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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0719.PDF
692 FLIGHT International, 9 May 1963 before the crowds arrived: Biggin Hill ready for four days' business A Day at the Fair "Flight International" photographs AS at any good fair, there was something for everyone at Air Travel Fair, held at Biggin Hill Airfield from May 2 to May 5. With the broad objective of encouraging more people to fly, for business or pleasure, in airliners or private aircraft, the organizers succeeded in bringing over 165,000 people to see exhibits by 25 airlines and travel agents, 14 aircraft dealers, and scores of clubs, associations and equipment manufacturers plus the armed Services. On Sunday there were no fewer than 2,125 aircraft movemsnts. Although there was no formal flying display when Flight Inter national visited the fair on Saturday the continuous stream of movements was punctuated by superb aerobatic displays by the Czech ace Jiri Blaha in a Trener Master; Peter Philips in the Cosmic Wind; and beautiful display flying, including slow rolls, in the Beagle 206 seven-seater twin by Ranald Porteous. Caledonian Airways were represented by two DC-7Cs, one of which landed with "Britain's first corps of drum majorettes" and the other with the drum-and-fife band of the Scots Guards. One of the 7Cs took off with a cocktail party on board and cruised up and down the South Coast, returning to make low, slow passes along the runway. British United had a beautifully turned-out Viscount oft static display, half in and naif out of the main exhibi tion hall—which also contained the other airline exhibits and a tombola organized in aid of the RAF Benevolent Association with many holiday air tour tickets as prizes. On Saturday Mike Keegan demonstrated the speed of modern executive aircraft with a London-Paris-London flight in 2hr 3min 3sec in a Riley 65—a smoothed-up Cessna 310. The flight was timed from overhead Croydon to overhead Toussus-le-Noble, and ended with a shattering low pass over the Biggin Hill crowd. Three RAF parachute instructors made a very precise drop from an Army Beaver. Many people had their first opportunity for a flight in a helicopter, with BEA operating an S-55 and Rent-a-Copter Hiller. 12E4s on pleasure flying, and BEAS demonstrated the 1963 Brantly B2A with the bigger and more refined cabin furnishings. Pontin Holiday Camps and Mr Sebastian de Ferranti are recent customers for this low-cost two-seat helicopter. Machines on show for the first time in the UK included the production Bolkow Junior, Scintex Super Emeraude, Omnipol Trener Master (which incidentally towed a Blanik sailplane from Prague in 1\ hours' flying time), Beechcraft Musketeer, and the Hughes 2698. Below, four of the Beagle pack. In the front is the 206X (20 of the developed Y version have just been ordered for the RAF—see page 660) and, from left to right behind, the D5-I80, Terrier, and Airedale. Right, Rent-A-Copter gave joy rides in Hiller l2E4s. Lower right, Skyways Coach Air Avro 748 made high-speed turn-rounds while operating the regular service to Beauvais
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