Last Flight of the Dakota

These photos were taken on one of the last passenger flights of a DC-3 Dakota in the UK. Due to imminent changes in legislation, it will become uneconomic to continue to fly passengers in these lovely old aircraft, due to the changes needed to bring them up to date. So Air Atlantique, who operate them, embarked on a seres of last flights, so as to celebrate the lengthy career and give people the opportunity to fly on them.

For some like me, it was our first and last last chance, for some of the older passengers, they'd flown on them before in different conditions - World War 2. And many of these trips were one way, with a parachute strapped to their back. One ex para had taken off 12 times in a Dakota and never landed once!

The conditions on the day were lovely, giving some great views over the Fylde and beyond.