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Council bans passenger trip on historic aircraft
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| Pilot Lee Rose with the letter from Bromley Council informing him he cannot fly on the Douglas DC-3 Dakota from Biggin Hill airport BR11232 |
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FLIGHTS on a historic aircraft on its farewell tour have been banned by Bromley Council.
And one resident, whose birthday treat has been ruined by the decision to stop the flights from Biggin Hill airport, says the move "is an awful shame".
The Douglas DC-3 Dakota was used in the Second World War to transport paratroopers and military supplies.
Due to EU flight security regulations, the aircraft will no longer be able to be used for passenger flights after July 15.
Aircraft operator Air Atlantique Classic Flight is running a national farewell tour offering flights in a DC-3 and planned to fly from Biggin Hill on May 24 and May 25.
However, Bromley Council refused permission for the plane to use Biggin Hill as this breached the airport's lease, which does not allow fare-paying passenger flights.
Air Atlantique commercial director Richard Parr, said: "The DC-3 has had 70 years of valiant and successful service and was a very important transport aircraft in the Second World War.
"D-Day would not have happened without it.
"It was also vital in the start-up of big airlines. For example, British Airways started with a DC-3 in the 1960s."
He added: "It's a shame people associated with it can't fly from Biggin Hill.
"I am more disappointed for the passengers being inconvenienced more than anything else."
One disappointed resident is Lee Rose, a pilot who lives in Chestnut Avenue, Coney Hall.
His wife, Lyn, had bought them both tickets for a Biggin Hill Dakota flight, costing £99 each, as a birthday treat.
The 46-year-old said: "Biggin Hill has a great history of aviation dating back to the Second World War.
"It seems a real shame the tour could not take place at Biggin Hill.
"The council should have looked at it as a farewell tour which is good for Biggin Hill, good for the airport and good for the tour.
"It's an awful shame and would have been nice to make an exception, as there are always exceptions to the rules."
As well as playing an important part on D-Day, the Dakota was also used during Operation Market Garden later in 1944 when Allied forces parachuted into Holland.
It also took part in the Berlin Airlift, when food was supplied to the west side of the German city during a Soviet blockade between June 1948 and September 1949.
The Air Atlantique tour will still be visiting airports at Manston, Southend, Exeter, Blackpool, Bristol, Newcastle, Coventry, Durham, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Doncaster, Norwich and Belfast.
Mr Rose now plans to fly from Southend instead.
He added: "I don't really want to go to Southend. It won't be able to fly over London now.
"A lot of people want to say goodbye. It's such a shame they won't be able to fly on it for the last time."
Air Atlantique applied to the council for a permit to fly in February.
Its application was turned down last month.
Bromley Council leader Councillor Stephen Carr said: "We refused permission as the proposal was contrary to the terms of the lease.
"We simply could not accept it or allow it.
"The whole issue of fare-paying passengers is a matter of principle for us and one we feel strongly about."
12:24pm Tuesday 13th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: jj, bromley on 6:09pm Tue 13 May 08
Its about right for bromley council. If it had involved TESCO'S it would not have been a problem. We will just have to travel further to see this plane flying & spend money outside of bromley
Its about right for bromley council. If it had involved TESCO'S it would not have been a problem. We will just have to travel further to see this plane flying & spend money outside of bromley
Posted by: Steve O, The Office on 6:41pm Tue 13 May 08
Petty minded, pumped up little twerps flexing their muscles. That's local councilors for you.
Petty minded, pumped up little twerps flexing their muscles. That's local councilors for you.
Posted by: Eagles Man, Anerley on 6:43pm Tue 13 May 08
Bromley Council can;t win: if they were to allow fare paying passengers they'd get slated, yet if they enforce the lease - which people like Flightpath are always demanding - then they get it in the neck as well!
Bromley Council can;t win: if they were to allow fare paying passengers they'd get slated, yet if they enforce the lease - which people like Flightpath are always demanding - then they get it in the neck as well!
Posted by: Cerberus, Bromley on 7:36pm Tue 13 May 08
Does the O stand for orifice by chance Steve ?
Does the O stand for orifice by chance Steve ?
Posted by: steve, Greenwich on 7:49pm Tue 13 May 08
Not sure which is worse, un-elected trough snorters telling us what to do (but were happy to be liberated using these machines) or a spiteful, petty, over bearing council that ought to be doing something a little more worthwhile.
Not sure which is worse, un-elected trough snorters telling us what to do (but were happy to be liberated using these machines) or a spiteful, petty, over bearing council that ought to be doing something a little more worthwhile.
Posted by: Eeyore, Biggin Hill on 9:13pm Tue 13 May 08
This is farcical! Although I have heard rumours that they may no longer actually be operational, Helicopter Days (http://www.helicopt
erdays.co.uk/about-u
s/index.asp) still have a Web site and are promoting flights on exactly the basis that has been refused here.. so what gives?
This is farcical! Although I have heard rumours that they may no longer actually be operational, Helicopter Days (http://www.helicopt
erdays.co.uk/about-u
s/index.asp) still have a Web site and are promoting flights on exactly the basis that has been refused here.. so what gives?
Posted by: Bob, Bromley on 4:06pm Wed 14 May 08
Could there not be a way to get around this, free flight in turn for a donation towardfs the DC3's upkeep? I also seem to recall that the Dak always was flying at the start & end of the air show, how did they get around that?
Could there not be a way to get around this, free flight in turn for a donation towardfs the DC3's upkeep? I also seem to recall that the Dak always was flying at the start & end of the air show, how did they get around that?
Posted by: Mac, Biggin Hill on 12:15pm Thu 15 May 08
Are the council sure about this? I thought that only scheduled flights were dis-allowed at Biggin? I would have thought that these pleasure flights would come under the heading of charter flights as there would be no published timetable for departures. The ban on using DC3's for pleasure flights is, in itself an ill thought out, bureaucratic nonsense, in the name of anti-terrorist legislation forced on us by the European Union trough-snufflers in Brussels. There are still a large number of people living in what was once East Berlin who would not be alive today had it not been for the DC3's service during the Berlin airlift. Jeez! you just couldn't make this story up could you!
Are the council sure about this? I thought that only scheduled flights were dis-allowed at Biggin? I would have thought that these pleasure flights would come under the heading of charter flights as there would be no published timetable for departures. The ban on using DC3's for pleasure flights is, in itself an ill thought out, bureaucratic nonsense, in the name of anti-terrorist legislation forced on us by the European Union trough-snufflers in Brussels. There are still a large number of people living in what was once East Berlin who would not be alive today had it not been for the DC3's service during the Berlin airlift. Jeez! you just couldn't make this story up could you!
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