Death Cruiser Flight Crew
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Vaucluse, France.
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Sometime soon after the Vanguard entered service with BEA, I flew as a passenger on one from Renfrew to Heathrow. Shortly after top of climb, the captain made some announcement about the need to reduce power for a short while, and then re-introduce it. This was normal procedure on the Vanguard, and we were not to be alarmed. A substantial power reduction then took place, then after a few seconds, cruise power was resumed and the flight carried on.
Apparently this was an interim procedure to do with relieving the labyrinth seals, or helical splines or somesuch thing. Years later, I met an ex-BEA Vanguard pilot who had been one of the first to fly it on the line, and remembered this. He recollected that watching the autopilot pitch trim winding round furiously nose up and then nose down as all the power came off and then back on again was jolly interesting!