Blimey, Kate was a tad older than me. One of my favourites.
My mate Paddy lived in Tye Green. Tye Green Cottage in fact. Leather thongs to open the wood latched doors. Lovely. Handy for Lloyd.
Early 60's. Southend flying school. Auster. Land at Stansted and pay two and sixpence. Go to tower for a chat and coffee. Go back to Southend. No other aircraft movements in that time. Indeed, in 1970, regularly flew past Stansted at night in G-APGE, my little Club. It was my commute from Luton, (DAN 1-11) to Frinton. The white Stansted beacon Flash . . . . . Flash . . . Flash. Very comforting when on one engine at night. Nothing else in the sky. They were super friendly as they'd had no one else to talk to.
What a different world. Never dreamed it would change so much. In my old age I occasionally used to leave Norwich in an ATR c 21.00. I could not get a word in on the radio and once had to orbit before entering their space. Compared to 'my era' it was as though the sky was solid metal. Ugggg.