Even the mighty.......
Place Rolls Royce Hucknall Flight Test Establishment. Time About 1630Z on a warm Friday afternoon in April 19 plonk
SATCO "Ere wassat Dak up to"
'Dak', having lumbered round the turning cirlce at the end of 26 has lined up/ revved up and seems to be sitting having a ponder almost as if thinking about aviating
SATCO 'Cooee, got a problem cock'
'Silence'
By now I've got the duty nockerlers on him and am surprised to see a gnomic figure trot into view from around the fin. (Fus door on blind side of tower)
'Someones on the runway George says I. Hang on no....It's only one of the crew......Removing the elevator locks...'
Dak 'Sorry for delay Hucknall....cleared for take off?'
SATCO Cleared as planned. Enjoy your flight back to Farnborough lads
By now DAK is lumbering past the tower proudly bearing its Empire
Test Pilots School markings.....
10 mighty steely eyed trainee/would be TP's had spent the day checking out RR's finest. I often wonder what would have happened if he's lumbered off the runway and thumped onto the newly constructed but not yet open M1