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A Fleeting Peace - Golden Age Aviation in the British Empire

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In the so-called ‘Golden Age of Aviation’, Britain and its Empire were world leaders in private flying. There were 59 subsidised flying clubs, more than a dozen major manufacturers, and hundreds of owner-pilots — an increasing number of them women. They set dozens of records and pioneered air routes all over the world.

They were amongst the most famous people of their day. Today they are largely forgotten. This website gathers their stories — the aviators, the races they flew, and the aeroplanes they flew in.

“It is no exaggeration to say that millions of people see the race, talk about it for days before it is flown, and discuss it for days after.”

— Flight magazine

The Aviators

The men and women who raced, pioneered and flew for fun.

The Air Races

King's Cups, MacRobertson and the great contests of the age.

The Aeroplanes

Moths, Gulls, Swallows and the machines they flew.

Women Pilots

The first women to take to the skies of the Empire.

Pioneering Flights

Charting the air routes across the British E

Business & Pleasure

Flying clubs, joyriders, air taxis and owner-pilots

We rightly celebrate our wartime aviation heroes. Perhaps it's time we also celebrated our peacetime aviation heroes.

We rightly celebrate our wartime aviation heroes. Perhaps it's time we also celebrated our peacetime ones.

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