Cheers From The Mr1 Generation
Just before the MK2 came into being, 80% of us got our Comet 4C Type Rated CAA FE Licences and legged it to airlines and countries various. We owe a great debt to that core of FEs who organised it namely Roy Holmwood, Paddy Hand, Geordie King, Phil Allen + Dan Air FEs, many others whose names escape me. Most of us put money into a kitty and we got all the info and questions. As always there were some ****s who did sweet fa and took but didnt contribute. However we all enjoyed a civil career thanks to those pioneers. I still have a copy of the letter Roy rxed from the CAA agreeing that the Nimrod MR1 was variant of the Comet and we should be able to get a Comet 4C Type Rating by passing the Comet 4C Tech Exam with Nimrod Sim and Flying Checks. Many of us took our B Cats and Licence at the same time. There is a lot to admire of the inexperienced generation who brought the MR2 into service and flew in the Falklands campaign and very quickly met the challenge to retain our credibility in the fleet. The Esperit de Corps built up through Sunderlands, Lancs, Shacks and Nimrods is there to the end and I congratulate Kev organising a worthy farewell to the Kipper Fleet which will never be the same without THE TALKING RAD ALT and all round good egg