|
Olley
Air Service Ltd |
|
Flying Officer Gordon
Percy Olley MM (29th of April 1893 – 18th of March 1958)
was a First World War flying ace who later formed his own airline,
Olley Air Services. He is recognised as the first pilot to fly
a million miles in total. After leaving the Royal Air Force he
worked as a pilot for Handley Page Air Transport, Imperial Airways
and KLM. In 1931, he became the world's first pilot to log one
million miles. Leaving Imperial, he started his own airline,
Olley Air Services, in 1934. The firm originally operated from
its base at Croydon Airport as a charter airline. Olley Air Services
eventually was part of a group of airlines that included Blackpool
& West Coast Air Services, Channel Air Ferries and Isle of
Man Air Services. In September 1939 it was dispersed to Ronaldsway
Airport I.O.M. by the Government. After the Second World War
the airline resumed services from Croydon as both a charter airline
and a scheduled service before being sold to Morton Air Services
in 1953. Olley died in Wimbledon on the 18th of March 1958. His
obituary reported that not one of his 40,000 passengers suffered
a casualty. |
|
Captain T.W.Morton was the leading
pilot of Olley Air Services Ltd. |
 |
|
(above) Gordon Olley. |
|
|
(below) Olley Air Service information booklet |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
(below)
Olly's DH84 Dragon's. |
 |
|
 |
|
(above) the Olley Air Service counter
in the main booking hall of the Terminal late 1930's |
|
 |
|
(above) a passenger ticket of the late
1930's |
|
 |
|
(above) inside of an Olley Rapide. (below) disembarking at Croydon. |
 |
|
|
(below) an advertisement from a booklet
of the 1920's |
 |
|
|
(below) a 1935 advertisement. |
 |
|
 |
|
(above and below)
'De Havilland DH84 Dragon'. |
 |
|
 |
|
(above) 'Airspeed Envoy'. (below) passing pilots logbook. |
 |
|
|
(below) 1936. |
 |
|
 |
|
(above) advert of 1936. (below) left
1936. right 1938 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
(above) 1939 poster. (below)
an Olley Air Service 'DH Rapide' |
 |
|
|
(below) Olley Air Service DH Rapide |
 |
|
 |
|
(above) 'Lockheed 10A Electra' of British
Airways. Behind a 'DH89 Rapide' of 'Olley's Air Services'. 1938 |
|
|
(below) on the apron early post-war. |
 |
|
 |
|
(above and below) Beechcraft Bonanza of Olley Air
Service in 1948 |
 |
|
 |
|
(above) In front of Olley's service hangar.
A 'DH Dove' is parked in the background. (below)
one of the flying schools 'Auster Aiglet Trainer's' that used
the Olley hangar. Pictures mid 1950's. |
.jpg) |
 |
|
(above) local club 'Tiger Moth's that regularly used Olley's
hangar. mid 1950's. |
|
|
(below) Olley Air Service's 'Short Scion' |
 |
|
 |
|
(above and below) 1951. Airspeed Consul's of Olley
Air Services. |
 |
|
 |
|
(above) Olley Air Service Consul. 1952 |
|
|
(below)' Olley Air Service', brochure. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
(above) a 'DH Dove' of Olley Air Service. Mid 1950's. |
|
 |
|
(above) a 'DH Heron' and (below) are 'DH Dove's' of Olley's pictures mid 1950's |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
(above) poster of 1953 |
|
 |
 |
