Foynes - Foynes's Role in Aviation

Foynes's Role in Aviation

During the late 1930s and early 1940s, land-based planes lacked sufficient flying range for Atlantic crossings. Foyne was the last port of call on its eastern shore for seaplanes. As a result, Foynes would became one of the biggest civilian airports in Europe during World War II. Surveying flights for flying boat operations were made by Charles Lindbergh in 1933 and a terminal was begun in 1935. The first transatlantic proving flights were operated on July 5, 1937 with a Pan Am Sikorsky S-42 service from Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador on the Bay of Exploits and a BOAC Short Empire service from Foynes with successful transits of twelve and fifteen-and-a-quarter hours respectively. Services to New York, Southampton, Montreal, Poole and Lisbon followed, the first non-stop New York service operating on June 22, 1942 in 25 hours 40 minutes.