'Symbolic' landing of Rapide on beach
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'Symbolic' landing of Rapide on beach
From thisisJersey.com
SHORTLY after 4.30 pm on Liberation Day the vintage aircraft de Havilland Dragon Rapide will land in St Aubin's Bay for the first time in more than 50 years.
The aircraft was a familiar sight in Jersey in the pre-war years and landed regularly on the beach before the Airport was built in 1937.
A number of aircraft have been forced to make emergency landings on the beach but this will be the first flight in over half a century to land in the bay deliberately.
The pilot will be Jerseyman Mike Collett, owner of the airline Air Atlantique which has the Rapide.
He said: 'This will be a very special occasion and I am looking forward to it. The Rapide is an ideal aircraft for beach landings, and as long as the tide is not in, it should be a routine landing.
'There are not that many Rapides left in the world and no plane has landed on this beach deliberately for more than 50 years so I feel very privileged. We are celebrating 60 years of freedom and although the Airport was built in 1937, most people from the time would be familiar with aircrafts landing on the beach so I think this flight is very symbolic.'
The Red Arrows will be performing at 1.15 pm. The display team have flown in the Island 81 times. This time, Islanders will have an exclusive view of a number of previously unseen manoeuvres.
Three aircraft which had a key role in the allied victory in the Second World War - the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane - will fly over the bay at 4.10 pm in a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. At 4.45 pm the Royal Navy's Black Cats helicopters will take to the sky before the DC-3 Dakota and Anson fly over the bay.
The Rapide will take off from the beach shortly after 5 pm and the finale of the afternoon will be a parachute display from Jersey Sky Dive.
Members of the public will have the chance to fly in the Rapide with Air Atlantique on Saturday and Sunday at a cost of £45. There is no need to book, but those who wish to fly in the aircraft are asked to arrive at the Aero Club from 10 am on Saturday and Sunday.
Flights will cover the southern half of the Island, taking in Corbière, St Brelade's Bay, Elizabeth Castle, Havre des Pas, Seymour Tower and Gorey and will last between 20 and 25 minutes. Anyone with any queries can contact the Aero Club on 743990.
SHORTLY after 4.30 pm on Liberation Day the vintage aircraft de Havilland Dragon Rapide will land in St Aubin's Bay for the first time in more than 50 years.
The aircraft was a familiar sight in Jersey in the pre-war years and landed regularly on the beach before the Airport was built in 1937.
A number of aircraft have been forced to make emergency landings on the beach but this will be the first flight in over half a century to land in the bay deliberately.
The pilot will be Jerseyman Mike Collett, owner of the airline Air Atlantique which has the Rapide.
He said: 'This will be a very special occasion and I am looking forward to it. The Rapide is an ideal aircraft for beach landings, and as long as the tide is not in, it should be a routine landing.
'There are not that many Rapides left in the world and no plane has landed on this beach deliberately for more than 50 years so I feel very privileged. We are celebrating 60 years of freedom and although the Airport was built in 1937, most people from the time would be familiar with aircrafts landing on the beach so I think this flight is very symbolic.'
The Red Arrows will be performing at 1.15 pm. The display team have flown in the Island 81 times. This time, Islanders will have an exclusive view of a number of previously unseen manoeuvres.
Three aircraft which had a key role in the allied victory in the Second World War - the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane - will fly over the bay at 4.10 pm in a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. At 4.45 pm the Royal Navy's Black Cats helicopters will take to the sky before the DC-3 Dakota and Anson fly over the bay.
The Rapide will take off from the beach shortly after 5 pm and the finale of the afternoon will be a parachute display from Jersey Sky Dive.
Members of the public will have the chance to fly in the Rapide with Air Atlantique on Saturday and Sunday at a cost of £45. There is no need to book, but those who wish to fly in the aircraft are asked to arrive at the Aero Club from 10 am on Saturday and Sunday.
Flights will cover the southern half of the Island, taking in Corbière, St Brelade's Bay, Elizabeth Castle, Havre des Pas, Seymour Tower and Gorey and will last between 20 and 25 minutes. Anyone with any queries can contact the Aero Club on 743990.
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If I'm not mistaken weren't the Channel islands only Liberated a day later due to their location & troop logistics ?
Does anyone know if the event took place & if so which one of AA's Rapides where used ?
I bet it was a nice sight
Neg G
Does anyone know if the event took place & if so which one of AA's Rapides where used ?
I bet it was a nice sight
Neg G
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"Liberation Day" in Jersey (and I think Guernsey) is May 9th so ask again tomorrow
Edit to add that I was once told that the first RAF pilot to land in Jersey after the end of the war was Bill Ison, erstwhile CFI of the Tigermoth group at Cambridge. Can anyone confirm???
Edit to add that I was once told that the first RAF pilot to land in Jersey after the end of the war was Bill Ison, erstwhile CFI of the Tigermoth group at Cambridge. Can anyone confirm???
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