......Sometime 1960's, did a couple or several Air Canada Vanguard trips from mainland (proably Toronto or Montreal) to Gander. Very comfortable, and seem to remember being informed by the duty know-all that Air Canada's Vanguards were designed to be operated by two pilot crew, whereas BEA's had a third pilot in the loop, much as the Gripper (Trident) did. At the time I was an F/O on ex Canadian Pacific Britannia 314s which also were built to a three pilot philosophy. This, in turn meant a more divided systems responsibility. The co-pilot had the pressurisation control plus use of the manual dump-valve. Amongst other things, the Co-Pilot also had access to a bank of three-position inverter switches just behind his seat. In our case though, we operated with a professional F/E who would probably have hit me with the tech log if it looked like I was going to make a move anywhere near what was left of his stuff...... It was an awful long time ago, but I seem to remember the F/E's being mildly underwhelmed by BEA's latest fad of putting 'boy' pilots on the systems panel. However, I guess that junior BEA pilots down-route didn't have to oversee an engine change, swap an 'O' ring on an oleo, or un-block a gate valve......
Strangest memory from a BEA Vanguard ride was from Manchester to London. At some point after Take off, a smartly turned out Northern lady of a certain age and respectability, who - in those days - (1970ish?) would likely favour trowelled on make-up and a tight hair perm set in spray-on cement, began to make her way down the cabin glad-handing the other passengers, who all seemed to be pleased to see her. Cabin crew didn't seem to mind. It eventually turned out to be a senior cast-member from Coronation Street that everybody seemed to know (except me....) Maybe these days it would be seat 1A, dark glasses and a couple of body guards......
As a boy, and making one of many trips to Switzerland for the school holidays, I was dispatched as a BEA 'Unmin'. Instead of the train, and as a special treat it was on a BEA Viscount. A brilliant experience, and one I'll never forget.....The smooth steady whine of the turbo-props - a huge window, and a seat facing a couple accross a fixed table. (does that sound quite right?.....you know what I mean) This after one other BEA trip to Edinburgh in a Viking was a different world. The couple opposite me might recall the trip for a different reason. I had to let my pet grass snake at school go, but pocketed a handful of soft ready-to-hatch eggs which I intended to house in a stone horse trough in the garden at the Swiss end. I cringe to look back, even after about 55 years, but probably after lunch and well before top of descent, I hatched out several bright green wriggly new best friends with the aid of a half razor blade that I kept for the purpose. I remember letting them get the measure of their new surroundings and jump about - maybe, slither, for a few minutes, but because the thought never occurred that any body would actually mind, I simply have no recollection of what the reaction of my adult fellow passengers was......nobody complained, anyway.
Anybody else notice that when you open up to taxi on the 747-400, it sounds just like a Viscount?
One G
....now AKA Wangreyandhopeless...