Originally Posted by
Seat62K
What would be the shortest? ... Was the VC10 ever used for those short hops in the Gulf (Abu Dhabi-Doha or similar)?
Early days certainly saw a timetabled MAN-PIK-JFK and return service, although we had no traffic rights between MAN and PIK. Also, I recall shortish sectors like DHA-BAH (Dhahran-Bahrein), and MBJ-KIN (Montego Bay-Kingston).
One particular flight does come to mind here -an unplanned SHJ-DXB (Sharjah-Dubai) sector, which followed an inadvertent landing at SHJ at the end of a very long duty period from LHR to DXB. This had already included a significant delay at (I think) Kuwait, awaiting a weather clearance at their destination further down the Gulf in DXB. If my memory serves me correctly, the skipper was a newly promoted (but not inexperienced) Les Hawkes and I think it may even have been his first trip in command but I'm not sure. I seem to remember they were carrying out a procedural let-down into DXB when they were asked by ATC to extend their outbound leg; when they eventually turned back in, the picture was misleading as both airfields had runways aligned 30 and they mistook SHJ runway for DXB, and landed. However, they soon realised their mistake and, clearly pretty tired by then, adopted the very practical solution of taking off again and flying the short hop across to DXB, just a few miles away.
It seems that Les took the attitude of "least said, soonest mended" and simply annotated the Voyage Report "1 extra landing SHJ", or similar and, after slipping in DXB, continued with his crew on his planned trip. Normally, this type of event would have required self-suspension of himself and his crew pending approval (or otherwise) from London to continue. Instead, it seems the news only came to light when a bill for the landing fee at SHJ was presented back at Base some time after the event. By then, it was far too late to suspend the offenders and I don't think any disciplinary action ensued. Those were the days when a practical attitude often prevailed, especially if "initiative" had been used.
JD
