British Civil Aviation in 1947

14 March
Wing Commander Reginald Brie receives the first helicopter licence to be issued by the Royal Aero Club.

28 May
British South American Airways begin non-stop flights from London to Bermuda. The aircraft have to be refuelled in the air over the Azores and the flights are made by Avro Lancasters, with one acting as the tanker.

16 June
The world’s first jet powered flying boat, the Saunders Roe SRA1, makes its first flight.

10 August
British European Airways (BEA) begins its first all-cargo service, using Douglas DC3 aircraft on the route between London and Prague via Brussels.

1-15 September
Operation Pakistan is undertaken by British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and three other United Kingdom airlines, with the task of moving populations between India and Pakistan.

1 November
British European Airways (BEA) operates its last scheduled service from Croydon.