John Fairey
 

Looking for stories, pictures etc for a photobook I am preparing of John's flying career for his widow and family. Presently working on 1980-2000 and looking for info/pics on Bees Flight/Continental Air Services at Eastleigh, SFT at Hurn and whoever it was operating aerial advertising flights at Eastleigh 80-83. Anyone out there who worked with John at this time?

John Fairey
 

John also took his 1179 on the Bees Flight Aztec with Peter Duff-Mitchell but in late 1980.

Do you remember if there was a connection between Bees Flight and Continental Air Services? Peter D-M instructed on both fleets. Bees Flight had been bought along with Sandown by the owner of Eastleigh and a new office opened in Eastleigh. Don't know the origins of the other company.

Cheers

I realise that this story is not in your time frame but you might like the story anyway. The year was 1961 and I was a student on Vampires at RAF Valley. It was Battle of Britain Open Day and the wind was at least 40 knots and gusting. A civil Auster appeared in the circuit and made several attempts to land but kept having to go around.

I and three or four of my mates were ordered to position ourselves either side of runway 20 close to the 22 Squadron hangar. When the Auster came down next time, we pulled it out of the skies and manhandled it into the hangar.

The pilot was John Fairey. He had a pleasure flying contract with the Auster at Pwllheli and had hoped to make some money at the Valley Open Day.

I ended up lending him a jacket and a tie etc so that he could go to the evening do in the Officers Mess. When he left next day, he thanked me profusely and offered me a ride in his 2-seat Spitfire G-AIDN which he kept at Andover (or was it Thruxton).

Like so many things in life I never got round to it. I'm still kicking myself!

There was certainly a 2 seat Spit flying from Andover in the mid 70s; I remember 'cos he used to ignore Boscombe and call Farnborough instead.

Andover, 31 July 1969. 10 minutes dual instruction followed by 20 minutes general handling and aeros....£20 toward the cost of the fuel!

My 6th ever flight. :)

PeterA

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