Click bait title ☹️I have flown in this and it’s perfectly safe. Probably safer than your drive to Duxford.

My grandfather owned one, it was the first twin engine aeroplane I ever flew. Aeroplanes are like Trigger’s broom. The maintenance schedules are strict, especially when flying the paying public and every few thousand flying hours an aeroplane is stripped to basics, inspected and any part that is close to its life’s hours replaced, and between major inspections there are regular checks to be carried out. Classic Wings Operations Manual would, within reason be familiar to any airline pilot. The Rapide is a joy to fly, if I ever have a huge lottery win a Rapide would be high on my list of toys to buy. I operate some extremely expensive and modern aircraft, have been a professional pilot for 37 years, but my heart will always be with “proper aeroplanes”

What a beautiful stately way to fly. Nothing beats seeing the scenery of Britain framed between the wings of a biplane.

I had a flight in one of these from Oxford airport a few years ago as self-loading ballast accompanying my father-in-law as a treat for his 80th birthday. We were weighed before loading to ensure weight and balance was kept in limits. It was a lovely flight and a very gentle experience.

I've taken off and flown in a Rapide three times, but never managed a landing! It was in 1973 and the Rapide in question was the RAF Sports Parachute Club machine G-AGSH, which still exists and can be seen at Old Warden. People said I must be mad to jump out of a serviceable aeroplane, but my retort was that if you flew in the Rapide you'd be glad that you had two parachutes strapped to you!

Flew in one from Marshalls in 1953, aged 13. Joined the air force and flew for 30 years in various aircraft including the Victor at Duxford which I last flew in Oct 1974

I remember when as a child, there were Dragon Rapides flying round Blackpool Tower as pleasure flights. They took off from Squires Gate aerodrome and flew the 3 miles or so and then returned. There was one every ten or fifteen minutes and so there must have been quite a few performing this service.

A friend relates the tale of a family trip to the Isles of Scilly in 1955 at about the time the SS Punta ran aground, and the pilot flew around the wreck several times so photographs could be taken. In the early '80s the same friend and I went up in a Rapide from Duxford, in very strong winds, and I was astonished at how little runway was required, and how smooth the 'plane was in the air. It was smoother than the Cessna 152 and PA28 I currently pilot.

Flew in one while working for Hunting Surveys Ltd. out of Elstree Aerodrome many years ago - lovely plane

If your apprehensive , then walk away , don’t just condemn it out of hand . You where lucky to have that flight . But well done for challenging yourself

I flew in a D H Dragon Rapide in the late 1940’s & several other old aircraft since then. I’m still here in 2024 so I guess it must be safe, no more dangerous than flying in a modern aircraft of today.

I saw a photo of one, from British Columbia, and it was fitted with floats! Thanks for posting!

I’ve flown in it . Absolutely do it again . Perfectly safe.

I’m pretty sure that was the aircraft I flew in several years ago. The song of the Gypsy Queens is quite evocative. As someone commented elsewhere, ‘If it wasn’t safe, how do you think it got so old?’ I think the Trident was operated by BEA, not BOAC. Lovely film. Happy memories.

Nice video, shame about the title, I spent seven years in the 80's helping to restore the museums B17 then 'Maryalice', sadly the museum decided to repaint her in generic markings. The first day I volunteered I was asked if I had had an air experience flight and was told to be by the tower for a ride so we flew from Duxford to Shuttleworth for an air show in a Dragon Rapide, spent the afternoon there and at the end flew back to Duxford. At the time I lived in Suffolk with my wife and eventually we moved to Bedfordshire, work related, four miles from Shuttleworth, I had to stop volunteering as my job had me away from home a lot and we had a little girl to look after, still living near Shuttleworth and still getting loads of vintage aircraft over the house regularly. The ME 109 is actually a Buchon built by Hispano with a Merlin engine.

Did that flight around 40 years ago! (Though I think mine was only a short loop round the airfield). Enjoyed it enormously. Just think the plane was ancient then, and its now 40 years older!

Had my first flight in one of these back in 1955 from Bagington airport ( Coventry)

This was the first aircraft I ever flew in many years ago. We went around the Isle of Wight taking off from Bembridge aerodrome, on a grass runway. Would love to go again.

The Pilots who fly the Dragon regularly are unlikely to continue to do so if they thought it less than safe.

My first flight was on one of these: at six years old in the 1950s on a 30 minute pleasure flight from Heathrow Airport. We flew over central London and docklands. Not the sort of jaunt that would be allowed today.

As a child in the 1950s I remember these planes flying from Weston-super-Mare to Cardiff. As a regular service We could actually see them in the distance taken off and landing from our bedroom window at worle

I loved my years as an Air Cadet. Being able to go to firing ranges and fly Chipmunks. Good old days. Now 71. I wish i was young again. 😢😊😊😊😊

I live in Australia just north of Brisbane. I flew in a DH 84 Dragon (VH-UXG) from Caboolture airfield in 2011. A year later, it crashed, killing the owner pilot, his wife, and four other passengers. A case of pilot spacial disorientation in limited or no visibility weather conditions. By coincidence, the pilot's father had been killed in the same type of aircraft. Great to see the footage of Duxford. Been there twice on separate visits to the UK.

The first aircraft type I ever flew in from R A F Bassingbourn 1957 I think . My dad and I went up, cost ten bob a head .50p each decimal . Those were the days 😊😊

Had a great flight at Duxford in one of these . While flying with spitfire Absolutely fantastic

I believe this is the same Rapide that was stationed at Bembridge in the Isle of wight, that we flew in, many years ago, and now "trudles" leisurely over my house in Grantchester quite often.

I nearly had a flight in one of these with my Dad in the late 1940s at an RAF open day. They were offering short flights and we decided to join the queue. As we waited the plane came in tail high and the pilot did a good job in, eventually, getting the nose up and lifting off to go-round. When he landed again the queue had disappeared. Like Dad & I, everyone waiting had decided 'not to bother!'

I flew in the old girl in 2016 and just loved every second, although found the pilot rude, making us paying customers, already seated, shift seats to the back so his friends got a better view! 🇦🇺

My partner and I did this excursion some years ago and it was great fun.

Had a great flight with my brother and husband over London. Brilliant plane.

I've flown in both these, lovely planes. Also been lucky enough to get up in a Tiger Moth.

Very nice experience and impressive collection! For sure a place to visit sometime! Thanks for putting the video together and sharing!

Flew in one of these out of BROXBOURNE AIRFIELD Herts when I was a small boy, I thought we were going to crash into the hedges at the end of the field, but it took off easily! Fantastic aircraft, it stays in my mind

I've flown in two of, I think, three Dragon Rapides 😊the company has. Flying is a lot less stressful than the drive from Watford!

I too have flown as a passenger in one of these on a commercial😮 airline. That was QCA, Queer Collection of Aircraft, or more correctly Queen Charlotte Airlines in British Columbia, Canada

Best on a windy day. So much wing on such a light aircraft the day I went up it landed 3 times. Beautiful aircraft. They are to undergo more stringent tests than an modern passenger aircraft

My first flight at North Weald just after WW2was with my dad, magic, so some 50 years later when I saw flight on one if these at Southend Airport, I took my son for a flight. One lady passes get had worked oh these aircraft during WW2 she had all the stories. Strangley, it was her first flight in one. As I say magic, all it needed was Piirot sitting in the back.

I certainly hope so, as i had a rather enjoyable flight in TX310 when she was with Classic Flight at Baginton (Coventry)... Fun memories of that place!

Safer than a Boeing 737 that's for sure.

Aircraft don't usually get to that age unless they are!

A Rapide was used on the Glasgow Campbeltown Islay route back in the day.😊

First plane I ever fly in back in the early 90s. No doubts at all as far as I was concerned.

My first flight (and also my wartime RAF father's first) in a Rapide from Hendon during the 1957 Battle of Britain 'at home'. It cost 10/- each (50p). There were two silver ones operating from a Croydon-based company. It was quite bumpy over North London. In the early sixties I had a super evening flight over the coast from the grass field at Christchurch (near Bournemouth) G-AJGJ.

Ive flown in the rapide. Tiger moth, DC3, Rapide, even a Cessna beat an airbus or a boeing anyday (B17 excepted of course).

Great video. I photographed one of these at Heathrow circa 1956.

I was there on the 14th July 24 and had the sit in a Spitfire session, a present from my daughter.

In WW2 my father was medevaced in one....said that the wings sermed to flap alarmingly in rough air...he didn't fly in an airplane again until the mid 50s, in America

I have flown in that very aircraft. Boarding was easy, I am an amputee on crutches.

Of course its safe. How do you think it got to be 90 years old ?

I've taken off 3 time in one of these but never experience a landing. My first static line parachute jumps.

Back in the ‘50s as a birthday present my uncle treated me to a 10 minute flight around Heathrow in one of these! First time in a plane, absolutely loved it! From memory I think it cost £1.00 for my uncle and £0.50 for me, which was a lot of money then!

I have flown in this.Safe as houses👍! A powerful aircraft as well.

How do you think it got so old?

I have a soft spot for the DR. My first ever flight was sat on my mom’s knee in the starboard front seat.

Flown in Duxfords 89a every other weekend as a volunteer at IWM Duxford in late 70s well into the 90s. It has an airworthiness certificate and Gypsy Queens are ultra reliable. So yes although she's wood and canvas perfectly safe. I remember the sound fondly you could hear air whistle in the wing bracing.

Had a lovely flight over Cambridgeshire in this bird a few years back. Loved every second.

I'd fly this any day. Beautiful aircraft

My first flight at raf Andover open day 10 bob very exciting for a ten year old.

Flew in this exact aircraft 3 times now, always have loved it!

Ive flown in the Dragon Rapide yes it is safe i loved every minute i was in the air.Shame we had to land 😊

You would not get me up in that!

I miss The Plough.

I think my Mother flew in one from Renfrew (Glasgow) to Wick, via a refueling stop at Inverness, as the plane couldn't be refueled at Wick, in the early to mid 1950s. The through passangers waited in a hut (might not have been Inverness terminal) near the plane. They flew up the Great Glen, below the mountain tops, so about 3000ft.

I flew in that plane about thirty years ago. Of course it was only sixty years old then. 😂

I am SO jealous of you, The Dragon Rapide is my favourite aircraft of ALL TIME. Could you tell me how much it cost as I would love to do this myself. Thanks

Was leaving a Duxford airshow years ago when a Dragon Rapide taxied in to parked cars and came to a rapid(e) stop. Not sure if it's this one....

this was the first aeroplane i ever flew on!

went up in the same plane, cost me 15 quid back then for 15 minutes flight

Strange question. I flew in this aircraft a few years ago the thing you never managed to video is when the engines rev for take off the canvas wing vibrates superb! I have successfully flown in a Dakota, B17, Spitfire, Concorde G BOAD and a Lancaster over Niagara Falls but the lucky man (old ELP song) I am flew in a Swiss Junkers 52 which you probably have seen in the opening credits of WHERE EAGLES DARE. Swiss engineers look after it 3 BMW engines and very experienced pilots must be very safe?. How wrong can you be a week after my flight it crashed killing everyone. Report found atrocious safety issues and pilots flew it like boy racers! AS WITH FLYING IN A MODERN JET THE MOST DANGEROUS THING YOU DID ALL DAY WAS DRIVE TO DUXFORD IN YOUR CAR. On average over the nearly 200 years of rail travel in UK 20 deaths per year! Last year 29000 death or severe injuries on the UK roads, that’s 2 jumbo jets crashing with 100% casualties each week!

I thought Rapide's in RAF service were known as Dominies?

Went on honeymoon in one to the Isles of Scilly in 1963!

In this livery, shouldn't it be named the DH Dominie?

Safer than a Boeing 737, with its fires, defective batteries, undercarriage falling off, doors falling off, and parts of the wings falling off, and, this is quite important, engines falling off. Imagine if all the engines fell off, they'd be stuck up there for days!!! 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

Fantastic place to visit and have a flight if you can get one

Stupid click bait , flown in one here twice

I first flew in G-AIYR when I was 11 so yes a dragon rapide is very safe

Click bait.🤥

What a really stupid question..

Took my son up in the old girl enough said

As a child in the 1950s I remember these planes flying from Weston-super-Mare to Cardiff. As a regular service We could actually see them in the distance taken off and landing from our bedroom window at worle