Austers around mid-1950s
Likewise, my first flight was at the age of 11 in 1956. I had saved up 5s.0d., for a pleasure flight in G-AOBV flown by Bruce Martin. He didn't have anyone to sell tickets from the kiosk so as I was looking nicely turned out in my Sale Grammar School uniform he asked if I would do him the honours and the flight would be free. I was the only passenger on the last flight of the day and he let me take control over Styal Forest then fly as P1(U/S) on our rejoin. I was so impressed that I did the ticket sales every weekend for several years and completed the full 40 hours dual in 80 weeks. I joined the Air Training Corps (318 Sale & Altrincham) at the age of 13 quickly becoming a cadet instructor and representing the ATC at the Teens and Twenties Exhibition at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. Went on to join the RAF at the age of 19 and took my GFT (General Flying Test) in a Chipmunk with the Kinloss Air Experience Flight and half an hour of free flying every day. Went on from RAF to Royal Saudi Air Force at Dhahran after 12 months in civvy street. Lightnings at 1000 kts, quite different from Shackletons at 150 kts. Now 68 and still involved in aviation, currently building an Ultralight SSDM, weighing in at under 115 kg.,empty. and 2.5 litres/hour with a Honda 50 engine and a 2:1 reduction gearbox. I'm in touch with another contributor to this thread (Ringway Publications) who have excellent web pages on Ringway Airport.
Also helped out Harry Paterson and Bruce Martin gave me a full time job in the Airviews Photo Lab along with jollies in the Rapide and a hose-down and polish of the Rapide for Aerial Photography assignments. I'm glad to see G-AOJH (Harry Paterson's Fox Moth) is still in flying condition. It has obviously been well cared for. I flew regularly in G-AOBV, G-AGXN, G-AGYP, all owned by Basil de Ferranti and loaned on a freewill basis to members of Ringway Aero Club. It is nice to hear from others who were involved with Ringway in the 60s. I'll try to keep in touch with other contributors to this forum.