The VC 10
Death Cruiser Flight Crew
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Maybe not your picture, FL, but I'm pretty certain it's very like the framed one which used to adorn the study of the first officer! It's alleged that Prince Charles remarked that the 'VM's underside looked a bit dirty. One has to presume that he was joking.
Alongside was a signed framed photograph from HM QE II and Prince Philip, in recognition of the occasion when, in his later capacity as Flight Training Manager Concorde and General Manager Flight Training BA, he flew them on the second half of a tour of the USA.
On the other side was another signed photograph, from Mrs G. and me, because he also went on to be the best man at our wedding!
Alongside was a signed framed photograph from HM QE II and Prince Philip, in recognition of the occasion when, in his later capacity as Flight Training Manager Concorde and General Manager Flight Training BA, he flew them on the second half of a tour of the USA.
On the other side was another signed photograph, from Mrs G. and me, because he also went on to be the best man at our wedding!
Last edited by Georgeablelovehowindia; 10th Aug 2009 at 12:07.
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Rainboe
There were some things in your bit that I had quite forgotten about! I went onto the VC10 in 1966 and left it for the 747 in 1972 and although I loved the 747 and flew it till I retired I never forgot the VC10. In fact I think that there should be another VC10 re-union before all of us are not fit enough to attend. !!!!!!! I remeber going to a few re-union type dos at hotels in LGW and LHR in the 70's. Do they happen anymore????
There were some things in your bit that I had quite forgotten about! I went onto the VC10 in 1966 and left it for the 747 in 1972 and although I loved the 747 and flew it till I retired I never forgot the VC10. In fact I think that there should be another VC10 re-union before all of us are not fit enough to attend. !!!!!!! I remeber going to a few re-union type dos at hotels in LGW and LHR in the 70's. Do they happen anymore????
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Disgusted of Tunbridge
Disgusted of Tunbridge
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There is an annual reunion for ex-Hamsters of any type at Hamble every May organised by p.a.nelson at btinternet.com. You should attend if you were at Hamble, or try faking it if you weren't. Other than that, BA doesn't seem to go in for reunions like Dan or BCAL do- I don't think there is anything else......or they have not been inviting me!
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I wasnt at Hamble joined the airline from the RAF in 1956!!! Flew the Argonaut and Comet 4 as my first 2 aircraft.
Dont think that I could fake being a Hamble cadet!!!!!! They cant be that old yet!
There did used to be Comet and VC10 reunions as I said in the 70's but they stopped. I think that some ladies in the Training Section used to organise them. I must have known you of course and vice versa.
Dont think that I could fake being a Hamble cadet!!!!!! They cant be that old yet!
There did used to be Comet and VC10 reunions as I said in the 70's but they stopped. I think that some ladies in the Training Section used to organise them. I must have known you of course and vice versa.
Just another number
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Tercarley
Are you in ICARUS? There are plenty of ex-VC10 people at their reunions in April and October each year.
Dave
PS. I flew the VC10 1969-1975 and the 747 1975-2007.
Are you in ICARUS? There are plenty of ex-VC10 people at their reunions in April and October each year.
Dave
PS. I flew the VC10 1969-1975 and the 747 1975-2007.
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Captain Airclues
Yes I am in ICARUS.
As I live in Channel Islands its a bit difficult to go to a reunion that doesnt include my wife. What I was hoping was that there would be a black tie do where spouses could go to as well. I see the next Icaraus reunion is in early October though, but already away for that one. Will think about that in future.
Thanks for the information though.
Yes I am in ICARUS.
As I live in Channel Islands its a bit difficult to go to a reunion that doesnt include my wife. What I was hoping was that there would be a black tie do where spouses could go to as well. I see the next Icaraus reunion is in early October though, but already away for that one. Will think about that in future.
Thanks for the information though.
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Disgusted of Tunbridge
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Goodness me, there's something about those letters...BOAC. They were revered, and we could knock crap out of the opposition service wise. You could be in the most far flung bolt hole of the world, and seeing the white, blue and big gold speedwing bowling in....it fair made you want to salute! How could we have gotten rid of a golden brand so easily? 'BOAC takes good care of you'. Wonderful- and I was part of it! That advert was not lying or poetic licence- it was like that then.
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BOAC?
.....mmmm, agree with all the above re. the quite lovely VC10, but BOAC?
In the '60's, 70's and 80's, my experience of them was quite awful. Everyone from the check-in desk staff, through the at times downright surly and arrogant cabin crew, seemed to think that the flying world owed them a living...and some of the aircrew were even worse.
I swore I'd never fly with them again after experiencing the delights of Cathay Pacific, Singapore+Malaysia Airlines and then Virgin.
In the '60's, 70's and 80's, my experience of them was quite awful. Everyone from the check-in desk staff, through the at times downright surly and arrogant cabin crew, seemed to think that the flying world owed them a living...and some of the aircrew were even worse.
I swore I'd never fly with them again after experiencing the delights of Cathay Pacific, Singapore+Malaysia Airlines and then Virgin.
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I dont agree with you - obviously because I was one of those "arrogant" tech crews - as you put it. Make no mistake the BOAC service was not quite like SIA or the others you quote but it was a professional service as far as I was concerned in the air with Flight Deck and Cabin Crew and CRM hadnt even been spoken of then. Perhaps we seemed arrogant cos we were another handpicked lot. It was difficult to get into BOAC at the time, and some of the Captains could be heavy handed perhaps, but they had been used to wartime discipline.
Compare the CC to the ones you have today in BA and they were like chalk and cheese. Mind you the girls recruited for CC when I first joined the BOAC brand were real ladies, they were all handpicked for their manners and dare I say it "pedigrees"!!!!
I left BA in 1983 - took early retirement - when I became a computer name and number, the airline had completely changed. I went to SIA and have to say their service was good as Im sure Cathay etc is and was at the time. I dont think that Virgin is in quite the same league as SIA or Malaysian though.
Seeing the VC10 coming into Nairobi when it first started there one evening with its tail in blue and gold. Wonderful.
Compare the CC to the ones you have today in BA and they were like chalk and cheese. Mind you the girls recruited for CC when I first joined the BOAC brand were real ladies, they were all handpicked for their manners and dare I say it "pedigrees"!!!!
I left BA in 1983 - took early retirement - when I became a computer name and number, the airline had completely changed. I went to SIA and have to say their service was good as Im sure Cathay etc is and was at the time. I dont think that Virgin is in quite the same league as SIA or Malaysian though.
Seeing the VC10 coming into Nairobi when it first started there one evening with its tail in blue and gold. Wonderful.
Last edited by Tercarley; 20th Aug 2009 at 17:53.
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I flew on this most beautiful of all civilian aircraft when Air Malawi operated them between Blantyre and London, and also BA when they had the JNB - SEZ - HKG - TYO service. Happy memories, which were brought back not long ago when I went to Brooklands and sat in the cockpit of the Omani VC10. An ex flight engineer took us through the take off procedure so vividly I could almost smell the jet fuel and feel the thrust.
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I swore I'd never fly with them again after experiencing the delights of Cathay Pacific, Singapore+Malaysia Airlines and then Virgin.
Yet if something had gone badly wrong on the flight, say serious technical problem followed by diversion, which airline would you rather have been on: Singapore, Malaysia or BOAC?
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Dont forget though that SIA has had a lot of ex-BOAC/ BA pilots - and always had - plus QANTAS and other major world airlines pilots with them, having left their companies because they had taken early retirement. When I was there we had hardly any locals flying as Captains. I dont know what its like now of course.
Not to take away from BOAC/BA expertise . I have often come across this attitude of the poster who said that BOAC crews and its successor were arrogant etc. It largely stems from jealousy that we had a marvellous airline. (And they secretly wanted to be in it!!!!!!)
Not to take away from BOAC/BA expertise . I have often come across this attitude of the poster who said that BOAC crews and its successor were arrogant etc. It largely stems from jealousy that we had a marvellous airline. (And they secretly wanted to be in it!!!!!!)
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In response to D120A's posting earlier re: the VC-10 in Hermeskiel museum here she is, the beauty:
Sorry not as large as I expected, if you would care to see it better than you can visit my site at Superspotter's gallery by Clive Hindmarch :: Fotopic.Net and look under the Hermskiel heading.
My only flight on a VC-10 was back on 1st September 1975 from Lusaka to Heathrow on BA, oh I loved that machine! I have a request, if any of you guys could actually tell me the flight number on that route at the time??
Sorry not as large as I expected, if you would care to see it better than you can visit my site at Superspotter's gallery by Clive Hindmarch :: Fotopic.Net and look under the Hermskiel heading.
My only flight on a VC-10 was back on 1st September 1975 from Lusaka to Heathrow on BA, oh I loved that machine! I have a request, if any of you guys could actually tell me the flight number on that route at the time??
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......terribly covenient that you should mention technical problems, Albert Driver. One of a couple of examples:-
Returning to the UK once, on BOAC, we "went mechanical" and we in Business Class were told (reasonably politely) that we were having to divert to Belgrade as a precaution. As the last stages of approach were over some sea, this began to seem distinctly odd. Turned out we had landed in Trieste....no explanation, or apology for the misinformation.
As for Tercarley's comment to the effect of "have encountered this attitude before from customers--just jealous". Duh.
What was that word beginning with "A" again?
PS--Despite almost the same hours flown with Cathay/SIA/MAS/Virgin as with BOAC, not one technical malfunction encountered........
PPS--Let's get back to the aeroplane itself now.
Returning to the UK once, on BOAC, we "went mechanical" and we in Business Class were told (reasonably politely) that we were having to divert to Belgrade as a precaution. As the last stages of approach were over some sea, this began to seem distinctly odd. Turned out we had landed in Trieste....no explanation, or apology for the misinformation.
As for Tercarley's comment to the effect of "have encountered this attitude before from customers--just jealous". Duh.
What was that word beginning with "A" again?
PS--Despite almost the same hours flown with Cathay/SIA/MAS/Virgin as with BOAC, not one technical malfunction encountered........
PPS--Let's get back to the aeroplane itself now.
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Disgusted of Tunbridge
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Ah, quite some example! So your flight had one tech malfunction, and that somehow grades the airline? You are right, let's get back to the lovely VC10 and Roz and BOAC.....without you if you don't mind! You are indeed a busy-body to want to park your opinion in here! If you want to sound off about BOAC, I don't think this is the appropriate place! You have nothing to do with BOAC, you didn't know Roz, and you hardly flew on the VC10- why exactly are you here? Just to pour cold water on us old codgers' reminisces? Be gone, Spoilsport! For someone with just 11 posts, you have earned yourself an 'ignore' already- and I suspect half a dozen others too!
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superspotter
The flight number was the BA048. Are you sure about the date? The BA048 operated on Wednesdays (dep 09.30) and Saturdays (dep 19.30). 1st September 1975 was a Monday. Perhaps it was an extra service?
Dave
The flight number was the BA048. Are you sure about the date? The BA048 operated on Wednesdays (dep 09.30) and Saturdays (dep 19.30). 1st September 1975 was a Monday. Perhaps it was an extra service?
Dave