Meteor NF.11 night fighter. Other 'stars' included the Anson, Dragon Rapide, Heron, Chipmunk and Jet Provost T.5.
The Classic Flight Club would like to extend this opportunity to thank everybody who helped make the event a success - our engineering staff who pulled out all the stops to ensure the aeroplanes were serviceable, our Ground Support Team (GST) volunteers who ensured the event ran smoothly and, most importantly, to those of you who turned out to support us. Thank you one and all.
December 12, 2009 - Leonides Donation
We'd like to extend o
ur grateful thanks to Geoff Lowe and his son Chris who today drove all the way from North Wales to deliver an Alvis Leonides engine to CFC HQ at Coventry.
Geoff visited our stand at The Flying Show at the NEC in late November and told us about the Leonides 'project' he had acquired some years ago. He kindly offered to donate the engine, and its stand, to the Classic Flight so loaded it on a trailor and set off from 'Cymru' early this morning.
Geoff and Chris are seen here, with our Commercial Manager Steve Bridgewater, on a bitterly cold Coventry Airport. Thanks Chris!
ur grateful thanks to Geoff Lowe and his son Chris who today drove all the way from North Wales to deliver an Alvis Leonides engine to CFC HQ at Coventry. December 8, 2009 - Meteor Taxi Test Due this afternoon
CFC Heads Up! In preparation for Sunday's upcoming Night Run event our Chief Pilot, Jon Corley, is due to conduct engine tests and taxi trials on our Gloster Meteor NF.11 this afternoon.
Those of you in the Coventry area at around 14.00 today (Tuesday December 8) will hear the airport echoing to the sounds of G-LOSM's Rolls Royce Derwent engines. Back in 1952 G-LOSM was built by Armstrong Whitworth here at Baginton airfield under licence from Gloster Aircraft.
The Meteor is set to be one of the stars of our Night Run event on Sunday and one of our main airshow aircraft in 2010.
Meteor T7
The Meteor T7 which is based at Kemble and currenlty undergoing restoration, is available for viewing via a prearranged visit, every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Before going along please ensure you have contacted Hal Taylor on 01491 872205 to arrange your visit.
Find out the lastest about the Meteor T7 by clicking here
With effect from the 1st August 2009, the Classic Flight Club telephone number will change to 024 7688 2616.
The old 08703 number will no longer be available after this time.
22nd July 2009
DC-3 and Anson to Fly
Tomorrow (Friday 4th June) our DC-3 (G-AMPY) will be settingoff on a trainign flight at about 0900L. Late morning our Anson will also take to the skies en-route to Perth (Scotland) where she will be displaying in the Perth Air Show on Saturday and Sunday, before returning to Coventry late Sunday.
Either late Sunday or Monday morning our Rapide (G-AIDL) will be returning from Perth where it has been offering Pleasure flights at the Air Show.
3rd June 2010
AIRBASE & Classic Flight Update
With just over a week to go to the opening of AIRBASE it’s all hands to the pump here at Coventry.
The site is changing by the hour now with aircraft taking position and others being prepared for display. The infrastructure is also reaching completion with the pleasure flight check in office and the Canberra Cafe both almost ready. The AIRBASE entrance building is currently being fitted out with electrics and cabling and work continues on the hangar. The remaining portion of the hangar floor should be painted by the close of play today and work continues all weekend on sundry items 
and displays.
Ollie Williams passed his Operators Proficiency Check in the Dragon Rapide yesterday so we welcome him to the ranks of Classic Flight pilots. He’s now embarking on his conversion onto the Dove in readiness for what we hope will be a busy season.
In terms of aircraft we took delivery of a very interesting aeroplane on Tuesday. Formerly owned by Duncan Baker at Exeter the Howard 500 (N500LN) has been sold to a new owner in the USA and was ferried to Coventry for ongoing maintenance before it sets off across the Atlantic. Developed in the 1950s from the Lockheed Ventura the Howard is a pressurised VIP transport aircraft (a sort of Learjet of its day) and is a big and powerful beast. It will be at Coventry while our engineers work on the machine and will likely be on view at AIRBASE for much of the time. (Thanks to CFC member Keith Gaskell for the accompanying photograph
- taken en route to Coventry.
At shortly before 10pm last night we took delivery of our Hunter T.8 (WT722) from Kemble by road. This is a long-term restoration to flight project and will be displayed alongside two other Hunters at AIRBASE. XE689 and XF300 are both Hunter GA.11s and are currently en route from Kemble to Coventry on the back of lorries.
Work on DC-6 G-APSA continues with the cabin interior now almost complete. Crew training for the ‘Taxi Back to the Fifties’ experiences is scheduled to begin early next week with the first fare-paying passengers booked for Saturday 29th.
Also outside, our Nimrod now takes pride of place outside Dakota House and draws admiring glances from all who walk past her.
So, we are on schedule to open the doors to AIRBASE at 10.00 on Saturday May 29! Now for the bad news... due to circumstances beyond our control we are not going to be able to offer pleasure flights on the opening weekend. The new airport owners have not yet managed to relicense the runway so we are therefore unable to conduct passenger flights. Needless to say we are bitterly disappointed about this development, especially as the flyable aircraft are what set us apart from other aviation attractions in the UK. Nonetheless, we expect other aircraft to fly on the day on training and positioning flights so there will be aircraft to see – even if you can’t fly in them yourself.
Of course the DC-6 will also be moving under her own steam – and you can now book your seats online at www.classicflight.com
Elsewhere there will be activities for all the family and a variety of exclusive introductory offers. We look forward to welcoming many of you to AIRBASE – especially over our opening weekend. Please come and support us if you can.
A Howard for Coventry
