The Long Hot Summer.
I pass lightly over teaching at our college, an ex-RAF wartime HQ in beautiful grounds, with a club and a bar that served Breakspears ale, smelling of sewage and tasting divine. There was no specific military focus, fully 50% of end of course students went off to civil aviation or Weather Centres. The interesting course was the annual long ‘Stream One’. These were new recruits, none less well qualified than a 2:1 in a fully relevant subject, many with a First, and some Masters and Ph Ds. It is fair to say that as I taught, so did I learn. I also made friends with tomorrows’ leaders, which paid dividends in networking in the years to come. These folk went rapidly to PSO and 50% went beyond and disappeared in HQ.
Stream Twos were also on the SO, HSO, SSO, PSO greasy pole, but occupied most of the public-facing roles. LB was a Two, needless to say.
The summer of ’76 is famous for its drought, its longevity and its sustained heat. One of my perks was to nominate, host, wine and dine the guest speaker at the end of the Stream One course. By this time J S Sawyer was the top scientist in the Office, title Director of Research, and also the Director-General’s deputy. As his one-time gopher and fixer I dared to invite him, and he came and delivered. It was a marvellous summary of the progress made in producing better and better numerical models and predictions during the last twenty years.
He was asked “never mind that, when will it rain?”
“It will, but I cannot see it happening within the next week or so”. Two days later the heavens opened.
Weather keeps you humble.
RAFG next stop.