PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Dan Air "Comet Men" - A Breed Apart?
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Old 27th Nov 2014, 16:53
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JW411
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Age: 83
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Curiously enough, I recently read a book written by a chap called Mike Holmes who came out of the RAF and spent 10 years with Dan Air. He started as a F/O on the Comet and he gives a pretty stark description of "training" on the Dan Comet fleet. No names are mentioned but those of you of my age will recognise the "trapper" scenario versus the "trainer" scenario.

I don't know for sure but I suspect that the scene was that you had either already flown the Comet with 216 Squadron or BOAC and if not, you were immediately suspect and extremely unlikely to succeed.

The bit that amused me was the Dan Air Comet simulator. The device was the original BOAC Comet IV simulator which was huge and did not work too well. He mentions that every time they tried to switch the enormous motion system on, the whole of Horley was plunged into darkness.

So, to go back to the original question, my impression is that you were either in the Comet Club or out of it.
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