Cookie Policy
How we use digital tools to preserve and present aviation history.
This policy explains what cookies are, how British Aviation Chronicles uses them, and your choices regarding their use. It’s written in plain English—no legal jargon—and is designed to comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Last updated: 15 March 2025.
1. What Are Cookies?
A cookie is a small text file placed on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile) when you visit a website. Think of it as a temporary memory for the site—it helps the site remember your actions and preferences (like login status or language) over a short period.
Cookies are not programs, they cannot carry viruses, and they cannot access other information on your hard drive. They are essential for the modern web—without them, online shopping, personalised content, and secure logins would be far more cumbersome.
2. How We Use Cookies
Our use of cookies falls into four clear categories, each with a specific purpose related to delivering and improving our documentary archive.
Essential (Strictly Necessary)
These are the non-negotiable ones. They enable core functions like page navigation, access to secure areas (e.g., our research archives portal), and remembering your cookie consent preferences. The site cannot function properly without them.
Performance & Analytics
These help us understand how visitors interact with our site. We learn which aviation timelines are most studied, where users get stuck, and what content keeps people engaged. This data is aggregated and anonymous—we don’t see you as an individual, but as part of a larger pattern.
Functionality
These remember choices you make to personalise your experience. For instance, they might recall your preferred text size for readability, or whether you prefer a list or grid view when browsing our aircraft registry.
Targeting/Advertising
We use these sparingly. They may be set by our advertising partners to build a profile of your interests across sites (like an affinity for vintage aircraft or RAF history) to show you more relevant ads on other platforms. We do not allow intrusive or excessive retargeting.
3. Detailed Cookie List
Below is a non-exhaustive list of the specific cookies you might encounter on our site, their purpose, and their lifespan.
Maintains your browsing session.
Remembers your cookie preference.
Google Analytics ID for distinguishing users.
Google Analytics ID for session data.
4. Your Control & Choices
You have full control. When you first visited our site, you saw a banner asking for your consent for non-essential cookies. You can change your mind at any time.
- Browser Settings: You can set your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. The ‘Help’ function within your browser (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox) will show you how. Be aware that disabling all cookies will likely break key features of our site and many others.
- Analytics Opt-Out: To opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites, you can install Google’s opt-out browser add-on.
- Ad Personalisation: You can manage your ad preferences directly via platforms like Google Ads Settings or the Your Online Choices site.
5. Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies are placed by third-party services that appear on our pages. For example:
- Embedded Video Players: If we embed a historical documentary from YouTube or Vimeo, those platforms may set cookies.
- Social Media Buttons: Share buttons for Twitter or LinkedIn can set cookies to track your sharing activity.
- Mapping Services: Interactive maps of airfields or flight paths may use cookies from services like Mapbox.
We do not control the setting of these third-party cookies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third-party providers for more information.
6. Data Controller & Contact
The data controller for the information collected via cookies on this website is:
British Aviation Chronicles
The Hangar, Fowlmere Airfield,
Royston, Herts, England, SG8 7SH
Company Registration: 10507142
Email: hello@BritishAviationChronicles.com
Phone: +44 113 415 02 07
If you have questions about this Cookie Policy, or wish to exercise your data protection rights (like access or deletion), please contact us using the details above. We aim to respond within 30 days.
Clear the Runway for Your Questions
Still unsure about how we handle your data? We welcome direct enquiries.
Contact Our Archivist7. Policy Updates
Aviation technology evolves, and so does web technology. We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. The ‘Last Updated’ date at the top of this page will be revised accordingly. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
This document was drafted with clarity and compliance in mind, referencing guidance from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).