The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership, the charitable organisation delivering projects in conservation, enterprise, education and climate resilience across southwest Scotland’s UNESCO-designated area, has put out a call for new members to join its board of Trustees. The UNESCO region expanded in 2023 to take in 12 miles of the marine environment plus new terrestrial areas including the Rhins of Galloway and Alloway, birthplace of Robert Burns. As one of a network of more than 740 UNESCO Biospheres around the world, Galloway and Southern Ayrshire is recognised for its world class natural and cultural heritage and the array of local opportunities for sustainable development. The GSA Biosphere Partnership’s delivery team comprises 15 officers who work across the 9,720km² region, with activity steered by a Partnership Board that currently has 12 Trustees. The board isespecially keen to attract new members with experience in marine industries and environment, community development, fundraising, tourism and communications. Applications from women, BAME and younger individuals are particularly welcome as the Partnership aims to fully represent diverse voices in its mission to promote a balanced relationship between people and nature. GSAB Director Ed Forrest says, “The UNESCO Biosphere covers three local authority areas and is home to an astonishing variety of communities, businesses, and third sector organisations, all of which are essential to the ‘big picture’ of climate resilience, nature recovery, and socio-economic change. The post of Trustee is a chance for people with a passion for this region to make a real and tangible difference as we grapple with the most urgent issues facing southwest Scotland and the world today.” More information about the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership’s Trustee opportunity is available at GSA biosphere website or by email  to info@gsabiosphere.org.uk.

300 young people attended a special event at the William McIlvanney Campus recently, showcasing robotics, AI technology and STEM careers. Hosted by James Hamilton Primary, Sgoil na Coille Nuaidh and Kilmarnock Academy, the event was attended by P6’s from Loanhead, Whatriggs and Onthank Primary Schools and supported by scientists from the National Robotarium in Edinburgh and the Council’s IT Service. Olly, Finn, Perrie and Kaitlin from P6 at James Hamilton joined their Head Teacher Lorraine Dougan to welcome special guests Councillor Elaine Cowan, Spokesperson for Education, and Children and Young People; local members Councillors Graham Boyd and Neal Ingram, and Julie McKee from the Education Service, to the early transition event. They explained that the P6’s from all the cluster schools would join into groups, so that they could get to know new friends, and attend eight workshops situated throughout Kilmarnock Academy. Olly said: “This is a really busy week for our school. It is Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Week and we are learning lots about careers and how we prepare for the world of work. We got to make ice cream as part of our DYW work, it was a bit runny but it was still delicious and everyone’s favourite flavour was toffee.” The event got underway with a talk about STEM careers from Blair from the National Robotorium, a facility that has built a world-class reputation in advancing research in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). Blair also demonstrated two robots, one that looked like an animal and Pepper, the world’s first humanoid robot that can recognise faces and human emotions. Pepper was available at one workshop to either give a hug or a high five, which the P6’s thought was amazing. The P6’s also got an opportunity to operate small robots, creating mazes for the robots to follow, to learn about aerodynamics and the world of drone technology, the importance of coding and to find out more about AI and Virtual Reality. Councillor Elaine Cowan said: “This was an incredible experience for our young people and I can’t thank Blair and the team from the National Robotarium enough for taking the time out of their busy schedules to spend the day at the William McIlvanney Campus. I know that their goal is to engage with the next generation of robotics and AI engineers and from the fact that you could have heard a pin drop in the hall while he was talking, tells you that our young people were engaged and fascinated. “Councillor Boyd, Councillor Ingram, Julie McKee and I were warmly welcomed to the school and were pleased to join in the workshops with the P6’s. The lesson on aerodynamics, which involved making our own paper aeroplanes, did get a little bit competitive but I think James and Kaleb from Onthank Primary managed to get their planes to fly just that bit further. “When we were viewing, and participating, in each workshop it was clear that the young people had absolutely no fear of the technology. There are many situations in every day learning where a young person can be afraid or nervous to try something new in case they get it wrong, but not at this event. They were so engaged and keen to participate in every task. “Finally I would like to thank Gary Neilson, ICT Co-ordinator and Rachel Smith, Primary Science and Sustainability Development Officer who both worked very hard ensuring the event was a huge success. They will be running a similar event at Grange Academy at the end of the month for the school’s cluster primary schools.” Lorraine Dougan, Head Teacher of James Hamilton Primary and Sgoil na Coille Nuaidh, said: “Everyone at James Hamilton Primary and Sgoil na Coille Nuaidh were so pleased to welcome our friends from Loanhead, Onthank and Whatriggs Primaries to the Campus for a fun day of learning. This was the perfect opportunity for an early transition event for all our P6’s so that they can get used to learning together. “It was also an incredible opportunity for our young people to learn from leaders within the robotics and AI world. It is our Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) week so we have been learning about careers that are available now and future career opportunities within developing technologies. To hear directly from the National Robotarium team really hits home the fact that for our young people, many of the jobs they will be doing don’t exist yet and that in ten years when they are joining the world of work, technology will have advanced significantly. The key is therefore to give them every opportunity to learn and develop transferable skills for their future workplace, whatever it looks like!”

Friday night Aurora event was classed as a once-in-a-lifetime event with the Northern Lights visible to the naked eye across Ayrshire. Below is some of the best pictures sent to us from Friday night spectacular display.

Ayrshire Daily News reader Ian Downie alerted us to the arrival in Troon of a genuine superyacht. Luxury is an adjective that barely describes this sailing palace. Ian said “I was having a coffee by the shore at Seafield this afternoon when I saw a large ship sailing north towards Troon. The ship tracking App showed it as a luxury yacht called Kismet. Apparently it will be available for charter in the Mediterranean for upwards of a cool 3 million euros per week.” Information online shows the 122 metre (400 feet) long Kirsten was launched earlier this year and replaced the previous 95 metre long Kirsten which was built in 2014. The superyacht website cecilwright.com says Kismet “was built by the renowned German shipyard Lürssen with exterior by Nuvolari Lenard and an interior by Reymond Langton Design, KISMET is a symbol of uncompromising luxury and sets a new standard for excellence in the industry. Accommodating up to 12 guests in 6 cabins, KISMET offers exceptional entertainment amenities, a wide range of culinary experiences from the huge kitchen area and boasts a full suite of water sport toys and tenders. The ultimate luxury yacht has a dedicated gym and yoga studio which boast opening sea terraces and are complemented by a juice bar for refreshment. It even has a chromotherapy bathtub. Kismet has crew accommodation for between 30 and 40 people. “KISMET represents the most exclusive luxury yacht charter experience on the planet” says the Cecil Wright company. Kismet was built by the world renowned German company Lurssen and according to them “highlights include a two-level open-plan entrance area with video walls, a Nemo cinema on the lower deck featuring a 150-inch television and an underwater seating area, and a luxurious 7-star wellness area, among other exquisite features. Kismet is owned by the American billionaire Shahid Khan. It is believed to have cost $360 million and will cost about $30 million per year to operate. The yacht recently completed sea trials off the coast at Kiel, Germany and Troon is it’s first berth on its first sailing. Shahid Khan is one of those billionaires whose life story could be turned into a successful film. His rags-to-riches story began in Pakistan, where he was born, and took a decisive turn when he arrived in the U.S. as a teenager. According Forbes magazine the business tycoon, who is currently worth more than $8 billion, used to work as a dishwasher while attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Years later, he would go on to become the owner of auto parts supplier Flex-N-Gate. Mr Khan is known today mostly for his ownership of sports clubs. He owns the American football team Jacksonville Jaguars and in 2014 he brought Fulham football club the famous Egyptian born Mohamed Al-Fayed. Mr Khan became successful as an engineer who designed a one-piece truck bumper. He now also owns several companies in the entertainment industry and has come very far from his early days. Mr Khan and his very welcome guests are expected to enjoy the Ayrshire sunshine over a long weekend. Perhaps he will take a trip to Glasgow to watch the Old Firm football game today or maybe some guests will enjoy the world class Ayrshire golf courses. It is quite a recognition for Troon harbour owners Associated British Ports that the Kismet has berthed at Troon on its first ever journey. We doubt the berthing fees will be quite as astronomic as Monaco where Kismet is likely to spend more of its future. Ayrshire Daily News is very happy to welcome Mr Khan and guests to Ayrshire and hopes that it will be the first of many visits to Scotland.

Dance Fest, Ayrshire’s biggest celebration of dance, had three sell-out shows last week at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr. The spectacular event showcased the very best of dance from local schools, community groups, private dance schools, and stage schools plus a performance from our resident East Ayrshire Youth Dance Company. Over 700 young people from 49 different groups put on an incredible show and the East Ayrshire Teacher Performance group that performed wowed the audience with a high-energy Hip-Hop routine choreographed by Carrie Craggs, entitled Independent Part 1. Dance Fest was produced by Zara Smith Cultural Co-ordinator, Dance and Movement from East Ayrshire Council’s Creative Minds team, and featured a range of different dance styles and musical tastes, including musical theatre, street, jazz, lyrical and hip-hop. Performances included James Hamilton Primary who presented a dance entitled Respect Me to the song Send Me On My Way, it was an emotional performance about bullying and respect; S2 from The Robert Burns Academy performed a commercial routine to Crazy What Love Can Do; Nathan from St Joesph’s Academy performed a contemporary dance, which he choreographed himself to Dream On; Dalmellington Primary literally rocked the house with a commercial routine to We Will Rock You; while Onthank Primary, wowed with a contemporary/ hip-hop routine to a number of crowd-pleasing songs including Wannabe, Apologise and Murder On the Dancefloor. The tantalising and totally toe-tapping three-night event saw further highlights from Jam Street, I-Dance, Take a Bow, Dynamite, Karen E Moir and CentreStage. Zara Smith said: “Dance Fest represents the culmination of weeks and months of practice by pupils and their teachers in schools across East Ayrshire who come together to share their love of dance on stage. It is a spectacular celebration and showcase, which everyone finds really uplifting. The show also reflects the ongoing and much-appreciated support and encouragement from parents, family members and carers.” Provost Jim Todd said: “Dance Fest is an incredible celebration of dance. The audience was bowled over by the talent, commitment and interpretation displayed by our children and young people, who were brimming with confidence as they performed. Congratulations to Zara Smith for producing a wonderful event and to all the performers.”

Biosphere Bikes has been able to add to its seasonal seafront hire hub by opening a shop and community hub in Henrietta Street in Girvan, thanks to part funding from South Ayrshire Council. The Council gave the not-for-profit social enterprise charity £70,000 through its Place Based Investment Programme. This, along with funding from Foundation Scotland (Kilgallioch Windfarm Community Benefit Fund) has allowed Biosphere Bikes to purchase premises at 121A Henrietta Street in the town and begin the redevelopment process of the property. The new shop and community hub means the charity can not only continue to hire bikes, but they can sell refurbished bicycles, and equipment and even run workshops. Biosphere Bikes was first granted Certified Business status from the Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere in 2020, underlining their commitment to sustainability. Val Scholfield, Project Officer, Biosphere Bikes Shop & Community Hub said: "Owning our charity premises is not just about having a physical space; it's about owning our future and solidifying our commitment to serving our community. “This achievement is a testament to the unwavering support of those who believe in our project including South Ayrshire Council’s Community Wealth Building Team, Kilgallioch Windfarm through Foundation Scotland, ARPL Architects, and Lockharts Law. “With this ownership, we can foster greater sustainability by using bikes as a tool to create lasting change for the people of Girvan allowing them to pedal, connect and thrive." Councillor Bob Pollock, Economic Development Portfolio Holder for South Ayrshire Council said: “The charity is already well established but having a permanent base which can be open all year round, will make a big difference. Biosphere Bikes always go that extra mile to ensure everyone has access to bikes no matter their age, ability, or background; they are an inspiration.” Councillor Alec Clark, Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Culture and Rural Affairs who represents South Ayrshire Council on the UNESCO Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Board said: “I am so pleased we could help Biosphere Bikes; they have become a real community lynchpin in and around Girvan. The new hub will help them promote health and wellbeing and tackle issues such as social isolation and exclusion. I wish Biosphere Bikes every success for the future.” The Biosphere Bikes Shop & Community Hub is open Monday-Wednesday from 9am-3pm and Friday and Saturday from 9am-3pm.

First Minister John Swinney has announced a new Scottish Cabinet to help drive real and urgent progress in eradicating child poverty, driving economic growth, and tackling the climate emergency. The Cabinet of eleven, with a majority of women, is as follows: Kate Forbes, the youngest-ever Deputy First Minister, will take on the Economy portfolio and responsibility for Gaelic Shona Robison remains in Cabinet with responsibility for Finance and Local Government Jenny Gilruth remains Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Angela Constance remains Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Màiri McAllan remains in Cabinet with responsibility for Net Zero and Energy Fiona Hyslop remains Cabinet Secretary for Transport Neil Gray remains Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Shirley-Anne Somerville remains Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Angus Robertson remains Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Mairi Gougeon remains Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands The First Minister said: “Ahead of my appointment as First Minister, I committed to working collaboratively across the Parliament to address the pressing issues facing the people of Scotland. “With that in mind, I have selected a Cabinet team that blends experience and energy, with a strong focus on the priorities my Government will pursue – eradicating child poverty, driving economic growth, meeting climate obligations and investing in our vital public services. “My overriding priority will be to work to eradicate child poverty in Scotland, an issue on which real progress has been made through measures such as the Scottish Child Payment. The Government I lead will maximise every lever at our disposal to tackle the scourge of poverty in our country. “A strong economy supports the delivery of services on which people depend – health, education, housing, and transport – and so each of these areas are aligned to distinct roles in my Cabinet, with a focus on ensuring people see their lives improve as a result of the actions of their Scottish Government. “I believe that Scotland’s future is best served as an independent country – but I recognise more people need to be convinced of that before independence can be achieved. My Cabinet will also focus efforts on reaching out to those who remain unconvinced, with respect and courtesy, to ensure that the people of Scotland have the democratic right to choose their own future.”

In a first for Scotland, Grange Academy has started working with local charity Cut N Connect, bringing top-quality hairdressing to the school for young people and their families. East Ayrshire Churches Homelessness Action (EACHA) Cut N Connect is a partnership project with Police Scotland, providing a mobile hairdressing and barber service, which is partly funded by the Renewable Energy Fund. The initiative also serves as a platform for community engagement and empowerment, signposting individuals to other services they may require such as recovery support, benefits assistance, and housing. Principal Teacher Ewin Murray heard about the new initiative and saw a great opportunity for the school’s young people and their parents and carers. Ewin Murray said: “When I heard about Cut N Connect, I could see how beneficial this initiative could be for our young people and also their families. Scott Robertson, our Head of Campus, was totally on board so I reached out to Cut N Connect to see what would be possible. Brendan and Gayle from the charity were so enthusiastic and it was agreed that they would attend the school on a monthly basis, with the first visit taking place last week. “I have to say that seeing the first couple of our young people getting their hair cut, really hit home how important this is. It helps their confidence and feelings of wellbeing and the Cut N Connect team are really friendly and supportive. If we can help our young people in a dignified and respectful way then we are delighted to make this happen.” Local members Councillors Douglas Reid, Lillian Jones, and James Adams visited the school to meet the Cut N Connect team, find out more about the charity, and view their impressive mobile hairdressing van, which has solar panels that allow it to run without mains power, a coffee machine, soundproofing and of course, the best of equipment. Gayle Watson, Trustee, EACHa Cut and Connect Cut N Connect said: “We have only been up and running since March but we already have 20 locations across East Ayrshire that we visit on a monthly basis and now Grange Academy, our first school. This is a first in Scotland, and we are pretty sure that it is a first in the UK, and are delighted to work with Scott Robertson, Ewin Murray, PC Campbell, and the whole Grange team, on this really exciting initiative. “We have seen the transformative effects of our work in this very short time and know that we are going to have a significant impact on the school community. As a team, we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us!”

Towns and villages across East Ayrshire are cleaner, greener and more vibrant after being treated to a good Spring clean throughout the month of April. The Greener Communities team joined forces with the local community, Vibrant Communities, Cleaner Communities, the Corporate Enforcement Unit and the Risk Management Centre’s mobile CCTV unit to clean up litter and tackle environmental crime including fly tipping. For a full week at the start of April, the taskforce worked between 8am and 10am power washing the streets within Cumnock and Kilmarnock town centre. They cleaned under bins and street furniture, removing cigarette ends and generally removing any grime and dirt from our streets. Additional street sweepers were drafted in to help with the deep clean, mechanically sweeping the pavements. Special community litter picks also took place in Hurlford, Kilmaurs, Bellfield, Shortlees, Dalmellington, Dalrymple, Auchinleck and on the last day the team turned their attention to Ochiltree with Councillor Jim McMahon, Spokesperson for Housing, Transport and Communities lending a hand. Councillor McMahon said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in Spring Clean month for their hard work and for ensuring that East Ayrshire is looking great for the local community and for visitors. The weather has been pretty dreich most days, so for our communities to still show up and show their support has been very much appreciated. “I was pleased to join the team at Ochiltree for the last day of the Spring clean programme. We were collecting litter, the street sweepers were out clearing the pavements and the road sweepers were making a real difference to our roads. I am proud to say that we left the place looking spick and span. It would be great if our villages and towns could stay this clean and tidy. It will take effort on all our parts, but I really believe we can do it.”

Prestwick + Global Airlines + Airbus = optimism? By Doug Maclean Aviation editor Great excitement yesterday when the first ever Airbus 380 Super Jumbo arrived at Prestwick on what everyone assumed was a routine fuel stop. The first Airbus 380 for Britain’s new airline, Global Airlines, landed at Prestwick airport which has been christened as The Heart Of Scottish Aviation. The aircraft was believed to be heading for Portugal and on to Malta Ayrshire Daily News has learned that is no longer the case. Now it appears that not only will the Airbus be staying longer than anticipated but there is a hint of a desire to make Prestwick a significant part of Global Airlines. That hint comes in the Press Release sent out by Global Airlines today. The aircraft is registered 9H-GLOBAL and the full press release says – 9H-GLOBAL Arrives in the UK as Global Airlines Takes Transatlantic Stride Forward • Global’s first aircraft undertook a two-leg flight cycle from Mojave Air and Space Port (MHV) to Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) in what was a first in the nearly 20-year history of the A380. • The flight required a rigorous, multi-month planning and a collaborative process involving partners and regulators including Airbus, Hi Fly, TM-CAD and the FAA. • From its new location in Scotland, the next step for the aircraft will be to commence a full interior refurbishment and continue its maintenance journey back to the skies. Global Airlines first fully owned A380 yesterday touched down at Glasgow Prestwick Airport at 17:00 BST. The arrival of 9H-GLOBL in the UK was a momentous moment for Global and signalled another significant milestone being reached. With far more access to A380 infrastructure and expertise in Europe, MSN120 will now continue its journey back to commercial operations. From Prestwick, the next steps for 9H-GLOBL will be for Global’s partners to start work on the complete interior refurbishment, and to develop new maintenance capabilities at the airport that will enable the aircraft to take the next step towards launching passenger flights. Following the airline’s first flight on February 15th, a huge collective effort between Global, Hi Fly, Airbus and maintenance partners was focused on returning the aircraft to service, conducting required maintenance and securing all necessary regulatory approvals. Over two months, Airbus supported technical and engineering assessments, with the Hi Fly crew also receiving bespoke simulator training. No stone was left unturned, and on April 26th, the approval was issued for the flight to Prestwick. At 15.54 PST on April 30th, the aircraft, led by Commander Carlos Mirpuri and a crew of three, departed from the Mojave Air & Space Port in California, for the 5 hour and 40-minute flight to Montreal Mirabel International Airport (YMX), where it refuelled. The aircraft then headed across the Atlantic, directly to PIK, where it landed on runway 30 at 17:00 BST. The flight itself created significant local and online attention and was the most viewed flight of the day on Flight Radar with almost 40,000 viewers at its peak. Speaking for the first time since the arrival of the aircraft in Scotland, James Asquith the CEO and Founder of Global Airlines said: “There were moments when I thought the aircraft would not make it out of America, but thanks to amazing efforts from Airbus, Hi Fly, our maintenance partners and of course our brilliant Global team, we now have our first aircraft in Europe and are in a position and a place where we can take even further strides forward. “Getting to Europe is a significant milestone for Global Airlines and it’s the product of huge amounts of energy, resolve and belief in the project, on both sides of the Atlantic. “I am particularly grateful to the team at Glasgow Prestwick Airport for welcoming 9H-GLOBL with such enthusiasm. I am so pleased that we now have the opportunity to work with industry leaders in the UK to build new A380 capabilities and expertise. ”Looking ahead, everybody in the team is moving forward to a really busy summer where we’ll start to showcase more and more of the Global offerings and innovations that will make our airline unique.” Commander Carlos Mirpuri, Vice-Chairman of Hi Fly Group, who was the chief pilot for the flights said after arriving at Prestwick: “This aeroplane is an engineering marvel, and I can’t get enough of it. This was a long journey across America and the Atlantic, and all went as expected. “I wish Global Airlines success with it. It is time to conduct the rest of the return-to-service jobs so that passengers can enjoy flying this super jumbo. There is nothing like it.” Glasgow Prestwick Airport CEO Ian Forgie said: “We are delighted to have supported Global with this key stage in their exciting journey. It was also the first time an A380 has landed at Prestwick so this was an exciting moment in Prestwick’s aviation history, and it drew a large crowd of aviation enthusiasts who wanted to witness the touchdown.” Two paragraphs stand out for me – “From its new location in Scotland, the next step for the aircraft will be to commence a full interior refurbishment and continue its maintenance journey back to the skies.” “From Prestwick, the next steps for 9H-GLOBL will be for Global’s partners to start work on the complete interior refurbishment, and to develop new maintenance capabilities at the airport that will enable the aircraft to take the next step towards launching passenger flights.” We already know from the published plans of Global Airlines that they plan to refurbish the interior of the aircraft and that significant maintenance will need to be done to restore the aircraft to passenger service. The aircraft will then have the new livery and branding of Global Airlines before it is put into service. The obvious route that would support an aircraft as big as the nearly 500-seat Airbus 380 is London to New York. It has been suggested that Global will base itself at London Gatwick Airport. So where does that leave Prestwick in the Global Airlines plans? The Airbus, still in the colours of its previous owner China Southern Airlines, was pictured at Prestwick this afternoon in the company of 3 other Airbus aircraft belonging to the Hungarian carrier Wizz Air. This Eddie Wallace picture is a good example of how the airline industry works. Aeroplanes often change hands between airlines, banks and leasing companies. They sometimes change countries of registration and after a few months on the ground, they start a new and often long life with a new operator. Prestwick is booming with aircraft engineering. Many hundreds of jobs have been created by companies like Ryanair, Wizz, Egyptair and Tui bringing their aircraft to Prestwick for maintenance. Expansion of maintenance facilities or new hangers has been openly discussed. At the moment there are no obvious Prestwick facilities that could undertake the interior refurbishment or engineering maintenance necessary for the Global Airlines A380. However, the press release clearly says “Global’s partners to start work on the complete interior refurbishment, and to develop new maintenance capabilities at the airport”. In our view, the Prestwick airport aerospace cluster of high-quality engineering companies, combined with the wide open space of Prestwick airport, is well placed to add to growing the skills and facilities right here in the heart of Ayrshire. We will watch with great interest the possibility that Prestwick may yet again forge a new identity using its long history of engineering excellence.

Air Canada freight flight into Prestwick settles a 30 year old bet. A lifetime dedicated to serving Prestwick airport inspires the next generation. In the early hours of Friday morning an Air Canada Boeing 767 freighter landed at Prestwick. The flight came in from Toronto and departed late last night back to Toronto. The arrival at 2 a.m. was watched by Ayrshire man Jim McCall and his daughter Claire MacGillivary. Very few people were there to see the arrival but Jim and Claire were determined to see the flight land at Prestwick. Even fewer people knew that the first Air Canada freight flight into Prestwick, for exactly 30 years, won Jim a bet he had made with an old colleague in Montreal. Claire told Ayrshire Daily News that her father had e mailed a picture to his old colleague Sam. “Air Canada last flew freight flights into Prestwick in 1994. Dad used to be the Air Canada freight manager at Prestwick and Sam was manager of the whole fleet of Air Canada DC8 freighters.” Jim explained that he had bet Sam that he would “one day” get an Air Canada freight flight back into Prestwick. Yesterday that flight finally arrived and Jim won the beer which was his bet with Sam all those years ago. Jim started at Prestwick in 1968 and worked for Air Canada. He recalls the huge volumes of freight that their dedicated freight flights used to bring through Prestwick. “Air Canada started flights to Prestwick in 1943. Even I was not working then but I recall when we had flights originating in Houston and Chicago that routed through Toronto to Prestwick. They then went on to Frankfurt or Zurich. We had enormous loads of oil freight bound for Aberdeen or computer equipment into Scotland’s Silicon Glen.” Jim went on to work as the freight manager of Prestwick Airport itself and even after his official retirement he was asked back several times as a consultant to give advice to the freight managers who succeeded him in that role. Before retiring Jim gave advice to the new freight management team and one airline he suggested they target was Air Canada. “I only made the suggestion – the team at PIK carried out all the hard work to attract this Air Canada flight to Prestwick. As far as I know this is just a one off flight but now they are here they can experience for themselves the facilities and services Prestwick can offer. Who knows what may follow.” Jim’s daughter Claire recalls her childhood being around Prestwick airport and even has a unique photograph taken in 1994. She is pictured with her sister Jill standing at the steps of the final Air Canada DC8 freighter through Prestwick in 1994. Now she can add pictures with her dad standing in front of yesterday’s Boeing 767. “Dad lived and breathed aviation, freight and especially Prestwick. He was an inspiration and because of him I naturally aimed at an aviation career.” Claire joined the aviation world and started in the high pressure world of Air Traffic Control. As a young Controller she qualified as an Oceanic Air Traffic Controller 15 years ago and works in the ultra modern Prestwick ATC centre. Day and night she can be found overseeing huge numbers of flights crossing the North Atlantic. Softly spoken Jim recalled many challenges in his career. His voice briefly crackled with emotion when he recalled the disappointment of a huge Antonov freighter loaded at Prestwick and ready to fly to the assistance of the Russian submariners trapped at the bottom of the Barents sea after the nuclear submarine Kursk sank in August 2000. Russian President Vladimir Putin delayed and delayed before finally accepting the help of the west in the shape of a mini rescue submarine. “We were too late and we could not save them” Many happier days made up Jim’s working life with great colleagues. Air Canada’s 50th anniversary of operating through Prestwick was celebrated in 1993. He recalled with glee the first shipments of pedigree Canadian cattle imported into Scotland through Prestwick. “We made temporary pens in the freight sheds before we finally built a dedicated animal handling area. We sent Clydesdale horses the other way.“ Jim’s mother and father came to work at Prestwick in the 1940s. They met at the airport and married. It is hardly surprising that aviation runs through the family. Jim is pictured standing beside the Air Canada flight today with old colleagues and also with his daughter. Wilson Wight and Tommy Hay are with Jim who is in the centre of the picture. They all worked on that last DC8 freighter in April 1994. Missing from the photo are Colin Kennedy and Ian Dawson who also worked for Air Canada in 1994 but couldn’t be there yesterday. Jim simply said. “I knew I could win that bet. Now it’s time to fully retire and let the others continue where we left off.” Jim is one of many hundreds of people inspired to dedicate his working life to aviation. We owe all those Jims a great debt for keeping Prestwick as beating The Heart of Scottish Aviation. Picture credits Night arrival Claire MacGillivary 1994 pictures Jim McCall Sunset departures Eddie Wallace

South Ayrshire Council’s contractors discovered a time capsule that is almost 100 years old during the demolition of the former Carrick Academy building. The capsule, which dates back to 1925 - the year the school was constructed, was transferred to our Ayrshire Archives centre in Ayr for opening and inspection by our expert staff. Archive staff opened the glass time capsule and found numerous archival records including coins, newspapers, Education Authority documents and some business cards of local contractors who presumably worked on the project nearly a century ago. Unfortunately, water penetrated the time capsule over the years and as a consequence, the records were damp and damaged. However, some parts of the items are still legible, including front pages of local newspapers and an envelope which the team managed to clean enough to transcribe.  It reads, ‘Who find may keep. Present day coins of the Realm. William Reid Master of Works Ayrshire Education Authority’. The contents of the capsule underwent a process in the Archive centre workroom that allowed the records to dry out, then everything was cleaned using smoke sponges.  All of the documents that were recovered from the capsule have since been placed in melinex, an acid free clear sheeting that’s used to store archive records.  All items are now in the archives store, where the temperature and humidity is monitored to ensure the long-term preservation of records, so that they can be enjoyed by generations to come. While the items that were inside the time capsule are too fragile to be out on permanent display, plans are underway to create large vinyls that show images of the capsule and its contents. These will be installed inside the new Maybole Community Campus so pupils, staff and visitors can enjoy a trip back in time! South Ayrshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Education, Councillor Stephen Ferry, said: “The time capsule is a fantastic discovery, and a lasting legacy of the former Carrick Academy. It’s important that we do all we can to preserve precious finds like this and the Ayrshire Archives team have done just that in this instance. It’s also great that we’ve found a way to ensure the items can be on permanent display at the new Maybole Campus and I’ll look forward to seeing the new vinyls in situ.” South Ayrshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Buildings, Housing and Environment, Councillor Martin Kilbride, said: “It was a brilliant surprise when our contractors made us aware that they’d come across a time capsule during the demolition of the Carrick Academy building.  I’m pleased that we’ve been able to recover all items from the glass capsule and our Archives team have done a wonderful job in cleaning and preserving these.  Thanks to their specialist skills, the contents of the capsule will be around for many more years to come!”