Guernsey Airport
GUERNSEY: Civil regional airport (Aka: States of Guernsey Airport)
ICAO code: EGJB IATA code: GCI
Operated by:
1965: States of Guernsey
1975: Department of Trade & Industry
1990s/2000s: States of Guernsey
Activities: Airline, air freight, GA private and training
British airline users: Pre 1940: Cobham Air Routes (But did they land here?). Guernsey and Jersey Airways
Note: Both of these pictures from a postcard were kindly sent by Mike Charlton. The second picture is interesting because, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. This aircraft was registered to Guernsey Airways just prior to WW2, and, another picture of a DH86B can be seen in the listing for JERSEY - this time registered to Jersey Airlines - but clearly signwritten as Guernsey and Jersey Airways. So what was going on? Was Guernsey and Jersey Airways a trading name co-operated by both airlines?
Post 1945: Airlines (Jersey), Air Safaris, Air Southwest, Air UK, Aurigny Air Services, Aviation Beauport (Beaupair), Blue Islands Airline, Blue Line Airways, BEA (British European Airways), British Midland Airways, Brymon Airways, Cambrian Air Services, Channel Express, CityFlyer Express, Derby Aviation, Derby Airways, Don Everall, East Anglian Flying Services, Flybe, Jersey Airlines, Jersey Airways, Jersey European Airways, Loganair, Murray Chown, Region Airways
Foreign airline users: Post 1945: Cross Air, Eurowings, KLM, Lufthansa
Air cargo: Post 1945: West Atlantic
Charter, air taxi: Post 1945: Air Bridge Carriers, Air Transport Association, Air Transport Charter, Alidair, Anglo Normandy, Baylee Air Charter, Blue-Line, British Air Ferries, British Air Transport, British Island Airways, British Midland Airways, British Nederland Air Services, Channel Air Services
A MIKE CHARLTON GALLERY
Note: These pictures from postcards were kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
First picture. I suspect this picture was taken when the airport first opened?
Third picture: This de Havilland DH86B Express was registered to Guernsey Airways, (based in Jersey incidentally), from March 1939 to August 1940. Which in itself is rather interesting because WW2 with Germany was declared on the 3rd September 1939, and although most civil aviation was suspended, some regional services serving the islands within the UK, continued throughout, The Channel Islands were invaded late in June 1940.
At some point this aircraft was flown across to the mainland to serve with Railway Air Services, and was based at SPEKE (Liverpool) from the 29th August 1940 until the 22nd October 1946. It then seems to have been disposed of.
Fourth picture. With the snout of a BEA DC-3 protruding from the left hand side of the terminal, presumably this picture was taken in the 1950s?
Sixth picture: I image this is a rare picture? This Miles M57 Aerovan 4 was first registered in 1946 to "Miles Aircraft, The Aerodrome, Reading" and later to another concern at the same location - but I cannot read the handwriting on the registration document. Of interest perhaps is that it is described as a ten-seater and de-registered in 1952 - so it had a short working life.
I wonder if anybody today knows the reason for it being at GUERNSEY airport. Perhaps for a sales promotion tour? Advice will be most welcome.
Seventh picture: Invariably the history of any 'Dak' is rich and varied but I think this example, G-AKJH, is well worth a mention. It appears it was originally registered to Scottish Aviation at PRESTWICK from the 2nd October 1947 to the 3rd December . Then, from the 1st April 1948 until the 11th of August 1950 to, (and I do hope I have the spelling correct as registration forms were handwritten in those days); His Highness The Maharajah Gaekusan of Baroda. With an address at Headley Grove near Leatherhead in Surrey. Based at BLACKBUSHE possibly?
Skyways then took it on for a short period, 18th August 1950 until the 24th November 1950. Then BEA (British European Airways Corporation) acquired on the 12th January 1951 and operated it until the 17th April 1961.
Derby Airways, (later British Midland), at DERBY airport, flew 'Juliet Hotel' from the 20th April 1961 until the 3rd April 1965.
Then finally, Gregory Air Services, and then based at DENHAM took it over initially from the 20th April 1965 until the 16th of June 1967 when it was placed on the Irish register. They then put it back on the British register from the 5th December 1967 until the 12th August 1968 when it went to South Africa. It could of course have been based anywhere, but, did it spend any time at DENHAM? I have not found any mention of a 'Dak' visiting DENHAM, but a lightly laden 'Dak' could certainly land there in those days. Although never considered as a STOL type, a lightly laden 'Dak' in the hands of a very competent crew, had remarkable short-field capabilities.
Eighth picture: Perhaps it should be pointed out that officially the de Havilland DH89A was 'Rapide'; but it became popularly known as the 'Dragon Rapide' presumably following on from its illustrious predecessor the DH84 Dragon, which was in fact a much better aircraft for serving regional destinations with very basic facilities and unprepared landing grounds.
This example, presumably an ex-RAF Dominie (?), was first registered to the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation at SAMLESBURY from the 1st April 1946 until the 17th October 1946. Universal Air Services based at FAIROAKS in Surrey, operated it from the 18th October 1946 until the 1st October 1949. It then went to North Sea Air Transport at BROUGH (Yorkshire) from the 31st October 1949 until the 27th March 1951. From then on it appears to have been privately owned.
Presumably, when at GUERNSEY, it was employed for pleasure flights during the summer season. Mike Charlton tells me that the postcard he has is postmarked 1951.
Ninth picture: This lovely picture of a BEA 'Dak' was probably taken between 1946 and 1950, before the first 'colour scheme' was adopted.
Twelth picture: Trying to put a date on this picture revealed a rather confusing state of affairs. And I am still none the wiser. The postcard was captioned; "DC-3 Dakmaster at Guernsey" - so that isn't any help. I am pretty certain I have never heard the term 'Dakmaster' used elsewhere.
G-AMYJ was registered to Morton Air Services at GATWICK from the 30th November 1965 until the 13th of November 1968. Morton Air Services was earlier absorbed into British United but apparently kept the Morton name on their aircraft until 1968. And indeed, I have found a picture of 'Yankee Juliet' in Morton colours dated 1967.
However, it then appears that 'YJ' was registered to South West Aviation at EXETER from the 6th May 1969 until the 5th June 1972. Perhaps they chartered it to British United?
What interested me in particular were the next two entries in the CAA register. These state that G-AMYJ was registered to; "Intra Airways, States Airport, St Peter, Jersey." This is from the 14th of September 1972 until the 5th December 1978. As we all know, this should read "Guernsey" and not "Jersey". As I was advised many years ago - "Never trust official records!"
Nevertheless it appears that 'Yankee Juliet' served from Guernsey for many years.
Thirteenth picture: The 'Dak' part of this picture is rather over-exposed. But, looking as closely as I can, I suspect it is probably a BEA Dakota pictured before 1950? The vehicles seem to support this?
Fourteenth picture: I strongly suspect the photographer who took this picture had no idea how rare it would become. The Vickers 707 Viscount G-APZB initially served from new with Aer Lingus as EI-AFW, and then went to Starways as G-APZB from the 29th November 1962 until the 22nd of May 1964. It was never registered to British Eagle but wore their colour scheme from June 1964 until February 1965, chartered it seems from Aviation Overhauls at LIVERPOOL.
It then served with Channel Airways from the 17th of November 1964 until the 26th of February 1970. But here is the point - this picture clearly shows 'Zulu Bravo; wearing a British Eagle colour scheme, but with the 'E' on the tail and presumably other markings removed.
Fifteenth picture. Looking back, was the BEA Vickers Vanguard the largest aircraft to visit GUERNSEY?
Sixteenth picture. I was quite surprised to discover that it appears the Fairey Brittan-Norman BN2A Mk.111.2 Trislander G-JOEY was only registered to Aurigny Air Services, based on ALDERNEY, from the 15th June 1979 until the 27th of November 1981. It is such an 'iconic' registration I would have bet a considerable sum it served much longer. Thank heavens I'm not inclined towards betting.
I can't make out the registration for the Air UK example, but I assume it is a Fokker F.27 Friendship as opposed to the later F.50 version?
The Jersey European Fokker F27-200 Friendship, G-JEAF, was registered with them at EXETER from 1991 until 1999.
Flying school: Post 1945: Guernsey Aero Club, Guernsey Flying Training
Location: 2.5nm WSW of St Peter Port
Period of operation: 1939 to -
Note: These maps are reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014:
Runways: Originally ‘all-over’ grass airfield? A map published in the ‘States of Guernsey Official Opening Programme’ dated 5.5.39 gives four dimensions for the landing area. (Which was a very squashed ‘L’ shaped area viewed from the south). ENE/WSW 622 grass NNW/SSE 686 grass WNW/ESE 933 grass WSW/ENE 713 grass
Grass runways in the 1950s, possibly same dimensions?
1965: 1463x37 hard
1990/2000: 09/27 1463x46 hard (Once a tad longer and wider?)
NOTES: The Murray Chown “airline” operated a STAVERTON –“NEWQUAY” (PERRANPORTH) – GUERNSEY service using a Percival Proctor in 1950/51. Did this service continue when St MAWGAN become available as “NEWQUAY”?
Apart from making the most extraordinary exploration flights pioneering Empire air routes and setting up the touring ‘Air Circus’ displays, (a term he hated incidentally), it appears Sir Alan Cobham also set up ‘Cobham Air Routes’, an airline operating to GUERNSEY, PORTSMOUTH, SOUTHAMPTON (EASTLEIGH I suppose?), and BOURNEMOUTH – (perhaps CHRISTCHURCH or SOUTHBOURNE I suppose?). From a LONDON site as well, it seems, but where?
However, an internet search revealed a baggage label produced for Cobham Air Routes in 1935 it is claimed. The destinations are mostly the same except ISLE of WIGHT replaces SOUTHAMPTON. The Isle of Wight could have been one of at least four destinations served from GUERNSEY?
Mark
This comment was written on: 2020-06-27 21:56:20No, the Vanguard was not (quite) the largest aircraft to serve Guernsey. In its later Merchantman (cargo) variety, it was certainly a large and frequent visitor. But a number of the smaller 737s - up to 700 series - have been occasional visitors. The runway is too short for meaningful 737-800 operations. Airbus A320s have been occasional visitors, certainly at below MTOW. There has been at least one instance of a Boeing 757 operation, albeit of a bizjet variant. There have also been numerous Lockheed Hercules, military and civilian varants.
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