Quarry Moor
QUARRY MOOR: Temporary aerodrome
Operated by: Berkshire Aviation Tours
Location: Just E of the A61, about 1.25nm S of Ripon city centre. Roughly 9nm N of Harrogate town centre
Period of operation: 26th July to the 5th August 1922
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for discovering this venue.
The advert was published in the Ripon Observer on the 27th July 1922.
The article was published in The Aeroplane on the 16th August 1922. The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: Berkshire Aviation Tours was a trading name for the Berkshire Aviation Company based at EAST HANNEY just NNE of Wantage on the A338 in Berkshire. After the Armastice there was something of an explosion in joy-riding operations, there being a large number of skilled airmen of all trades, and a huge surplus of aircraft, most of which were being scrapped at a phenomenal rate.
A large number of operators did not survive the first summer season, usually having no idea about how to run a commercial enterprise. Berkshire Aviation were quite different - they kept operating all year round. And, they took their aircraft to where the population lived rather than concentrating on seaside resorts.
Usually they employed just one or two aircraft at any particular venue and stayed for around a week or so, depending on demand. Their much favoured type was the Avro 504K, and over a period of around fifteen years operated some twenty four examples, all being converted to carry two passengers. They did operate two Airco, (de Havilland designed), DH.6 types, G-EBPN (ex C7823) and G-EBVS (ex F3443), plus the Avro 536, G-EAKN.
The fact they they could keep operating all year round is very indicative of the typical British weather picture. Very volatile during any year being next to the Atlantic and often subject to huge changes in any single day. From strong winds and pouring rain to clear skies and no wind being not uncommon. The effects of global warming have not changed this, at all, over the last hundred years at the very least.
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