Waterbird

Kendal Rotary’s speaker on Monday 13 January was Ian Gee, the Chairman of Trustees of the charity Waterbird.  He came to give us an update on the project.  In 1909 Captain Edward Wakefield, whose family was based in Kendal, commissioned the A. V. Roe Company to design and build Waterbird on an Avro Curtess frame.  It was his idea to convert it so that it would take off from water.

Now a replica has been built and has already flown on Windermere. The next flight is due to take place on 5/6 September 2025. We heard of the complexities of overcoming the rules and regulations, though Ian was at pains to point out the huge cooperation they have had from the Civil Aviation Authority.