During the first 3 decades of the twentieth century,Bournemouth was well to the forefront in aviation.Over that period there were three land aerodromes in the area as well as what amounted to a water aerodrome at Bournemouth Pier.

the "Hydroplane " shown below was an early visitor , possibly around 1912.

After the end of WW1,on August 16th 1919 Supermarine Aviation started operating flying boat services from Bournemouth to Woolston(Southampton) and also to the Isle of Wight.The aircraft used were Supermarine Channel Mk.1.flying boats(image below). Among the aircaft used was G-EAED.In late 1919 they also started flying a service Southampton - Le Havre.

In September 1919 the Schneider Trophy Race was held over a course between Bournemouth Pier and Swanage.Unfortunately the race,held in very poor visibility,was a total fiasco.

Three countries were represented in the 1919 Schneider Contest at Bournemouth, Great Britain, France and Italy. The eliminating trials were held off Cowes on September 8th, and the actual contest was to have taken place off Bournemouth on September 10th. On that date, however, a thick mist hung over the sea, and conditions were extremely unfavourable for the holding of such a contest.However the contest went ahead with unfortunate results. Competitors lost their way, others damaged their machines and had to retire, and altogether the 1919 contest was a failure. One of the Italian competitors, Janello, on a Savoia S.13 flying boat, fitted with 250-h.p. Isotta- Fraschini engine, was believed at the time to have completed the course correctly, and was for a time considered the winner, but later it was reported that he had not been seen by one of the mark boats which formed the turning points, and consequently the 1919 contest was ultimately declared void. As a token of appreciation of the way in which Janello had flown his machine under extremely bad weather conditions, it was, however, decided to entrust to Italy the organisation of the next contest.