Dragon Rapide over South Cambs

[Martin Whybrow]

I was outside this afternoon (not flying, unfortunately), and heard the sound of a twin overhead; after looking around for a few seconds, I spotted the distinctive outline of a Dragon Rapide flying directly overhead. It was dark blue, and may have been G-AKIF, which is based about 20 miles away at Duxford. I mentioned it to my wife and she said she saw it a few days earlier as well.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

A lovely aeroplane!

BEB

[FastFlyer Smyth]

I'm in north London (Just inside the M25) and see it often on good weather days. Yes BEB - Lovely !

[Colin Carpenter]

Hi ! As a lifelong DH fan I think the Rapide is possibly the prettiest aircraft yet designed and that includes the peerless Mossie ! Been up in one twice and was enthralled when the pilot put that lovely tapered wingtip over the Canary Wharf tower and banked it round as though attatched !! Superb !!

Compton Abbas airfield Dorset have one doing trips in July for £99 half hour. Put me down please !

Colin

[Willyuk]

The dragon is based at Duxford during the summer where it gives pleasure trips from Duxford over Cambridge and or London. Last. I heard it was run by Trevor butcher from Clacton, where he has a business. I flew with Trevor many years ago when we had shares in a yak52 also based at Duxford. Great place to fly from as I had free access to the airfield and was able to mingle with REAL pilots who flew spitfires and the like. Money, or lack thereof, forced me to give up full size about 10 yrs ago. Still RC has it's compensations, it's harder for one thing!

[David P Williams]

If you're on holiday in Cornwall this year, don't forget the Classic Airforce Air Museum at Newquay Airport - flights available in Dragon Rapide, Chipmunk and a Percival Prentice. Flew in the Rapide last year - magic.

I did the basic 15-20 min flight, was £60 per person last year, but I see they are doing longer tours of Corwall flights this year.

David

[avtur]

Some years ago I flew in a Rapide over the summit of Mt. Snowdon in North Wales. Looking down on the summit (through the wing bracing) from about 5,000 ft was a spectacular sight on a beautiful summers day.

[Mike Etheridge 1]

The very first plane I flew in was a Rapide on a pleasure flight over London from Biggin Hill in about 1978. It was immediately apparent to me there was no room for a co-pilot and the pilot looked quite old! The last plane I flew in from Duxford was also a Rapide about a year or two ago. The plane was painted silver with RAF markings,I must have a photograph somewhere? To get inside the aircraft you had to swing yourself in with a rope attached to the fuselage. During the safety instruction we were told that the escape hatches were in the fuselage roof and consisted of circular structures covered with canvas which in an emergency had to be ripped or cut open. Some weeks after our flight which was the last of the day, the plane which was on the ground caught fire around the starboard engine. I gather the damage has since been repaired.

Another Rapide at Duxford

MJE

Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 14/04/2014 12:20:48

[John Privett]

Mike, I too had a flight over London in a Rapide from Biggin Hill, mine was some time in the mid 80s. Quite possibly the same aircraft you flew in, G-AIDL was silver. Not sure if I can attach pics from my phone, if I can it's pictured below!

[Tony Read 2]

It must have been the Duxford one that landed at the Clacton flying club strip three or four weeks ago. It was a great sight seeing her bank round overhead for the final approach.

[Barrie Dav 2]

In Berlin there's an old 'Aunty' that gives sight-seeing trips around the area. It's quite a sight, plodding it's way around. There are many Dacs. still flying too. In my opinion one of the most iconic aircraft of all time, with a shape that really looks like an aeroplane. I made my first flight in one in the 1950's and apart from the noise of the engines I remember most that very steep slope from the rear to the front of the cabin due to the fact that the Dac. is a tail-dragger. But...What an aeroplane!!