Learjet Test Flights
I too had the pleasure of being "invited ballast" on one of these test flights after maintenance. Was in the Autair days in the late 60s, pretty sure it was 5A-DAD and the pilots were Mike Ellis and Len Prudence who hadn't flown it before, but we still enjoyed a triple barrel roll at 20,000 feet! I remember sitting there, pinned to my seat, hoping that the crates of engine oil sitting on the floor in front of me didn't move around too much... The subsequent "touch and goes" back at Luton were something else as well, seem to recall being told afterwards that the performance was somewhat better than a Hawker Hunter!
Oh happy days. It was not at all unusual to tag along on training flights too. This was pretty interesting on the Ambassador and even the 748, when engines were actually shut down and props feathered. All scary stuff, particularly when the weather was a bit iffy. Lots of tales to tell......
Whatever happened to Dave Williams??