A London to Isle of Wight air service was launched on 1st May 1934, flying between Croydon, Somerton (Cowes), Ryde and Bembridge airports.
The new service was to be known as Southern Air Services. It was organised by Southern Railways in cooperation with Spartan Airlines. The aircraft were built by Spartan Aircraft Ltd in East Cowes.
4 flights a day were advertised. It apparently took just 40 minutes to fly from Croydon to Cowes, calling at Bembridge and Ryde en route. The service was operated by 3-engined Spartan airliners, which had a cruising speed of 118 mph.
The inaugural flight was not a success as it was delayed by fog. However, the service proved sufficiently popular for flights to be duplicated.
Air services to the Isle of Wight were suspended with the outbreak of war in 1939. After the war, governments placed far greater restrictions on the operation of private airfields and services, as they did not want state-owned service to have too much competition.
Somerton and Ryde airports were eventually closed to be replaced by retail and industrial sites; Tesco at Ryde and Plessey (BAE Systems) at Cowes.
Shame we can’t have them reinstated , sound’s a lot more reliable,…..
Still gets cancelled due to weather and mechanical issues. If you don’t like living on an island with the MINOR inconveniencies that occur, move back to the big island.
Airfield at Ryde was close to Staddlestones garage Brading road the picture of the Aircraft is what I have my great Aunt’s who had a tobacconist newspaper shop in George st Ryde picked up the daily papers from the airfield. RAF Duxford have two flying similar aircraft for flights
According to the results of a Google search, the Spartan aircraft were built at Somerton Airport in West Cowes, NOT East Cowes as you have stated (apparently incorrectly)
Bring the service back, would be much cheaper and more
reliable than using the Ferry Companies.
I’ve always said we need proper air travel to and from Isle of wight, it worked before no reason it shouldn’t again plus competition for the ferry companies.
That’s a great idea. I’d happily pay a small fortune to fly to London two or three times a week, as I could claim it all back on expenses. I might even find my way into parliament if I get lost.
Don’t think they’d let you in.