This ambitious project, being undertaken by volunteers from the Sywell Aviation Museum, Northamptonshire, has seen the dismantling and reassembly of a rare Jetstream aircraft from Cranfield airfield at the Sywell Aviation Museum and work is now underway to restore the aircraft to be used as a classroom for the Museum's Young Aviator Tours. The HP137 Jetstream was HP’s last design - a small turboprop airliner. Development began in 1965 and the first flew in 1967. This particular aircraft was assembled at Radlett during 1968, and first flown on 17th April 1969. Progress to date has seen the dismantling, transport and reassembly completed, and it is worth noting that if Sywell had not rescued it, then it would likely have been scrapped. The tail plane has been refurbished and installed, and the elevators are refurbished and ready to re-fit. All passenger windows have been replaced and fitted, and the cockpit overhauled. SAM has taken 17,000 young people round the airfield from 2001 on its Young Aviator Tours, for which it won Northants Heritage Awards‘ Community Award’ in 2014 and Highly Commended for ‘Best Special Project’ for the Jetstream Project in 2021. The whole point of the Jetstream is to use it as a classroom - since ‘live’ aircraft are used on the tours the children cannot sit in them - and to permit children to work the controls etc. With airstairs and fitted seating it is a natural classroom. Hence, not only is it an important Sywell artefact, but in its own right it will enhance the visitor experience by permitting something not possible before, and also increase display space as part of its cabin will be seating, part will be display area. As a result the Trust is delighted to recognise the project with a restoration award.
