Lancashire Aero Club
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The Lancashire Aero Club is the oldest established Flying Club in the United Kingdom.
[edit] History
In 1922 John F. Leeming began constructing a glider in the garage next to his home in Bowdon, near Altrincham Cheshire, with the help of a group of friends who subsequently formed The Lancashire Aero Club.
The aircraft was initially based at Alexandra Park Aerodrome just outside Manchester City Centre from early 1924 until September, when the airfield closed. A.V. Roe and Company (Avro) had moved to their new Woodford Aerodrome by late 1924 and invited the club to move there.
After many years of indecision, it was decided that Manchester should have its own municipal airport. The race was on to be the first city in the country to have such a facility. In autumn 1928, construction of the new airport for Manchester began at a site at Barton-on-Irwell. The facility became operational in January 1930. The Lancashire Aero Club remained at Woodford until the outbreak of World War II, when their aircraft were stored for the duration.
On 5th of July 1930 the King's Cup Air Race was held with an attendance of 30,000 people at Barton Aerodrome to see the competing aircraft passing through. Despite tough opposition from numerous famous pilots, flying the very latest aircraft, Miss Winifred Brown of the Lancashire Aero Club won the event in a Woodford-built Avro Avian biplane.
The 22nd January 1934 saw the arrival of Captain Ivan Smirnoff, who flew his president, Dr Albert Plesman, on behalf of the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in order to assess Barton's potential as an aerodrome on the airline's proposed route from Amsterdam to the north of England. Unfortunately the airfield was considered to be too small and the surface too boggy. It was this event that instigated a search for the site for a larger airport more suitable for the operation of scheduled services from Manchester by the larger airliners then coming into use. Thus on 25th June 1938 Ringway was opened to replace Barton as Manchester's main commercial airport.
Since moving to Barton in 1946, The Lancashire Aero Club grew to become one of the largest and friendliest flying clubs in the country. LAC left Barton in 2007 and is planning on seeking a new home.
[edit] References
'Airdays', John F.Leeming, 1936, Harrap, London.
