Dealer buys back aircraft - 44 years later!
 

In the summer of 1970, Westair at Blackpool supplied a new Rheims built C150 to the Lancashire Aero club at Barton. It was registered G-AWPU. As a student it was the very first aircraft I flew, I learnt to fly in her and subsequently instructed in her for many years. 30 years later I recreated that first flight and thought she had done well to survive that long....

This aircraft has just left Barton after being sold to....Westair at Blackpool :)
That's 44 years exactly - some kind of record you would think.

Here she is all those years ago..

https://yy2.staticflickr.com/5104/56...5b14b11d_z.jpg

And recently...

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3695/1...ab2cce6f_z.jpg

Had my trial lesson and many hours of PPL training in -PU. Good to see she's still going, shame she's leaving barton

I think that I preferred the original colour scheme.

Not that strange for a C150 to last 44 years, but hellishly impressive that any company in GA did !

G

how many landings and hours when returned back to Westair? :)

If you going to use my picture, a credit would be nice!

The original photo doesn't do any credit to the aircraft. :p

As far as I understand it's only back at Blackpool temporarily, filling the void of another aircraft on maintenance. (I could be wrong however)

According to the CAA she was registered to Westair on 18/6/2014 so that looks like a sale. Total hours were 21,157 at the end of Dec 2013 - a fair few of which would be down to me :p

Fond memories too of AWPU. Not least the hourly rental cost that used to be charged in the mid 90's. Very reasonable for hours building.

I remember Papa U, the instructor at Westair that flew it back in 70 was a real character and seemed to permanently smoke a pipe! :cool:

Was that Phil Stock? I remember he used to cycle home on an old bike after finishing flying for the day.

Yes, me too!