The Vectis Connection, Pioneering Isle of Wight Air Services

Newberry, Peter

Published by Waterfront, England, 2000

About this Item

First Edition. - - Since the dawn of aviation in the early 20th Century the Isle of Wight has been in the forefront of development, both in military and civil aviation. Nowhere else in the United Kingdom has there been such a concentration of aircraft manufacturers as in the Solent area and on this small island alone the industry has been represented by such companies as J.Samuel White, R.E.Saunders (later Saunders Roe), Westland Aircraft and its subsidiary British Hovercraft Corporation and of course Britten Norman, builders of Britain's most successful post war light transports, the Islander and Trilander. - The book traces the development of civil and commercial aviation on the Island from the Hon. C.S.Rolls balloon flight across the Solent to the establishment in the early 1930's of pioneering airlines that operated to the Isle of Wight. The airlines were Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation, Spartan Airlines, Railway Air Services, Channel Air Fernes and Great Western and Southern Airlines. Despite the complete lack of navigation and approach aids very few schedules were cancelled and regularity was in excess of 90% - a remarkable achievement. By the middle 1930's it was possible to fly from the Island to the Channel Islands, Lands End, Belfast and the Scottish Isles. Connections were also available via Croydon for flights to the then Empire. - Apart from Chris Balfour's excellent book 'Spithead Express' which exclusively covers the history of Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation, to the author's knowledge nothing has been published covering the development of civil aviation and the airlines that operated to the Island. The book also covers the airports of Ryde, Shanklin, Sandown, Cowes, and on the mainland, Bournemouth, Southampton, Portsmouth and Shoreham. The history closes in 1939 when on the outbreak of war all civil flying to the Isle of Wight ceased for the duration. Post war no scheduled Services have operated across the Solent, as with the growth of car ownership and supporting car ferries, air travel over such a short distance in not viable. 144 p. many rare photos and colorful airline advertisments from the 1930ies. Seller Inventory # 15946

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Vectis Connection, Pioneering Isle of ...

Publisher: Waterfront, England

Publication Date: 2000

Binding: Softcover. Large format

Condition: very good condition

Edition: 1st Edition