First commercial flight in a Vanguard (VC9) GAPEB from Manchester to Heathrow Lstg5 student standby return !!! Flew back on one of the new BAC-111s - GAVMJ if I am not mistaken . 1969 or so . Those were the days. Why is aviation and flying so complicated and off-putting nowadays? Even I take the ferry from Europe to The Island instead of flying now ... sad. Vanguards ... marvellous beasts and the noise of those Tynes ... heavy metal.