PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Transporting cars by plane in yesteryear.
Old 25th Aug 2009, 17:32
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SpringHeeledJack
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
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As a Silver City F/O at Lydd in 1955 we flew 6 trips to Le touquet Calais or Ostend.Flew a Blue Flag when we needed fuel.
When the cars we loaded my job was to wind the nose doors closed and fasten 5 latches. Then climb the ladder to the Flight Deck.
The Captain had started the engines and I might get to fly a sector.

On arrival it was back down the ladder to open the doors. We operated only in daylight with an early shift to fly 6 trips and a late one till dusk.
What was the average load/weight per trip and at what height and speed were the flights flown at ? On another train of thought, what were the gaps between the average car and the sides of the hull as i would imagine that there wasn't too much leeway if the car wasn't straight as can be. Were there many scrapes and suchlike to customers cars ? Were customers vehicles drained of their petrol beforehand or reduced to the bare minimum because of risk of fire onboard ?


SHJ
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