We went back up to the Approach room (it seemed SATCO had gone to lunch). Hanna explained that our bit of North Yorkshire was not familiar country to him, could we please give him radar surveillance from the time he took off until Teeside wanted him in to do his stuff ? Of course !, we'd stand him off well away from them, for other displays would be in the air in the vicinity at the same time, and I could provide collision warning.
What was more, I explained: we had a direct phone line to Teeside - I could keep this open for five minutes or so before his display time: and with their chap on the other end marshal him in almost to the second after the previous act. The crowd wouldn't even have time to bury their noses in their ice-creams ! And I showed him how it would be done. Radar was quiet, I took over the AR-1, moved my PPI trace centre over Teeside (about 14 miles NE, IIRC), and zoomed-in to maximum (the way we'd brought in our lost farmer one night years before).
SATCO was now back from lunch, approved our arrangement. CFI/OC(F) had no objection - weather was fine anyway. Radar would be off the air for half an hour for servicing, we told FIR. It worked like a charm. I had him on my headset on one ear, Teeside on the other. It was a piece of cake. Teeside got a once-in-a-lifetime display from the Spitfire; he came back to me, thanked us warmly and cleared airfield. I handed the AR-1 back to the watchkeeper, told CFI and FIR that Radar was back in business again. Lunch had come and gone by the board, but I didn't mind. A cup of tea tasted good (how could ATC possibly function without it ?)
Only a short one this time. Goodnight, all,
Danny42C.
One Good Turn Deserves Another !
But now a long Postscript ! This will be the last of my stories from ATC Leeming, and the last of the regular Posts of a "career" which started at a Recruiting Office in Liverpool 32 years earlier, ran through five years of globe-trotting war, three years fretting in civil life, and a final 23 years back in the Light Blue. I flew, off and on, for thirteen years. When that avenue was closed to me, my last 17 years in military Air Traffic Control were "
Interesting Times" .
And now I feel that, like the Rump Parliament, I have "
sat here too long for any good that I have been able to do", and it is time to bow out. I must admit at being rather surprised that I've lasted the Course. I've found all of it interesting and enjoyable, learned many things about people and places on the way, and tried to help others to catch a glimpse into a Past which is slipping out of living memory as we speak.
As I was told, almost at the very beginning: "
You'll never get rich - but you'll meet an awful lot of nice people on the way" (first and foremost, my lovely Wife !) and so it has turned out. It would be invidious to mention names, so I'll simply thank all of you who have helped me in my problems and appreciated my writings. (And not forgetting our Moderators, who have been so patient with me on many occasions - and may yet have to be still more !)
Thanks ! Danny.
♪♪
"So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, Good-byee..." ♪♪
PPS: Still to come the final "wrap up", an amusing Addendum, and sporadic incursions onto Thread, from time to time, as the spirit moves me.
Danny42C.
..................................................THE END...........................................