Ohmigosh, you bods are getting in the way of my Sunday tasks. What a nighty read and I am, like WHBM going to change all the foregoing to a night-time read. But, hey, look ;
I left BA as a T1E jock having being swept in during the merger.Joined Laker as 1-11 FO and joined the first full group of Civil pilots (Fred was VERY pro ex-mill) for 1-11 conversion course with BA at Heston.
A big attraction was being Based at Gatters (ex Brighton boy) but hardly ever saw the Base. We did one week at Manch, two days off, one week in Berlin, two days off ete etc
My first operational flight was Manch to TFS. Ex BA, vey correct, I checked in at least one hour early and had everything ready for my Captain, Bird Peacock. It was impossible to get to TFS in one go so I planned and filed Manch-Faro-TFs. Of course, 4 leg day was unlawful (couldn't get back in one hop either) and I was ready to offer Faro night-stop !
Bird nearly fainted when I tried to explain all, warned me to stop calling him "Sir" or he would call me "Mary", bundled up all the paperwork & told me ; " Let's show you how we get a short-haul "bust-stop_ jet designed for Manch-Bristol, all the way to canaries without stopping. He did,even giving me the leg out and we larfed and larfed and larfed in the Excelsiotr Hotel bar after landing. So started a fabulous journey..