Portsmouth Aeroclub

[wrecker]

Does any one have any idea of the registrations of the Austers (J1N?)used by Portsmouth Aeroclub in 1963 as I have lost the logbook for that period and would like to find out if any are still around

[Rainboe]

I flew G-AIGF and G-APKD in 1967 there. Damn things nearly killed me. Took 3 circuits to get down alive. I am so done with tailwheels!

[captain.speaking]

Portsmouth Austers

According to "British Airports" by J W R Taylor, published by Ian Allan in - I think - 1964, the following Austers were listed as being resident. Don't know how many were operated by Portsmouth Aero Club, but possibly you may recognise them ?

G-AIGF, Auster J/1N
G-AJIS, Auster J/1N
G-APKD, Auster J/1N
G-ARUG, Auster J/5G Autocar

Richard.

[tornadoken]

I have: G-AJIS Alpha. Alive and well
G-APAR Alpha: crashed 16/4/63
G-APKD Alpha: to VH-KSP, EI-AVW and withdrawn from use 10/74

[Pull what]

Anyone know the details of the two aircraft that ran into each other at Portsmouth or any other incidents

[edskarf]

(wrecker)
Auster J/1N G-AJUW might just come into the frame as it was with Portsmouth Aero Club between September 1960 and March 1963. It also appears that some aeroplanes used by Portsmouth Aero Club were not officially registered to them but on loan/hire from other organisations.

(Pull what)
As far as collisions are concerned I have records of two incidents involving Austers at Portsmouth. Are you seeking information on a specific accident?

[wrecker]

Many thanks to all respondents
Your information has helped fill a few gaps in my memory

[Pull what]

Ed Thanks

Just wanted a brief description of the accident(s) Was there not an Avro 748 involved in one accident?

[edskarf]

I have no record of a collision with anything as large as a HS748 but would be interested to learn more!

[Rainboe]

Channel Express had 2 748s crash in one day at Portsmouth, and I believe also a Viscount in Switzerland. One of the 748s went through the fence and skidded onto the rush hour Eastern Road, a busy dual carriageway, without hurting anybody. I drove around it. It was 1967. Nobody was seriously hurt in any of the accidents. Portsmouth was a small grass airlfield with a tight east-west landing distance, and when the grass was wet, it was difficult even in a Cherokee. The airfield is a housing estate/Mercedes BMW Audi/Kia Chrysler trading base now!

[arem]

It wasn't Channel Express but Channel Airways of Southend fame.

The Viscount in switz - are you thinking of the Invicta Vanguard at Basle - The only Channel Airways Viscount crash that comes to mind was a training flight at Southend

[GiveMeABreak]

Rainboe's memory is fine (apart from the operator !). There was a 'minor' incident with a Viscount at Basle the same day. It was back in service a few weeks later.

[Pull what]

Rainboe thanks, what happened to the other 748 on the same day?

[Rainboe]

The memory is straining through 42 years here! I think both 748s at Portsmouth were gear collapses on wet grass. I think it led to the ultimate doom of Channel Airways (apologies to C Express). Some of the aviation accident websites will have more detail.

[Abacus]

Rainboe is correct!
It was gear collapse on wet grass! I happened to be there on that day. I am not sure of the runway directions but the first landed in a north easterly direction and had a gear collapse, stopping just short of the fence. A few hours later another came in and landed in a easterly direction, and the same thing happened, but this time the aircraft went through the boundary fence, finishing up on the Eastern Road, a dual carrigeway running down the eastern side of the airfield. I rememeber a local police inspector tried to get a bulldozer from the sand and gravel company nearby to tow that 748 back onto the airfield, by putting a chain through the rear door openings and pull it back to the runway to clear the road. I remember an argument ensued as to the wisdom of that, and I believe he was persuaded otherwise, but at that point I had to leave, so I am not sure of that particular outcome. Rumour has it that they did try to pull it back, but the chain started to slice through the structure, so the idea was abandoned!

[Pull what]

Sounds like heavy landings???

[Seat62K]

More information can be found in this thread:

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...ortsmouth.html

Seems Rainboe and I have something in common - we both remember the incidents and saw the aftermath. I am, though, younger than he is!

I was in Portsmouth recently - it's sad to see the old airfield built upon.

[Rainboe]

You absolutely sure about the age thing? I drove around the 748 sticking wheel-less out into the road on my scooter! There's a clue for you. It was interesting that the Eastern road ran up the eastern edge of the airfield. The street lights on that side of the road were specially truncated short ones. When the airfield was wet, it was important to come in as low as possible over the road and miss the streetlights, even in a PA28. There were several occasions I had my eyes closed as I waited for a 5 Watt Sodium to come up through the floor violently! The thought of the firebrigade rescuing Cadet Rainboe from being impaled on one of Southern Electricity's finest is not pleasant to me. Nobody used to notice the streetlights- I always took pleasure in asking people why they were like that.

[Seat62K]

Yes, Rainboe, I'm sure (unless, that is, you were riding your scooter illegally! ).

I hadn't even started secondary school in 1967!

[Who knows, we might even have attended the same school (now there's a thought)!!]

[Flap40]

The AAIB report on the two 748's is at Air Accidents Investigation: 1/1971 G-ATEK and G-ATEH

The loos of the undercarriages was an effect of the accidents rather than the cause.