Can’t remember for sure – not long though… Might have been only one summer season. For what its worth, British Midland (Derby Airways) also operated scheduled services on DC-3s to Bembridge many many years ago.

Ah the Dash-7s though – wonderful turboprops they were! I used to like sitting in row one, which faced backwards – quite an interesting experience. I remember flying into BHX one day from LHR, and the Dash-7 landed on the short runway 24. Even better than that though, he touched down on 24 and vacated left onto taxiway D which goes to the main apron, BEFORE reaching the main runway 15/33 – must have been no more than 400m landing roll – quite amazing.

Another useless fact about British Midland’s Dash-7s – one of them was used to open the new Welshpool airfield some years ago. The airport has an 830m runway. I think that the local population had hopes that its landing there signalled the possibility of scheduled services from Welshpool but it never happened and I presume that the Dash-7 is the largest aircraft to have ever landed there.

Andy