Danny,
Your comment about many taking their careers onwards to ATC brings back a memory that may be worth sharing. I served as SNCO i/c Visiting Aircraft Support Section at Machrihanish in the early 80s. I'm an Airframe man by trade so when a Flt Lt Air trafficker turned up, with a private aircraft of his own (and a fine Pilots Brevet on his wooly pully). The aircraft type I'm struggling to recall, it was a single engined, gull winged French jobby as I recall. Anyway, said Flt Lt, name was Dave *********, asked if we could house his aircraft through the week in our huge empty hangar (no probs) and if he had any snags could we advise (no probs). Ahh, there was a prob, our boss was a W.O. armourer, with no sense of humour, comradeship or basically sense. Rants and raves about, the pollution of the hangar floor by engine oil, solved with a drip tray, etc drove us mad. But we looked after the kite, and put up with the W.O.s Red Setter crapping all over the place, and having to clean it up for his inspections. Anyway, I know that Dave had obviously earned his wings, was a more than competent pilot. As I approached the end of my tour I was posted to Waddington on the Nimrod AEW, and, luckily was able to be allocated a married quarter before arrival. I moved my family down to Waddo, and was grateful to Dave for his offer of lifts at the weekend. He flew down to Cranwell most weekends and had no probs dropping me off at Waddo on the way, picking me up on the Sunday afternoon.
So, my last weekend trip home before posting and I get to Waddo on time, in taxies Dave and off we head north. As we get further north, the headwind became so strong that Dave had doubts that we had enough fuel to get back to Machrihanish. The weather was now deteriorating badly and it looked like Machrihanish was beyond his minimums anyway. We diverted to Prestwick, where after a landing that nearly ended up with the aircraft on its nose, we pegged it down and spent the night at Daves parents, they lived locally and kindly found me a bed for the night. The next day we flew back in good weather to Machrihanish, where I was put on a charge, by the W.O. for being "absent from my place of duty". The charge was thrown out unsurprisingly, but I often think of Dave, when I read this thread. The Controller with the Brevet was a most obliging man to someone who had looked after his aircraft for some time. I wish I could remember the aircraft type, I'm sure I've seen the odd one or two around recently since Lyneham closed. Keep it going Danny, its all worth knowing.
Smudge
