Ryde Airport opened on 27th June 1932 with 823 acres purchased from  Barnsley Farm by the Wight Aviation Ltd which was latterly renamed to Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd. The grass runway was approximately 670 yds .The first arrival had taken off from the airfield at Portsmouth & Southsea being a  Wessex G-ABVB being a modified version with 9 passenger seats. The service thus began between Ryde and Portsmouth with fares set at 6/- as a single and 10/- return, these prices at the time were pretty steep so the service was really available only to those who could afford such luxury travel. 

PSIOWA operated services from Ryde to Portsmouth,Shoreham and Shanklin(Apse). In addition services were later operated by Railway Air Services and Channel Air Ferries