Manchester Airport is preparing to celebrate its 75th anniversary, as thousands are expected to visit the Runway Visitor Park on September 14 for a day of vintage fly-pasts.
All through the day there will be fly pasts at intervals, with planes on display including the legendary Lancaster Bomber, Hornet Moth, Dragon and Morane Sauline. A range of vintage aircraft dating back to the 1930s will be on display at the free event.
Andrew Cowan, chief operating officer for MAG, which owns the airport, said: ‘This year has been a significant milestone in our history as we reached our 75th anniversary. It’s even more significant for us this year as we’ve completed a transformational increase in the size of the company having added London Stansted to our group of airports.
This summer, Manchester has surpassed 20m passengers again and we are the third largest airport in the UK, and we will begin to build our Airport City development this year, further cementing Manchester’s reputation as a European business destination.
We’ve achieved much in our opening 75 years of existence and we’re well placed for an even brighter future.’
The day will also feature parachute jumps, commemorating the air display from the Royal Air Force on June 25, 1938 – when the airport opened for service. The first passenger flights took off two days later, with nearly 7,600 passengers passing through its doors in the first 14 months.
The Blades, former RAF Red Arrows pilots – experts at formations and aerobatics, will perform. The Ravens’ parachute group will plunge from 5,000ft right into the Runway Visitor Park, armed with birthday messages, flags and smoke. A fancy dress competition for 1930s attire will also be held, and prizes will include a tour of the Concorde.
The Runway Visitor Park has five aircraft, including the legendary Concorde. The park’s other aircraft are the Nimrod, the DC-10, Trident and an Avro RJX.
Entry to the event on September 14, from noon to 6.00 pm is free for pedestrians and bus travellers. For those using their cars, a full day’s car parking would cost £10 per car.
