by Edward Pinnegar; ISBN 978-1-84868-981-7; Amberley Publishing Plc, Cirencester Road, Chalford, Stroud, Glos GL6 8PE; 9¼in x 6½in softback; 96 pages, illustrated; £12.99

Alderney was the first licensed airfield in the Channel Islands, with initial operations beginning in August 1935 when a Channel Islands Airways Saro Windhover arrived, although the airfield licence was not issued until October that year. Early operations were rather hand-to-mouth, with a grass strip and a lady controller who herded animals off the strip, coded and decoded telegraphs (there were no telephones) and bookings were made by telegram two weeks in advance!

Post-war, new buildings were erected but mains electricity was not available until 1954. Jersey Airlines was operating D.H. Herons into Alderney at that time and gradually facilities were improved, with a wider runway available by 1989 and a new control tower which even today has no radar, approach facilities being operated by Guernsey.

Alderney has been served by a number of transport companies — BEA, Jersey Airlines, Silver City, Channel Airways, British United and GlosAir, but the best-known, Aurigny, began services in 1969 with Britten-Norman Islanders and later Trislanders which it still uses, being the type’s largest operator. There have been other competitors — Alderney Air Ferries, Air Camelot, Air Sarnia, Le Cocq’s Airlink (later Rockhopper, then rebranded as Blue Islands) — and details of all these are given.

There is a chapter on accidents and incidents, another on Channel Islands Air Search (which will receive 50 per cent of the proceeds from this book), mini biographies on four of the island’s aviation personalities, a map and a final chapter on the airport’s future. Reproduction of the monochrome and colour illustrations is very good.
This is a remarkable first book by an aviation enthusiast who is a 14 year-old pupil at Charterhouse School in Surrey and a regular visitor to Alderney. One cannot give higher praise than to say that his age does not show!

Mike Hooks

RATING: ΘΘΘΘ