Originally Posted by
OUAQUKGF Ops
Great Photo Chris - fair takes me back. Dudley and Joe looking so youthful!
Joe always looked young, but I doubt Dudley ever did. I remember one return to Gatwick from the early-morning papers/mail run to Hanover or Dusseldorf. We were stuck in the hold at Mayfield for what seemed ages, with Dudley complaining that he'd got a day's business to do up in London. IIRC, among other things he had rent to collect. Does that ring a bell? I never enquired about his previous flying career. Dan Skillman, of course, had flown under the infamous Don Bennett: first with the Pathfinders, and then with the ill-fated BSAA.
Earlier on the day depicted, several witnesses claim that Joe had uncharacteristically beaten up the Tower at Gatwick after take-off. The story goes that, when the BAA duty manager phoned up BIA ops to protest, he was assured that the captain would never be flying a BIA flight out of Gatwick again. Perhaps you can confirm?