Posted On
21 APRIL 2023
Blackpool Airport played host to a special 105th birthday this week for a valued member of our general aviation community.
Ernest Horsfall flew his light aircraft out of Blackpool Airport for almost 50 years, only stopping when his licence expired when at 93 years old. In addition, he spent years of his life building and maintaining over 50 light aircraft.
Ernest’s birthday celebrations were hosted at the Westair hangar and training school at Blackpool Airport, where 50 of his closest friends plus members of the media came to celebrate alongside him.
Arriving through a guard of honour from the army - Ernest served during WWII - he arrived at a sea of familiar faces before being treated to a rendition of Happy Birthday and a special cake to celebrate the occasion.
He was then surprised to be led to Hangar 42, where one of the former aircrafts he worked on, a Jodel DR1050 Ambassadeur, with his own initials on the registration, was parked for him to look around and inspect once again.
“It looks only two or three years old,” said Ernest of the plane which was built in 1962.
Ernest had celebrated some of his birthday earlier in the day, receiving over 3,000 birthday cards, including from Blackpool Airport managing director Steve Peters, and from the staff in the air traffic control tower he flew past hundreds of times.
From everybody at Blackpool Airport, we wish Ernest a very happy birthday.
For more information about Blackpool Airport, visit blackpoolairport.com