Kirkwall and Inverness airports recently supported an anniversary flight by the Fresson Trust.
Kirkwall and Inverness airports welcomed a special visitor recently when the only remaining airworthy de Havilland Dragon, which belonged to Highland Airways, paid a visit. The flight marked the 90th anniversary of Captain Fresson’s pioneering of the first internal Air Mail service in the UK, organised by The Fresson Trust.
The Dragon G-ACET, which was originally named Kirkwall, re-enacted the route taken by the original flight by Captain Fresson almost 90 years to the date, setting off from Inverness airport, after a photo shoot to capture the event. It then flew over Longman Aerodrome, where the original flight departed, over Wick John O'Groats airport and onto Kirkwall. The trip was organised by by Captain Hugh Urquhart, Secretary of the Fresson Trust, who accompanied the Dragon in his aircraft G-EXAM.
The aircraft’s owner, George Cormack, who acted as engineer for the flight arrived with Mike Souch, who carried out its restoration work and were welcomed warmly by members of the Kirkwall airport team including Fresson Trust member Neil Thain. Having postponed the flight for a few days due to weather, the crew were delighted to share their celebrations with the airport teams at each end of the journey.