HEATHROW DIRECTOR
23rd Jun 2002, 14:52
END OF AN ERA – ACE RETIRES
Monday 24th June, 2002, will be a sad day for Heathrow ATC – it’s the day when one of the greatest characters ever to work there finally hangs up his headset. Ace was just about the longest continuously valid Heathrow radar controller – well over 30 years fully operational; he was also valid for 23 years in the Tower before us radar controllers were transported to West Drayton Open prison for misbehaviour!
He was one of the last Heathrow ATC “legends”; not only could he tell stories all night but many of his colleagues could spend all night telling stories about his escapades too. Who forgot G-AVMR? Who put the estate agent’s “For Sale” sign on T4 the night it opened? Who was behind the gnome near the windsock? Who instituted the “beetroot game” during the tower roof bar-b-q’s? Who used a megaphone to announce arriving aircraft from the top of the tower to the pax outside T2? Who also used to megaphone to demonstrate his encyclopaedic knowledge of train announcements in the Approach Room? Who’s incredible memory made Leslie Welsh look like a man with amnesia?
Working alongside Ace, as I did for some 28 years, was amazing and the fun we had was enormous. One only had to hum a few bars of a 60’s pop tune or TV ad and Ace would respond by singing the whole number! Some Heathrow controllers may remember “The Laughing Policeman” game... and we used to bicker about who’s turn it was to sing the ritual 1001 Carpet Cleaner song whenever Virgin 1001 or KLM 1001 appeared on our frequency.
Ace’s R/T was sometimes slightly non-standard. Often conveying what was in his mind: “Leave LAM heading 270; I’m doing you next”, or “you’re a long way from touchdown”. For me, one of his best was fairly recent: To a Speedbird who’s callsign was the reverse of one ahead: “Caution, you’re following a Palindrome on the approach”.
For the past eight years the Heathrow ATC Nostalgia evenings have been held at Highfield Park. This is when ex-Heathrow ATC staff get together and tell hairy stories which newspaper hacks would give their eye-teeth to hear! It only takes a pint or two to get Ace going and he has been the star story-teller at each gathering, largely due to his remarkable recall of events from yonks past. One of his best was about something which happened whilst he was training back in the mid-60s, with a renowned Irish training officer. Whilst Ace was working inbound traffic off Watford (now BNN), his training officer gabbled something to a Viscount… whereupon the said aeroplane turned straight towards the field. A few minutes later it landed on 28R and the training officer explained that he had bet the crew £5 they couldn’t land without receiving the middle marker! Try that nowadays!
Ace has the most extraordinary temperament I have ever encountered – always the same, jovial, laughing personality greatly admired and loved by all his colleagues from the most senior managers to the most junior newcomers. It used to take him half an hour to leave the room on his breaks because everyone wanted to talk to him, and he to them.
Ace’s “South London” and slightly (!) non-standard R/T may still be heard - for some years he has been a member of the IAT ATC team and expects to continue as long as he holds his licence.
We’re having a farewell bash for Ace in August but this is a public farewell to a very dear mate who will be very, very much missed.
Monday 24th June, 2002, will be a sad day for Heathrow ATC – it’s the day when one of the greatest characters ever to work there finally hangs up his headset. Ace was just about the longest continuously valid Heathrow radar controller – well over 30 years fully operational; he was also valid for 23 years in the Tower before us radar controllers were transported to West Drayton Open prison for misbehaviour!
He was one of the last Heathrow ATC “legends”; not only could he tell stories all night but many of his colleagues could spend all night telling stories about his escapades too. Who forgot G-AVMR? Who put the estate agent’s “For Sale” sign on T4 the night it opened? Who was behind the gnome near the windsock? Who instituted the “beetroot game” during the tower roof bar-b-q’s? Who used a megaphone to announce arriving aircraft from the top of the tower to the pax outside T2? Who also used to megaphone to demonstrate his encyclopaedic knowledge of train announcements in the Approach Room? Who’s incredible memory made Leslie Welsh look like a man with amnesia?
Working alongside Ace, as I did for some 28 years, was amazing and the fun we had was enormous. One only had to hum a few bars of a 60’s pop tune or TV ad and Ace would respond by singing the whole number! Some Heathrow controllers may remember “The Laughing Policeman” game... and we used to bicker about who’s turn it was to sing the ritual 1001 Carpet Cleaner song whenever Virgin 1001 or KLM 1001 appeared on our frequency.
Ace’s R/T was sometimes slightly non-standard. Often conveying what was in his mind: “Leave LAM heading 270; I’m doing you next”, or “you’re a long way from touchdown”. For me, one of his best was fairly recent: To a Speedbird who’s callsign was the reverse of one ahead: “Caution, you’re following a Palindrome on the approach”.
For the past eight years the Heathrow ATC Nostalgia evenings have been held at Highfield Park. This is when ex-Heathrow ATC staff get together and tell hairy stories which newspaper hacks would give their eye-teeth to hear! It only takes a pint or two to get Ace going and he has been the star story-teller at each gathering, largely due to his remarkable recall of events from yonks past. One of his best was about something which happened whilst he was training back in the mid-60s, with a renowned Irish training officer. Whilst Ace was working inbound traffic off Watford (now BNN), his training officer gabbled something to a Viscount… whereupon the said aeroplane turned straight towards the field. A few minutes later it landed on 28R and the training officer explained that he had bet the crew £5 they couldn’t land without receiving the middle marker! Try that nowadays!
Ace has the most extraordinary temperament I have ever encountered – always the same, jovial, laughing personality greatly admired and loved by all his colleagues from the most senior managers to the most junior newcomers. It used to take him half an hour to leave the room on his breaks because everyone wanted to talk to him, and he to them.
Ace’s “South London” and slightly (!) non-standard R/T may still be heard - for some years he has been a member of the IAT ATC team and expects to continue as long as he holds his licence.
We’re having a farewell bash for Ace in August but this is a public farewell to a very dear mate who will be very, very much missed.