Originally Posted by
ETOPS
And a nostalgic shout out to the American Flyers 727 - aka "Smokey Joe" whose impressive sooty exhausts would give Greta a fainting fit
Indeed, in the late 1960's Gatwick, MAN and PIK all saw Transatlantic 727's of Wardair, AFA, TIA and World Airways.
Gatwick also saw the weekly 727 flights of Ariana, who lost their new plane at Gatwick in Jan 1969 when trying to land in thick fog on a 3rd attempt, the RVR was likely off limits, and descended too low and hit a house near Fernhill Lane.
In conclusion Heathrow was open and a diversion there was an option.
The Captain's decision to fly on to London Gatwick rather than remain at Frankfurt was not criticised: and he could have landed at Heathrow and Stansted, which were both open where the weather was better, instead of Gatwick if he felt conditions were too bad, and the aircraft could even have returned to Germany if necessary.
World Airways then leased 727's to Ariana until they replaced their 727.
