Thanks guys for such an interesting and nostalgic thread. Keep 'em coming.
I was born and bred in Tamworth and learnt to fly at Tamworth Aero Club on Victa's age 17. John Henry was the CFI and the instructors were Brian Raven and Graham Brett. John was ex EWA DC3 skipper. Also John Neuce (?). John sadly died in car accident some years later. Remember the DC3's and the Hudsons. Also remember the Hudsons at the old (Racecourse) airport, I was about 6 then. Remember the first F27 they received. Many happy trips in them.
I am now a retired B744 skipper (21,000+ total hrs) and I can remember John had about 12,000 hrs on DC3's which seemed an enormous amount of hours to me at the time.
EWA certainly went through some indifferent times early on but became probably the strongest and best mid-sized independant airline in the country. Great days then. However, that all changed when Abeles and Co got their hands on the airline. Very sad indeed.
Thought I'd add my pennethworth. Keep the stories coming. Thanks.
JO
PS Great photo Frisbee.