vintage ATCO.
I don,t think the gentleman in the picture is Mike Stangways, it looks a little on the tall side for Mike, ( he was only about 5ft 2inches at most ) and I do not think he was around the airport in the 50,s.
wageslave.
Mike Stangways worked for Autair Helicopters at the airport, they had a worldwide operation at one time before Bristow Helicopters ever started. When the Autair was sold to become CourtLine, the helicopter company was retained by Mr Armstrong, ( I think that was his name ) and was then run by Jimmy Harper.
Mike then went on to form Trent Helicopters in the blister hangar next to the Luton Flying Club hangar, they operated Bell 47 and Jetrangers and set up a flying school at Cranfield for British Airways Helicopters to carry out ab initio training on the student coming out of the Hamble training facility. They were in batches of 10, three times a year. The Chief Pilot of Trent Helicopters was the late David Dixon who went on to set up Sloane Helicopters at Sywell.