LUTON History and Nostalgia
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Comet Overshoot
Can’t remember the date but I was on Court Line crew that night. After he went off the end the airport asked if we could go out with our big tug and help retrieve the Comet. Ourselves Brits and Monarch night crew went out with tugs and equipment.
The aircraft was off the end of the runway up to its axles in mud so we decided that the best bet was to dig a sloping trench back up the concrete. Someone mentioned the power for the runway lights and we were told it was no problem as they were only 24 volt. So we started digging ! After a while some Neddy from the council came out and told us urgently to stop digging as the lamps were 24 volt but the supply cables were several thousand volts with 24 volt transformer in each lamp unit. At that point we all decided that the lifting bags from Heathrow were a much better idea !
We also had an Ambassador and a Tristar go off that end and I was involved in their retrievals. The Ambassador just over shot like the Comet and the Tristar went off the side of the Turning circle trying to backtrack.
The aircraft was off the end of the runway up to its axles in mud so we decided that the best bet was to dig a sloping trench back up the concrete. Someone mentioned the power for the runway lights and we were told it was no problem as they were only 24 volt. So we started digging ! After a while some Neddy from the council came out and told us urgently to stop digging as the lamps were 24 volt but the supply cables were several thousand volts with 24 volt transformer in each lamp unit. At that point we all decided that the lifting bags from Heathrow were a much better idea !
We also had an Ambassador and a Tristar go off that end and I was involved in their retrievals. The Ambassador just over shot like the Comet and the Tristar went off the side of the Turning circle trying to backtrack.
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With reference to the seating photo of the Carvair on the last page it seems that the Carvair seating started where the DC-4 seating ended. Extra square windows were put in on an aircraft with round windows.
Alright so long as you aren't loading Auric Goldfinger's Rolls Royce, eh Barry?
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Having gone onto B707-320C some years later myself than that picture and knowing Luton well there must have been some interesting landings there under certain weather conditions! No automatic speed brakes and outer pods near the ground.
BY leased G-AYSL from World AW therefore the Pan Am 707 sub lease maybe due to Worlds' involvement to supply another a/c?
G-AYEX was lsf BCAL
G-AYEX was lsf BCAL
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Seem to remember this was a Dan -Air sub charter.I was in ops Luton at the time and we doubled up a couple of 1-11 loads.Pan Am had the only availability at the time,I think the destination was one of the Italian south east airports.....although perhaps BY subbed PA as well?
According to my records, I think there may have been 2 Pan Am 707s that visited. The one shown in 1971 and N705PA visited on the 29th October 1975.
There was also a Pan Am B727 in March 1973, which was a Court Line sub-charter, following one of the Tristars bursting several of it's tyres on landing somewhere in Spain I think.
At one point there was a tape of ther arrival going the rounds. certainly Vintage ATCO was on it along with John Russell and Paul Donahue.
There was also a Pan Am B727 in March 1973, which was a Court Line sub-charter, following one of the Tristars bursting several of it's tyres on landing somewhere in Spain I think.
At one point there was a tape of ther arrival going the rounds. certainly Vintage ATCO was on it along with John Russell and Paul Donahue.
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Eurocypria started to operate regularly with the A320's in the Spring of 1992. In those days the Cypriots only allowed London charters to operate from LTN which provided some interesting traffic over the years.
When the fleet swapped to the 737-800's in 2002/3 the rules had been relaxed and those were less common in LTN
When the fleet swapped to the 737-800's in 2002/3 the rules had been relaxed and those were less common in LTN
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Cyprus Airways used their A320's and A310's several times a week 1989-1992.
5B-DAV 5/12/90
5B-DAR 8/8/90
EuroCypria used A320's before their 737-800's arrived.
5B-DBB 3/1/93
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Can anyone remember the year that the last light aircraft moved out of Luton? Also when did the Luton Flying Club lose its last Luton based aircraft? Seem to remember they might have moved to RAF Henlow but I could be wrong there.
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Thomson (Britannia) flying club moved to Cranfield first half of 2006. Think the Luton Flying Club had already gone to Henlow by then but they don't seem to have lasted long afterwards.
Talking about light aircraft at LTN...... the fairly assertive character who used to fly a trainer (Hawk Aero?) was quite amusing to listen to! I recall on several occasions hearing him trying it on to nip in before an inbound airliner only to be rebuffed by ATC! 