Brymon Airways at Roborough Airport, Plymouth in the mid 1970`s to early 1980`s
another "content over style" web page from Steve Johnson Cyberheritage
During the period we are looking at here, I spent a lot of time flying between Plymouth and France. When I did this I always tried to take some photos. Well here are some, and I hope they will be of some interest to you, many should print out well. When I used to fly on the Brymon Islander out of Roborough, now Plymouth Airport, a"check in " was something a little bit unusual, not only did they weigh the baggage - but the passengers too!!!!!!! ...and sometimes this was done by the pilot. I well remember boarding a flight in 1975 and there was a "no show" for two passengers..the pilot "hung on" (waited) for them..and they finally came and we all got on the flight. These flights were great, slow and low, real flying. To see some of the aerial photos I took of Plymouth and South West England, CLICK HERE .....they will be of great use to geography students and school children of all kinds and levels. But for now.....bring on the aeroplanes! Most of these images should print out fine to 5in by 7in and some will go bigger, many negs are somewhat scratched it but should be able to improve them in a photo programme.
Plymouth Airport - Home of Brymon Airways
a Brymon Islander awaits its passangers as the bags are loaded
Two Brymon Twin-Otter aircraft a "Green" Brymon Otter ..on lease? a Brymon Otter takes-off
a fire gate to Roborough Airport ...note two boys plane spotting the Tower at Roborough the fuel point! the Passanger Terminal the passanger car park ...shows original buildings and hangar with control tower on top a Brymon Twin- Otter taxis The Brymon Otter is airborne
a Brymon Dash-7 taxis and turns and moves along baggage time!! here they are!
the Brymon Dash-7 is airborne a Royal Navy Sea Harrier drops in!..I think it was for a breather during Navy Days
the 1930`s era original "terminal" building (at left), which in the 70`s was the Buffet ..and another view an original hangar....new works are in progress
a new? administritive hut...note curved wooden frontage of Buffet
toward the later 1980`s the Dash-7`sa had a new livery, as we see in these shots.........1.......2........3.........4
a much later shot of a Dash-7 in 1990
and now some real gems from the mid to late 1970`s and very early 1980`s!, many being taken on their very popular "Open Days."
a very early Brymon flight on a leased Islander..from Intra Airways of Jersey Check in at the Brymon Passenger Terminal, note the flower bed! ..... a passenger is being weighed in background Bags please! check-in desk check-in area buffet the buffet counter the counter had a graceful curve the buffet looked out to the runway and observation area.....ah...I can still smell the fresh cut grass! what a beautiful roof to the buffet the buffet entrance ..... a long shot of the buffet and public observation area the eastern end of the buffet, shows offices.....and a little further to the left the bags are loaded on to an Otter services and shore supply gather around an Otter...and a close-up......a different angle the passengers board an Otter alongside the fuel point "fill her up please!" an Otter outside the passenger terminal wider view of airport buildings hangar and tower (at left) close-up of tower panoramic views of airport and buildings 1.....2......3........4.......5..........6.........7...........8.... Royal Naval Chipmunk fisheries protection / observation aircraft
OTTERS taxiing on runway............at fuel point take off! the Captain goes home! on the apron among the debris of building the new terminal taxiing awaiting tower clearance "ba" logo on tail of Otter two Otters on apron outside passenger terminal two Otters on apron outside passenger terminal outside passenger terminal waiting on the apron take-off!!!!!!!
DASH-7`s front-on taxiing landing on apron "ba" logo on tail among the construction debris of new terminal on apron take-off!!!!!!!! landing taxiing up, up and aaawway! touch-down on apron on apron two rear end views 1 2 on apron passengers board G-BRYC ...registered after the name of Bill Bryce, one of the initial two founders of "BRY"mon airways.....Bill Bryce was even known to come down and see the planes off, the man looking back is Mike Frost, and the lady behind him is his wife Barbara, I took this shot in 1980/1 from a Dash-7 and is seen through the window standing on apron with his dog a Dash-7 on final approach parked up
The rest as they say is history, Brymon has been a resounding success and served the local community (and me) well. When some of these photos were taken the runway was grass! All this has now changed. With the merger with British Airways, Plymouth has now a modern regional airport that is a credit to those early "barnstorming" days when the pilot checked the tickets, weighed the passengers and bags...and also made the tea! These two photos from the late 1980`s c1988 show how far they have come; private aviation in front of the new passenger terminal, while a Dash-7 flies skywards with the new control tower and fire station below.
While the Twin-Otters at Plymouth looked like these, and so did the Britten - Norman Islanders, as well as the Dash - 7`s; the planes at Heathrow looked like this!
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