Dakota Farewell

[cessna152towser]

New European Community regulations coming into force next month will require all passenger airliners to have escape slides, weather radar, secure cockpit doors etc. It is simply neither economical nor practical to modify vintage airliners which are only used for pleasure trips in summer time and so this will mean the end of such trips within Europe. Two of the final few Dakotas still carrying passengers are currently on a Dakota Farewell tour of Britain, offering scenic flights from various airports and yesterday I went for a flight from Blackpool Airport.

Boarding the Dakota.
G-AMRA was built in 1944 and joined the USAF as 43-49474. She was transferred to the RAF on lend-lease and used in the Berlin Airlift. She later flew with a variety of civilian airlines in Europe.

A bonnie stewardess in period uniform to welcome passengers aboard.

As soon as we were airborne we were climbing out over the sea, turning north to fly along the Fylde Coast and then out over Morecambe Bay.

We flew around the islands at the north tip of Morecambe Bay offshore from Barrow-in-Furness. This is Piel Castle on Piel Island. In 1372, the Abbot of Furness Abbey was granted a charter to crenellate his residence by King Edward III of England to create a fort to protect the sea passage to Furness. Ironically the Scots never invaded Piel Island, though it was occupied by Simnel in 1487 with an 8,000 strong army of mainly German nationality financed by the Duchess of Burgundy, in support of Simnel's claim to the English throne.

Not much aerial photography opportunity as we were mostly flying over water and in and out of the low cloud, but all too soon the hazy outline of the Fylde coast came into view as we returned towards Blackpool. In the foreground, Fleetwood on the Fylde peninsula, with the River Wyre beyond it and on the far side of the river is the smaller ferry port of Knott End.

Back on the ground and disembarking after my ninth and last flight in a Dakota. The Dakota was the first aeroplane I flew in, back in 1955. Father was a seasoned flyer but mother and I had never flown previously. I recall my parents attempts to make a pre-flight anti travel sickness pill palatable for me by dissolving it in a glass of cola in the airport cafe - the cola frothed up and spilled over, much to my amusement.

Farewell Dakota. Seen over Blackpool on another flight later in the afternoon, the sight and sound of the graceful Dakota with its big radial Pratt and Whitney engines will soon be a very rare sight once they stop carrying passengers.

[Coemgen]

Are the planes going to be scrapped, or used somewhere else in the world, or something?

[Splash_4]

Wow Alex, it is a shame that such a graceful bird will be grounded by government regulations. Thanks for taking us along on your ride!

[Jock Scot]

Great pictures Alex-----an end of a proud era is always rather sad.

[cessna152towser]

Are the planes going to be scrapped, or used somewhere else in the world, or something?

I don't think they will be scrapped. They may be kept flyable for display purposes for a time and then retired to a museum.

[Atlanta Kiltie]

Thanks for sharing the trip. It is sad that technology and circumstances sometime require such changes and we lose a tactile connection with the past.

[McMurdo]

Wonderful photos as always Alex, it's unfortunate that they will be a rare sight from now on.

[jordanjm]

Thank you for the great pictures, and the history lesson.

[BEEDEE]

Alex - thank you for this. The first commercial flight I ever made was on a Dakota with the forerunner of Air New Zealand, back in the late 1950's.

Brian

[walkerk]

Thanks for the pictures, Alex. Sad to see more silly regulations snuff out what's enjoyable. No escape slides - it's a wonder we weren't all killed! Many fond memories of travels in the old Goony Birds. Especially liked my father's tale about having to lean out the cockpit window to wipe off heavy snow on the windscreen while on approach to Kansas City.

Hope this old veteran finds a good home.