Back to the original theme..........It was quite a day when the ADV737 operation from LBA to the Med was advertised by Britannia Airways. The destinations also included Monastir and the vast majority of flights were full. What the profits were is a different question but I guess the logevity of the service speaks for itself. The locals weren't bothered about the location of the destination....provided they could fly from LBA to the sun!
The flights were operated on the 'W' pattern using Manchester based aircraft and crews, the flight deck 'white hatters' gave LBA their best shot bearing in mind the weather reputation [and record], the lack of an ILS on the then Runway 15 and the restricted runway dimensions. White Cappers were very good at flying the half-mile SRAs on to runway 15. [The ATCOs were also pretty good.......lots of practice!] The 'W' pattern resulted in an early afternoon arrival and departure at LBA. The countless number of times that timing enabled the operation was almost unbelievable. Particularly in the winter half of the year LBA would be shrouded in low cloud, the cloud base being down at Apperley Bridge and the former Murgatroyds chimney [now a fish shop] would have been nowhere in sight! Nevertheless by 1300, as the time of maximum heating approached, the visibility both horizontal amd vertical would start to improve and by ETA an approach would be legal and a landing accomplished. Departures, whenever at all possible, took advantage of the greater take-off distance on runway 15, sometimes accepting up to around 15kt tail winds. No sooner had they departed than the cloud base would return to the deck and visibilty to 'not a lot'. Not unusual for the Britannia movements to be among the very few in the day!
Those were the days!!
Last edited by Helen49; 28th Nov 2020 at 17:31.
Reason: spelling