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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0609.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNK 21, 1984 A NORTH DEVON AERODROME Opening Ceremony and Flying Display at Barnstaple III *\ AKNSTAPLE is lucky in having the first properlyII |"*v established and licensed aerodrome in North JILCJ Devon. Mr. R. T. Boyd and Mr. T. Nash areprimarily responsible for getting it going, and they are lucky to have got the backing they wanted fromlocal people of importance like the Mayor of Barnstaple (Councillor C. Dart), who performed the opening ceremonyon Wednesday, last week. In a few well-chosen words delivered over the loud speakers, he explained that theauthorities were proud to be associated with the enter- prise of Mr. Boyd, and he felt that the people of thedistrict would, in the future, be glad that this admirably placed aerodrome had been established. Having declaredthe aerodrome open he, together with the Mayoress, was taken for a flight over Barnstaple, in a Desoutter, by Mr.Boyd. The club (the Barnstaple and North Devon AerodromeClub), has actually been functioning to a certain extent since last December, and in that short time has attracted140 members, of whom nearly 50 are flying members, a very fine percentage indeed. They have two " Moths "for instruction, and also stationed at the aerodrome is a Desoutter which Mr. J. E. D. Scott operates for taxiand joyriding work. He finds that already a steady demand is being evinced of the need foi taxi services inthe district. This is not surprising when one knows that there is quite a considerable amount of business activityin the neighbourhood and that the railway journey to Cardiff takes 6 hours, whereas by air it can be reachedin 40 minutes. Westward Ho, famed for its golf course, is another placeto which visitors to Barnstaple want to go, and when they try it they find they have to go round 16 miles by road.By air it is almost a case of taking off and straight away landing again, as Westward Ho is just the other sideof the river from Barnstaple Aerodrome. At the present time there is a little difficulty about getting permission toland at Westward Ho, but the suitable ground belongs to the Crown, so ultimately the difficulties should beovercome. After the opening ceremony there was an aerobatic dis-play by one of the club's pupils, and then the assembled members and their friends—who turned out in greater THOSE RESPONSIBLE : Messrs. R. Boyd (left) and T. Nash, who are those -whom the populace of North Devon has to thank for founding the Barnstaple Aero- drome. (FLIGHT Photo.) numbers than we have seen for some time—were taken upfor joyrides. Among those who assisted were the Mayors of Bideford, South Molton and Torrington, and the chair-men of the Urban District Councils of Ilfracombe and Lynton. Quite a large number of people flew downfor the occasion and consequently there was a good variety of aeroplanes for the members to look at. Theyexpressed surprise at the speed at which aeroplanes could travelabout—most of them being new to the joys of flying—and saw greatfuture possibilities in the fact that we had, thanks to the aviationrepresentative of the National Benzole Company with his" Leopard Moth " (" Gipsy Major"), been able to make thejourney from Heston in less than an hour and a-half as against thefour and a-half hours minimum taken by the railway ; it seemsprobable from this that Mr. Scott will soon find that he has moreorders than he can cope with for charter work. C. N. C. A DEVON AERODROME : TheMayor of Barnstaple, Councillor C. F. Dart, declares the Barn-staple and North Devon Aero- . drome open. ; THE THIRD S.B.A.C. FLYING DISPLAY EVERY year the Society of British Aircraft Con- structors organise a flying display with the co-operation of the Air Ministry. This display, which is held at Hendon Aerodrome, takes place just after the Royal Air Force Display, at the same aerodrome, and was primarily designed for the purpose of letting foreign visitors see all our latest types, commercial as well as military, at close quarters. The first two displays proved conclusively that the scheme was an excellent one for bringing together our manufacturers and designers and the representatives of commercial and military aviation who come to England annually from almost every country in the world. It can confidently be expected that this year's display will be even more interesting than those of previous years. 609
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