[AMcWhirter]

I just know our Scottish readers would appreciate this short video.

In 1971 Edinburgh’s terminal (EDI) was tiny by today’s facility.

BCal (previously BUA) was the first airline allowed to compete with BEA on the London-Edinburgh route. BUA operated out of LGW, BEA from LHR.

Most BEA flights were with Vanguard props. BUA used only 1-11s.

It was rare to see a jet at EDI. Having a 1-11 arrive was an event.

One of the baggage loaders resembles Jacob Rees-Mogg (see towards the end).

British Caledonian BAC 1-11 arriving at Edinburgh Airport, 1971. This was probably the Gatwick service, inherited from BUA in the previous year’s takeover. pic.twitter.com/kgL4QaGLUJ

— Captain Brent 🇬🇧 (@Birdseed501) October 1, 2021

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Swissdiver, Stewart, TerryMcManus24, canucklad, Johnhighlander, tomwjsimpson, Frederic, SimonRowberry, DerekVH

[TominScotland]

Amazing how little JR-M has aged over the past 50 years – brilliant, Alex. Great to see the 1-11 again, many’s the flight I took on one from BHX and, in its early days, with FR.

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BPP, AMcWhirter

[cwoodward]

What surprised me is that there was a sealed concrete runway !

[canucklad]

Cheers for that Alex, a trip down a very foggy memory lane . The one constant at EDI whether it be that terminal ( now the cargo terminal?) and the our shopping centre is the WW2 Spitfire . apart from that the only other thing is the lack of grass and gravel runways LOL cwoodward
As an aside i recall flying the BCal 1-11s from GLA to AMS via NCL on my way home back to YVR ///just

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AMcWhirter

[SimonRowberry]

Canucklad – me too. I think the fare was something like £30.00 one way.

As an aside, it took my wife years to stop calling British Columbia British Caledonia.

[AMcWhirter]

I well remember EDI and those 1-11 flights with BUA/BCal.

These (along with BEA’s Vanguards) were my first domestic flights.

For some flights I would buy a youth stand-by ticket which, back then cost around £5 one-way. There were no taxes/fees/charges at that time.

EDI used to be known as Turnhouse and one of its drawbacks was that single runway which was susceptible to cross winds. The runway’s location was later moved I believe.

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cwoodward

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