Desford was the last turning point in the 1930 Kings Cup Air Race, Programs were sold and a special Bar provided, and a big party was held in the Clubhouse afterwards to celebrate the event, which was won by yet another lady pilot from Manchester. The Royal Aero Club runs the Kings Cup series of races, and the L.A.C. became affiliated to them at about this time, an association continued to this day. In the summer of 1930 the Club had about 440 members, and the first six pilots to gain their civilian licences were Roy Winn, Hedley-Briggs, Jesse Cobb, Cyril Hurst, J.T.Coltman and G.P.Haylock. In June the Duke of Gloucester flew into Desford on his way to visit the Leicester Agricultural Show, and of course was immediately made an honorary member of the Club. In August a newly married couple used Desford and the Puss Moth to fly off on their honeymoon. Membership at this time cost 3 guineas, (£1.15), for civilian members and 1 guinea, for serving members of the RAF. A lesser fee was charged for purely passenger members. Fuel was 1s 4½d per gallon, (about 6p), a flying helmet for use in those open cockpits was 18/6d, (about 90p), and goggles 8/6d, (40p ish). Your silver "A" badge, (our PPL), was 3/-, (15p), and L.A.C. diaries the same. In October 1931 another Gypsy II was bought to replace G-AAIF, this was G-ABRF and it in turn became "The Quorn". The name plaque from this aircraft is still in the possession of the Club. At this time Sir Samuel Faire, one of the two original founder members from 1909 was still a member of the re-formed Club. This same year the Club finally acquired land at Braunstone for an airport, this was to be the Leicester Municipal Airport and the Club undertook to run it on behalf of the City. Discussions about the land had been going on since 1928 but the Housing Committee of the City Council were very unwilling to let the land go at first. As soon as possible Roy Winn and Sydney Brown made the first landing there and En-Tout-Cas were commissioned to prepare the land as an airport. Unfortunately this was the time of the great economic Depression in England, and this coupled with a prolonged summer drought somewhat delayed the clearing, & building of the new Clubhouse, which was finally started in 1933. In the meantime,in the summer of 1932 a new Chief Flying Instructor, G.N.P.Stringer, took over at Desford; Tommy Warren was still the Clubs resident Engineer, (indeed he stayed in this post until the War). |