Happy Days
I only did a year with Court Line as a Licensed Engineer but a good fun year. I remember doing a flying Spanner role on the pink G-AAAB L1011 at Bedford. Crews were training and being cleared for 2 engine ferry. One unnamed pilot lost it during the take off roll and managed to get the nose wheels skidding down the runway before he aborted. There was only one way to check the tyres for damage and that was to open #3RH door and extend those fantastic airstairs. They were wide enough for the Queen Mary and were lit up on every step. I joined April 73 and left April 74 and the steps together with baggage loaders had been removed as they were a total waste weight wise. I think they were used for pax at Pula because of lack of gse at Pula.
Remember dead heading back from Trinidad Christmas day 1973, Pete Hogg the skipper and Danny Duffin the FE, cannot remember the FO's name now. After a good meal and a couple of drinks, got my head down for few hours kip, unfortuneatly the L1011 was a very noisy air conditioned aircraft and after a couple of hours I gave up and wandered forward. Spotted Danny chatting to the girls in the Galley, moving further forward noticed the FO fast asleep on the front seat rows, entering the flight deck found Pete totally asleep as well (thank God for autopilots and INS) Nicked back to the galley and had a quick word with Danny who shot forward and did a fire test on the flight deck. Very interesting couple of minutes, but you could not ruffle Pete Hogg, always a gent and a great guy to work with.
Remember the tyre burst incident quite well as it was my last night on nightshift. Helped get the 1-11's ready, I think it was the early hours of a Saturday if I remember correctly. It was the RH nose wheel that blew, parts of which damaged #3 fan and parts of the RH flaps also had some damage.
I remember Fred Kozo, Tony Fielding, Mick Marchant etc, and of course Wally Gillam, how many beds were delivered to his house can anyone remember?