Madam, - With the impending break-up of Aer Rianta, a little bit of its history may be of interest to the company and to aeronautical historians.
When Aer Lingus was first set up, it was divided into three sections. Aer Lingus was to operate European services, Aer Línte was to be a future transatlantic service and Aer Rianta was to be the air charter service.
Only one charter flight was ever operated by Aer Rianta, when on May 2nd 1949 at 15.47 a consul aircraft EI ADC took off from Dublin and landed at Birmingham at 17.16 for customs clearance. It departed there at 17.32 and arrived at Leeds at 18.07. Depositing the hirer, it left again for customs clearance at Birmingham at 18.32, arriving at 18.56 The final leg left at 19.52 and landed in Dublin at 21.00. Capt Chick Brown and myself flew the one and only flight operated by Aer Rianta.
Originally Aer Lingus operated both airline and airports. When the Government decided to split the two, the title Aer Rianta was applied to airport management. - Yours, etc.,
DERMOT C. CLARKE,
Wilson Road,
Mount Merrion,
Co Dublin.