Past operators at Coventry

[Jack Davidson]

Info needed on the following airlines that have operated from
Coventry over the years.

1950's Jersey Airlines
1960's British United Air Ferries
1970's British Midland (summer service)
1980's Air Commuter, Genair, Venture Airways, Janus, BASE (NL)and Ryanair.

Any info on aircraft types used and regs would be welcome.

Dave

[Stampe]

Almost certain I flew a Viscount of my then employer British Air Ferries from there in the mid eighties on a summer only Channel Islands charter series I,ll dig into my logbook for you.Ironically my current employers have just purchased the place lock stock and barrel I think its future looks very bright.

[Jack Davidson]

Hi Stampe,

Yes interesting times at CVT. Info req by the way for an official history I'm working on. To be published at some future date.

[Stampe]

Success a quick sweep through my old log books finds me acting as "captains little helper" ie P2 on the 21 September 1986 Vickers Viscount 806 G-AOYN of British Air Ferries routing Jersey-Coventry-Jersey Captain Bob Elwell (the bionic carrot)who was last known at Monarch.This would certainly have been a regular at least once weekly summer only service.I note that Coventry turned us round in only 30 minutes between 1530and 1600 GMT.We did most of the Uk regionals from the Channel Islands with a fleet of some 18 Viscounts oh happy days!!.I,ve got a sneeking suspicion Britannia also did some summer series out of there using the B732 at some time (that would indeed be ironic) though I can,t find any evidence of me having perpetrated the deed!!.I,ll do some more research on that for you:ok:

[Malcolm G O Payne]

1980s Air Commuter is still in existence I beleive trading as Rangemile. It was only ever an air taxi and corporate operator.
Peter Jones, who runs it was also involved with Venture Airways which unfortunately lasted only a short while. They flew a Jetstream at first and then had a 748 reconfigured in executive fit.

Jack, if it is of any help to you I flew out of Coventry from 1974 to 1986(?) firstly with Air Commuter, then W A Blackburn as company pilot, then as Chief Pilot of All Seasons Aviation. I might be able to fill some gaps in for you. My e-mail address is [email protected].

[Halcyon Days]

I seem to recollect a company called Midland Air Cargo who operated a Bristol Freighter from there in the early 70`s. Anyone remember them-I dont think they lasted more than a year.
Venture airlines had a couple of 748s but dont know what routes they flew.

[Stampe]

A colleague tells me Orion definitely flew pax out of Coventry using 737 equipment they had both 200 and 300 series.He didn,t know the dates, so more work for you!! can you get hold of the air traffic movement logs?.Seems the airport has much more of a passenger flight history than previously thought.:O

[Malcolm G O Payne]

In the back of my mind there was a freight operator called Ace with Constellations.

[Halibag]

Venture Airways used a single 748 in 1984. Registered G-VAJK after the Airline and owners initials, Venture Airways, Julian Kay.
Only lasted for about three months from May 1984, operating an all First Class layout in the 748. If memory serves me correct, there were 18 seats, arranged 1 aisle 2, port to stbd.

Shame really, they made a good go of it, but a 748 is not really the right equipment for the idea - all First Class - and the route should have been good, Coventry-Paris.

Midland Air Cargo certainly operated at least one 'Superfreighter' Halcyon Days, but more than that I don't know.

Janus were certainly operating Viscount G-ARIR in 1984 on IT flights to France.

Ryanair operated BAC 1-11's in 1989-1990 for sure, but stopped towards the end of '90.

Good luck with the book, I shall look out for it wjen finished.

:ok:

[treadigraph]

According to a book I've got - but not neccessarily authoritative - Midland Air Cargo had as many as three Freighters...

Ah, ACE and the Connie... wish I was a bit older... (did I really just say that?)

[Malcolm G O Payne]

I think the problem with Venture was the fact that Coventry has always been in the shadow of Birmingham with passenger flights and it used to take a long time to re-educate the travelling public. Perhaps things will change with Thomsonfly. Unfortunately there is a great deal of mis-informed comment going around amongst the general public. The Secretary of the anti-airport lobby went into print a couple of weeks ago saying that Coventry was only fit for flying club aircraft. I wrote a reply pointing out that BA uses it as an alternate to BHX.

[Jack Davidson]

Thanks guy's! You've given me a few more avenue's to check out.

Ah yes, ACE, ops out of Gatwick and eng at CVT. There was also Shackleton Aviation (aircraft broker) I think?

[Daysleeper]

I wrote a reply pointing out that BA uses it as an alternate to BHX.

Ah yes I read that in the Leamington Courier, nice letter.

just above the one that says aviation pays no tax on anything (just look at my PAYE slip)
pollutes more than the worlds 600 million (yes million) cars.
and brings no benifit to the local economy whatsoever, (the airport being the only reason I moved to leam, bought a house and spend the Honduran national debt in Sainsbury's every week.:\ rant over. sorry.

[IB4138]

Have a trawl through "British Independent Airlines 1946-1976" published by The Aviation Hobby Shop. It lists operators and their base fields plus aircraft in alpha order.

[Boss Raptor]

Chris and Maria Barrett Jolleys' B707 operation Phoenix, with offices in the terminal, 9G-ONE (9G-OLF) B707-379C? and 9G-TWO B707-336C (G-AYLT) used to park them at CVT between flights in the 90's...(bites tongue and stops oneself spitting venom) :E

[Lou Scannon]

When I was flying Tiger Moths at Coventry in 1958 or so, there was an outfit called "Trans European Aviation" flying two Rapides.
The pilots were Adrian Ross who later went to B.Caledonian and Tony Stauber who seemed to disappear.

At one time they claimed to have a Connie, but it never arrived.

I used to make £1 a day (my first pay in aviation) pushing passengers in and out during rapid turn-rounds when they were flying out of Elmdon on weekends.

[Unwell_Raptor]

I was at school with Chris Barrett-Jolley in the sixties. He once took me flying in a Chipmunk from Elstree.

For many years he saw a lot more of the world than I did, but these days he sees a lot less, I am afraid.