Cessna U206A G-ATLT

Your Cessna

Strange request from an Auster Fan! Do any of the photographers who frequent this forum have any pics of the above aircraft? I spent many happy hours pleasure flying in this machine (and C170B G-AWOU) during the 70s at North Denes and am just curious to know what it looks like now. I believe it is currently based at or near Dunkeswell in Devon.

Hi, by a strange coincidence I happened to chance across your request during a surfing session on the web. The Cessna that you refer to is indeed at Dunkeswell and doing great service at the parachuting school. There are a few pictures of it on our car club website on the following page; www.t-a-c-o.co.uk/Jump3.html I hope they are of interest to you. PS. I love Austers too but have never been lucky enough to blag a flight in one!!!
Regards
Guy

IIRC operational reasons viz rotary wing traffic.

North Denes is now owned by CHC Scotia, used as a base for S-76s, SA365 Dauphins and a new type (an Augusta Bell 139, I think – I haven’t been close enough to check!). Bristow Helicopters operated from the heliport at the NW corner of the field for over 30 years (started 1964 with Whirlwinds on floats, then Wessex 60s, S-58Ts, Bell 212s and later Pumas and S-76s) but then moved their Ops to Norwich Airport. When CHC Scotia took the field over (Bristows I believe only ever rented their part), fixed wing flying ceased, although in practice there has been little fixed wing flying since the pleasure flights ceased in the mid-80s. Having said that, I would imagine that the grass strips (28/10 and 18/36) would need a lot of work to make them useable for fixed wing traffic, as they’re pretty rough now, although the grass is cut on a regular basis.

I agree it is a waste of a nice little airfield. The original hangar used by Anglian Air Charter is still there, but seems to be used for storage only, these days.

IIRC operational reasons viz rotary wing traffic.

G-ATLT

Thanks for all the responses. Is there any particular reason that North Denes is not available to fixed wing traffic? It seems such a waste.

Apologies if I appear a little anal on this subject, but North Denes was and still is my local airfield, although it is a helicopter base only these days. There used to be a black and white picture of ‘OU in her blue/white scheme in the Putnam’s book “British Civil Aircraft since 1919” (or a similar title). You might need to scour your local library for a copy.

Many thanks for all that extra information, Auster Fan. I think the “vintage aircraft” which I wanted to fly in must have been the Cessna 170 as I had already flown in an Auster by 1973, yet a flight in a Cessna 170 is still on my to do list, although I have piloted 152’s and 172’s.
Here is a picture of Cessna 207 G-AYTJ taken at Glasgow Airport in 1974. She was based at Strathallan as a parachute aircraft but regularly came to Glasgow Airport for servicing by Loganair for whom I worked part time so I got to fly in her a few times between Glasgow and Strathallan. I believe her final UK owner was Ron Groat, after which I think this aircraft was sold within the past five years to South Africa where she may still be flying.

The Pa-28 which I normally fly nowadays was built in 1965 so Cessnas and Pipers were certainly built to last in those days.

I have a page in one of my scrapbooks about this aircraft as I treated myself to a pleasure flight at North Denes on 23rd July, 1973. The page includes a postcard of G-ATLT, captioned “Pleasure Flights, Great Yarmouth.” Colour scheme is red and white with a small black square at top rear of the tailfin with a smaller white disc containing some sort of logo, within the black square. The ticket cost £1.10 and although the ticket is issued by North Denes Aerodrome Ltd. my notes indicate the aircraft operator as Air Anglia. I recall that the pleasure flying was very busy that day and I was motivated to book a flight for later in the afternoon as they were using some vintage aircraft or other which I particularly wanted to fly in. I remember being disappointed when I returned to take my flight to find that the aircraft in use earlier had retired for the day and they were now using G-ATLT, which was very similar to the Cessna 207, a type on which I had already flown as a passenger several times.

God that picture brings back some memories and thank you for posting! The blue and white aircraft you referred to was Cessna 170B G-AWOU, now resident at Denham, I think.Also resident at the time was Cessna F.172H G-AVIE and Auster J/5G G-ASFK. Air Anglia were the parent company, as the operation at North Denes was originally named Anglia Air Charter. That along with Rig Air and some other small companies were merged to form Air Anglia IIRC. The gentleman in charge was L.G.”Wilbur” Wright, an ex-RAF pilot who started pleasure flying from North Denes in the 50s with two Auster Vs, G-AKPI and G-AKOT (I think) and later became a director of Air Anglia. I believe that G-ATLT was used as a company hack during the winter months, although I might be wrong.

A sad tale, but look at the irony. G-ATLT is at least 41 years old now. How old would the would the vintage aricraft have been that you wanted to fly in? Possibly not that much different!

Nearly! G-ATLT was registered in the UK on 21.12.1965. The Cessna 170B is a 1955 model.

Slightly related to ATLT, an accident from two years ago

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources/G-BGED_11-05.pdf

🙁

… they were using some vintage aircraft or other which I particularly wanted to fly in. I remember being disappointed when I returned to take my flight to find that the aircraft in use earlier had retired for the day and they were now using G-ATLT …

A sad tale, but look at the irony. G-ATLT is at least 41 years old now. How old would the would the vintage aricraft have been that you wanted to fly in? Possibly not that much different!

Here is a scan of the postcard to which I referred in my previous post.

G-ATLT

I have a page in one of my scrapbooks about this aircraft as I treated myself to a pleasure flight at North Denes on 23rd July, 1973. The page includes a postcard of G-ATLT, captioned “Pleasure Flights, Great Yarmouth.” Colour scheme is red and white with a small black square at top rear of the tailfin with a smaller white disc containing some sort of logo, within the black square. The ticket cost £1.10 and although the ticket is issued by North Denes Aerodrome Ltd. my notes indicate the aircraft operator as Air Anglia. I recall that the pleasure flying was very busy that day and I was motivated to book a flight for later in the afternoon as they were using some vintage aircraft or other which I particularly wanted to fly in. I remember being disappointed when I returned to take my flight to find that the aircraft in use earlier had retired for the day and they were now using G-ATLT, which was very similar to the Cessna 207, a type on which I had already flown as a passenger several times.

G-ATLT

I never saw her from that angle!

Thanks

This is from Skydive UK’s own website. I want to know where the cameraman was standing! 😮

G-ATLT

Did anybody submit a picture of G-ATLT in response to this request? I had a couple of trips from North Denes in ‘LT around about 1973/4, and I have been looking for a picture without success for the past couple of years. I was surprised to see her at Cumbernauld (near Glasgow) a few years ago – probably helping out with the parachuting at Strathallan. Colour scheme then was basically white with some yellow trim, whereas I seem to remember her being blue with white trim during her North Denes days.

If it flies that well, why are the passengers always in a hurry to get out 😀

I can confirm that it IS the parachute aircraft down at Dunkeswell. Still flies well!

I think it’s now the parachute plane down at Dunkeswell……

Why don’t you write to these guys? If you have been flying in their aeroplane, they may well be pleased to hear from you. What have you got to lose? Let us know how you get on.

ANDREW IAN MORRISON GUEST & ALISON JOY GUEST
30 TOWER WAY
DUNKESWELL
HONITON
EX14 4XR
UNITED KINGDOM