Laurence R Morrison from Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
In 1947 I was living on the perimeter of 'Squires Gate Airport'. At the time I was flying model aircraft that I designed and built and did at times cause some consternation from the real pilots who were flying in and out! Once, as an experiment, I sent up a pilot balloon at night to which I had cleverly attached a fuse. The balloon exploded causing the control tower to panic and think that enemy gliders were approaching! Later I emigrated to Canada where my pilot balloon experiment helped me get a job in the Canadian Weather Office!
Roy Sanderson
My first visit to Blackpool Airport was on 29th September 1948. We flew in from RAF Wyton in a Percival Proctor and lined up to land behind an Aeronca 100. I remember breathing a sigh of relief when I saw Blackpool Tower and realised that my map reading had been accurate after flying over the Peak District! My second visit was as a passenger in a Chieftain air taxi. On 2nd June 1981 we had to divert to Blackpool en-route to Walney Island to avoid an incoming storm - it was such a pleasure to see Blackpool Airport again!
Robert Downer, Blackpool
I was born in Blackpool and still live here having reached 70 years. My dad worked in the factory building the Wellington bombers. I joined the ATC and flew in Ansons. In 1955 I went to the Isle of Man to see the TT Races and the flight was in a Dakota. It all only seems like yesterday!
Harry Johnson, Milnthorpe
My first ever flight was to the Isle of Man in August 1955 with two friends. We discovered that trams came to the airport entrance so on return took the tram to Central Station. The airline was the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and the aircraft was a Dakota. I also think we were weighed together with our luggage! When we arrived on the Isle of Man our photo was taken and when we left to return to Blackpool it was available for us to buy - a profitable business for the permitted photographer in those days!
Alison Errington, Poulton le Fylde
This summer I worked on check-in at Blackpool International sending passengers off to various sunshine resorts as well as Dublin, Belfast and the Isle of Man. My favourite day was sending of a Manx2.com flight with 2 first time flyers on board, one was a lady of 80 and the other a baby of just a few months old! This brought back memories of my own first flight back in the 60's when we went on a family holiday from Blackpool to the Isle of Man. I still treasure my photo standing near the wing of the plane prior to boarding.
Anthony Farrow, Essex
I am fast approaching the 'big 70' and I lived my first 18 years one mile from the airport on St Annes Road. About a year ago, I was astounded to discover that nearly 4000 Wellington Bombers had been built at the nearby factory - thank goodness Hitler seems to have had a blind spot for the airport and the factory! In the early 50's I would regularly visit to observe the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation 'Daks', Dakotas, DH Dragon Rapides and the odd Avro Anson! All the best for the next 100 years.
James Brewer, Cleckheaton
Having been stationed at RAF Kirkham as a station fireman from 1956 to 1958, I remember Squires Gate well as we used to visit Lancashire fire service regularly. On demob, I remember my mate Peter booking a holiday to the Isle of Man. Our flight to Ronaldsway was in a Silver City Airways Bristol 171 - That's what I call flying!
Matthew Morrell, Blackpool
I was brought up on the airport so I have a lot of memories but the one that stands out was when I was about 11 and I was standing at the end of Blackpool training ground at the end of the runway when two Harrier Jump Jets had taxied down to take off. I waited for them to take off but instead of a normal take off down the runway they did a vertical take off about 20ft away from me - it was awesome but I have never run so fast in my life! What a sight!
Suzanne Hillidge
I have fond memories of Blackpool Airport because this is where I took my very first flight in 1969 when I was 7 years old. I was on a weekend break with my aunt and uncle to see the Illuminations. Before returning home my uncle had a great idea; a pleasure flight! My aunt hated the idea but I was very excited. I remember that when the pilot realised there were no more seats available he asked my uncle to sit next to him with me on my uncle's lap! We flew out over the bay and around the tower and back - it was fantastic - we loved every second and my uncle and I both agreed we had the best seat! On a visit to Lytham this year, I was amazed to see how the airport had grown and my fiancé and I are looking forward to flying to Alicante from Blackpool next summer.
Roger Austin, Kingsbridge in Devon
I went out with a lovely Blackpool girl who worked as a ground hostess for some years when BUIA were the major fliers using Hadley Page Herald aircraft. That would have been around 1966/7 onward - great memories!
Sheila and Roy Williams, Tredegar in Gwent
We are both in our seventies and in 1956 whilst on holiday in Blackpool we took a flight to see an aerial view of Blackpool the same as Connie and Fred Williamson's memories. It was a wonderful experience as it was our first time in the air - now its Spain for us!
Hazel Bolton, Poulton Le Fylde
I have photos of the planes being moved out of the hangar on the day when Air UK (formally BIA) moved out of Blackpool Airport to their headquarters at Norwich Airport in 1980. It was a very sad day, the hangars looked so desolate and empty. I loved the atmosphere of working so close to the aeroplanes. I also have a photo of some of the office staff. BIA had two hangars and the planes used to go come in for various checks - from general maintenance to full strip downs. It was fascinating to see the planes taken down to the bare metal and re-built. I was also fortunate enough to fly on a DC3 (Dakota) to the Isle of Man when Air Atlantique were in residence. That was an experience - it felt like real flying - no comfy seats!
Roger Dickinson
About 35 years ago I worked in the Blackpool area calling on cash & carry outlets on the Squires Gate estate. I remember visiting the airport on many occasions and visited the Lancaster Bomber that was parked on the grounds. In those days you were able to climb aboard and have a look around it. Does anyone have any pictures of the aircraft at the airport or know what happened to it? It was a great experience to see the aircraft and although I was young then, in my late 20's, it was an experience I always remembered.
L McShane
I remember flying from Blackpool when I was about 8 years old with my mother for a package holiday to Spain. It was the first time I had flown and the plane seemed so smart and big, some of the seats faced each other with a table in between! Obviously in the early days people were not restricted by space! On landing back in Blackpool I'll never forget there was a long line of the big straw donkeys that were so popular at the time alongside the cases. How times change.
Antonia de Curtis, Blackpool
I remember one of the very first flights from Benidorm to Blackpool. It was raining on our return and the aircraft landed close to the terminal, but not close enough to satisfy the airport staff who had provided a blue bus to ferry us from the aircraft to the terminal and keep us dry- it was the thought that counted as it was a very short distance.
Lis Thomas
My first trip to Blackpool was a Friday evening in June 1964. I was flying to Blackpool from Luton as my bans of marriage were being read at St Cuthbert's church and I was working in London. The plane was possibly a Viscount with a beam across the centre which you had to step up and over. Amongst my fellow passengers was a group of licensed victuallers coming to Blackpool for the weekend so it was quite a merry flight! My most abiding memory was of all the lights going out in the terminal building to allow us to land!
Marion Duncan, Poulton le Fylde
The first time I flew from Blackpool Airport was for the start of our honeymoon on 10th October 1959 on a DC3 Dakota aircraft to Dublin. In those days the airport wasn't as sophisticated as it is now - all of our family and friends came to see us off and waited at the departure gate. I remember that there was Lloyd Loom furniture and it was all very comfortable and relaxed.
When at last we nervously walked out to the plane, all the other passengers allowed my husband and I to go ahead and board first whilst they whistled the ‘Wedding March’. On our return to Blackpool the customs men examined our luggage and put a chalk mark on the sides of the cases to show that they had been inspected! I have flown from Blackpool Airport many times since then to many destinations and whilst it is always a thrill, it has never been as exciting or as romantic as that first time!
Connie & Fred Williamson from Barrow In Furness
I am 79 years of age and was brought up in Blackpool. I met a local lad and we started courting. One Sunday afternoon he took me to Blackpool Airport where we boarded a small aeroplane (my knees were knocking) and the pilot took us on an aerial view of the town. I thought that my boyfriend was so rich as it cost him 10 shillings. I was so thrilled to be in an aeroplane. We laugh about it now but it was so memorable. Now we travel to Portugal, Tenerife and Dublin from the airport. We would never travel to Manchester anymore. Apart from the nostalgia it's a pleasure to enter the airport.
Stuart Bailey
My first ever flight was from Squires Gate Airport (now Blackpool International). I entered a competition at school (Roseacre School) in which you had to write or draw something connected with the Airport. I drew a map and was one of the lucky children to win a free flight around the Tower in a Dragon Rapide. I spent many happy hours at the Airport, plane spotting and autograph hunting as well as delivering newspapers. I was also friendly with the Airport Commandant's son in the 60's.
Denise, Preston
I remember taking my daughter on a trip to Lapland a few years ago for the day when she was only about 7. What a brill time we had snowbiking and on reindeer sleighs. Quite funny to think that I was in Blackpool in the morning, over the Artic Circle and back in my own bed on the same day!!
Peter, Blackpool
I remember meeting rugby player Bill Beaumont when he opened the upgraded terminal building - what a handshake!!!