Scotsman Archive

SIR Andrew Murray, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, today welcomed the first aircraft, the Aquila Airways flying boat , Hudson , to touch down at Leith marine airport since the airport was licensed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The aircraft, on a proving flight from Southampton to Edinburgh and Greenock and back, is the forerunner of a regular weekly service to Edinburgh which will begin on 7 July. On 4 July the aircraft will operate for the first time between Southampton and Glasgow. This was announced when the 25-ton flying boat left Southampton today.

The services will be the first of their kind in Britain. The service is to cater for three main sources of traffic – ships' passengers arriving in Scotland or Southampton, crews of ships on short leave, and holidaymakers to and from Scotland and the South of England.

This morning the Hudson took off from Southampton in sunny clear weather.

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