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National Flying Services
National Flying Services Ltd was a company aiming to create and manage a large number of airfields and flying clubs around Britain. It relied on government subsidy, and it collapsed when the subsidy was withdrawn in 1934, because the aims had not been achieved.
National Flying Services (NFS) was founded in November 1928 by Freddie Guest, a cousin of Winston Churchill, who had been the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol North, losing his seat in the general election held in May that year, and had been Secretary of State for Air in 1921-2.
The objective of the company was to create a network of landing grounds and flying clubs around the UK. In 1929, the government published a white paper that effectively established a subsidy for the company’s operations, especially in training new pilots and maintaining their proficiency. This caused some controversy, as local councils were already establishing their own airfields, with flying clubs that would be undercut by NFS. The company would be granted finance for “20 new aerodromes and 80 new landing grounds”.
In Parliament Captain Guest said that he would be taking no fee from his new venture, and that the plan was for around 25 flying schools and at least 100 landing grounds. By providing standardised training with a large fleet of British-built aircraft, the whole industry would be supported.
The scheme went ahead. A head office was established at Grand Buildings, Trafalgar Square, London WC2, but the centre of operations was at Hanworth Park where a country house and its grounds were renamed London Air Park. An inaugural luncheon was held at the Savoy Hotel on 17 April 1929, and an advert in August 1929 claimed that NFS would “form a chain of 71 flying clubs and landing stations, with London Air Park at Hanworth as the centre".
The London Air Park opened on 31 August 1929, with the house now a country club, and it operated with a great deal of success, becoming a social and aeronautical hub. Within weeks, the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Light Aeroplane Club at Woodley Aerodrome, Hull Aero Club at Hedon Aerodrome, and The Yorkshire Aeroplane Club at Sheburn-in-Elmet had signed up.
The following year only Nottingham (Tollerton Aerodrome) was added to the chain. With this slow progress, two noted aviators joined the board, Sir Alan Cobham and Colonel the Master of Sempill who became chairman. Freddie Guest left to return to politics as Conservative MP for Plymouth Drake.
In 1931, Blackpool Municipal Aerodrome (Stanley Park) joined the NFS scheme, and in 1932 so did Leeds-Bradford (Yeadon Aerodrome) and Stoke-on-Trent (Meir Aerodrome). In addition to the successful Hanworth Air Park, just six airfields had joined the scheme.
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National Flying Services
National Flying Services Ltd was a company aiming to create and manage a large number of airfields and flying clubs around Britain. It relied on government subsidy, and it collapsed when the subsidy was withdrawn in 1934, because the aims had not been achieved.
National Flying Services (NFS) was founded in November 1928 by Freddie Guest, a cousin of Winston Churchill, who had been the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol North, losing his seat in the general election held in May that year, and had been Secretary of State for Air in 1921-2.
The objective of the company was to create a network of landing grounds and flying clubs around the UK. In 1929, the government published a white paper that effectively established a subsidy for the company’s operations, especially in training new pilots and maintaining their proficiency. This caused some controversy, as local councils were already establishing their own airfields, with flying clubs that would be undercut by NFS. The company would be granted finance for “20 new aerodromes and 80 new landing grounds”.
In Parliament Captain Guest said that he would be taking no fee from his new venture, and that the plan was for around 25 flying schools and at least 100 landing grounds. By providing standardised training with a large fleet of British-built aircraft, the whole industry would be supported.
The scheme went ahead. A head office was established at Grand Buildings, Trafalgar Square, London WC2, but the centre of operations was at Hanworth Park where a country house and its grounds were renamed London Air Park. An inaugural luncheon was held at the Savoy Hotel on 17 April 1929, and an advert in August 1929 claimed that NFS would “form a chain of 71 flying clubs and landing stations, with London Air Park at Hanworth as the centre".
The London Air Park opened on 31 August 1929, with the house now a country club, and it operated with a great deal of success, becoming a social and aeronautical hub. Within weeks, the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Light Aeroplane Club at Woodley Aerodrome, Hull Aero Club at Hedon Aerodrome, and The Yorkshire Aeroplane Club at Sheburn-in-Elmet had signed up.
The following year only Nottingham (Tollerton Aerodrome) was added to the chain. With this slow progress, two noted aviators joined the board, Sir Alan Cobham and Colonel the Master of Sempill who became chairman. Freddie Guest left to return to politics as Conservative MP for Plymouth Drake.
In 1931, Blackpool Municipal Aerodrome (Stanley Park) joined the NFS scheme, and in 1932 so did Leeds-Bradford (Yeadon Aerodrome) and Stoke-on-Trent (Meir Aerodrome). In addition to the successful Hanworth Air Park, just six airfields had joined the scheme.