Jock Maitland
After an
exciting 16 year career as an RAF fighter pilot Jock Maitland came to
Biggin Hill in 1958. The airfield had just closed as an RAF operational
base and he took a seven year lease to open and operate it as a civilian
Airfield. Despite no guarantee of long term tenure, he took on the job of
running and developing the airport. It was a precarious business with no
air traffic control, customs or runway lighting. He was unable to
negotiate a long-term lease, and after the expiry of the original lease he
had to be satisfied with annual renewals usually after much frustrating
negotiation. No one else had been willing to take on the original lease
and it is very unlikely that anyone would have been prepared to continue
to operate this difficult business in such a precarious way. Without
Maitland’s tenacity it is almost certain that the Airfield would have been
closed and built over.
He also
founded a flying club, a small aircraft charter business (Maitland Drewery
Air) , an executive aircraft charter business and, in 1963, the Biggin
Hill Air Fair. In 1975 Maitland established Air Displays International
and, over 30 years, he and his second son ,Jim, who joined him in 1983,
organised over 100 air shows around the country in addition to the annual
event at Biggin Hill.
In 1986 he
retired from running the Airfield and in 2006 from running the Air Fair,
the following year he was appointed MBE.
His son Jim
continues the Maitland presence, running his experience gift company
intotheblue.co.uk who specialise in flying and
Spitfire Experiences from premises on the Airfield.
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