East Midlands in the 70's

[jh5speed]

... a consequence of another thread elsewhere - not sure whether it belongs here or in Spotters' Corner.

I spent many happy hours back in the 70's (Sunday afternoons mostly) with a pair of binoculars and radio on the Hemington side of the field. Not much seemed to happen, but there was the reasonably steady flow of BMA Viscounts and Heralds, Britannia 737s, and if you were lucky there was the odd 707. Argosies and Merchantmen occasionally whistled around too. Oh yes - there was that Dan Air comet that had a Sunday slot - serious flaps!

There was also an old Alidair Viscount parked up over that side - fire training? (G-BDIK - in Air Inter colours).

That Hemington viewpoint (by the windsock and anememoeter) was swallowed up a few years later when they put up a higher fence and (re)claimed the land. A shame - the other spotting points were just not as good.

EMA has changed a lot since. Any more reminiscences?

[Bigt]

From my spotting logs, abit later, 19/11/83
G-AOHT and G-AVJB BAF Viscounts
G-AYOX & G-BAHN BMA Viscounts
G-BFLD BMA 707, G-BGTY Orion 737, N10365 F27 - ex BMA
plus the contents of the museum

[ZOOKER]

The 3 ex Air Bahamas 748's tha sat in front of the tower for a year or so.
G-AWRB, G-ATPM, G-AVGV, and G-AORW, all resident light A/C.
G-AYLI, Joe Bamford's HS125. Bright yellow and always spotless.
G-AXIX Airtourer ownwd by 'The Demon Driller', alledgedly a local dentist.
G-AYBJ and 'YVE, BMA707s endless crew training visual circuits. :ok::ok:
Skyways 748s to Beauvais, Fridays and Sundays.

[David Eyre]

My Dad used to work for BMA and later Alidair, and its subsidiary Guernsey Airlines - both of which became Inter City Airlines.

BMA used to fly Argonauts, DC-3s, Heralds, BAC One-Elevens (G-AXLL/M/N), and 707s from East Midlands. They also had a SF260 company aircraft.

Alidair used to fly Viscount 700s and 800s - including the oldest Viscount still flying - G-ARBY (until it crashed in 1980). They also had a Piper Cub in camouflage (G-ARAO), and an old white-painted Piper Aztec.

Guernsey Airlines used to fly a Viscount 700 - G-BFYZ "Sarnia" (which crashed in the Orkneys in 1979), and later G-BDRC "Sarnia II", both of which wore a nice two-tone green colourscheme.

In 1981, Alidair started to sell/retire the Viscounts and got out of the charter business, to start scheduled ops as Inter-City Airlines with two Shorts 330-200s (G-BITV and G-BITX) in 1981. I went aboard G-BITV for a flight when it was delivered to EMA. Inter-City ceased ops in 1983.

I have many fond memories of East Midlands. I used to go to work with my Dad at Alidair on weekends to do some aircraft spotting. Alidair's offices are still there, near the East Midlands School of Flying. We used to walk from the office onto the grass hill, and watch BMA Viscounts take-off, with that fantastic high pitched whine from four RR Darts.

Sometimes I would ride my bike from Derby to the airport and spend all day there, only to see the same old aircraft coming and going.

However, East Midlands still had some interesting movements. Saturn Airways (later Transamerica) used to regularly visit with their L-100 Hercules aircraft to collect RB211s from the Derby factory of Rolls-Royce, and take them to the Lockheed factory in Palmdale California for fitting to TriStars.

We also had the odd visit from Turbomeca's rare Nord 260, F-BKRH.

Rolls-Royce had DeHavilland Heron G-AOTI, Spitfire XIV G-ALGT/'RM619'/AP-D (later correctly serialled as RM689/MN-E), blue-painted Gulfstream II G-BDMF, HS125-600B G-BARR, Navajos G-BBXX was one, can't remember the other). Later RR sold the G.II and bought a G.I (G-BKJZ).

East Midlands had one of the first visits to the UK by a Lockheed TriStar - N301EA came in 1971, and N305EA in 1972. CourtLine also sent TriStar G-BAAA (the yellow one) in 1972 or 1973. The best times were when diversions from other airports dropped in, including three Laker DC-10s, a BA Boeing 747, etc.

Fields Aviation (now Hunting Group) always had interesting aircraft parked in or around their huge hangar. D2-EOD, a Skyvan, and HC-ATV, a Viscount 800 spring to mind as some of the more exotic visitors. An ex RAF Argosy G-BDCV, was being broken up for parts outside their hangar.

We also has red and white Argosy 9Q-COA parked on one of the 'fingers' off one of the taxiways, along with several Vanguards of ABC, and an ex Arkia Viscount.

We also had the odd BMA 707 coming or going on leases. N448M in PIA colours was parked there for a while.

Britannia 737-200s took people for Thomson Holidays to various places in Europe. Later, Orion Airways with their 737-200s did the same for Horizon Holidays, using 737s (G-BGTV/W/Y, G-BHCL, etc).

Transeuropa visited with their Caravelles, Tarom with Tu-154s, Aviogenex with Tu-134s, Monarch with BAC One-Elevens and Boeing 720Bs, Dan-Air with BAC One-Elevens, HS748s and the odd Viscount.

We also had some exotic military visitors, wuch as Argentine Air Force Boeing 707 (TC-91), Iranian Air Force C-130 Hercules (5-8543) etc.

Some photos from the 1970s here:
http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=&airlinesearch=&countrysearch=-+Nottingham+%2F+Leicester+%2F+Derby+-+East+Midlands+%28Castle+Donington%29+%28EMA+%2F+EGNX%29&specialsearch=&daterange=197&keywords=&range=&sort_order=&page_limit=15&thumbnails=&calccount=1253828&truecount=false&engine_version=6.0

Some more variety here - taken by East Midlands Air Traffic Controller, John Smith:
http://www.rob.clubkawasaki.com/listing.htm
http://www.rob.clubkawasaki.com/listing2.htm

Regards,

David Eyre

[ShyTorque]

Alidair's offices are still there, near the East Midlands School of Flying.

The latter is now closed, btw; It's remaining assets were re-located to Donington Aviation's place a few weeks back.

I first flew with EMSF on 13/2/74 in G-BBBC.

[Phileas Fogg]

For a period of time Servisair EMA had a photo on their wall of a number of Laker DC10's on the EMA tarmac, don't think it was in the 70's but certainly in 80 or 81.

This was due to industrial action @ MAN, from EMA Laker was operating European IT services, such routes as EMA-PIK-LAX and indeed one flight operated direct EMA-JFK such was the payload that allowed it, I believe the first direct EMA-NYC service. Of course there were other routes operated, at that time, out of EMA also but my memory isn't that good :)

[BYALPHAINDIA]

Yes, Very happy memories indeed,

Used to go to EMA alot in the summers of 94/95/96/97

Steve Gensler did an excellent job with the viewing park & shop, But he was moved out by the Airport gods.:D

Credit to the Airport Police thou, I could guarantee on getting stopped day or night by them if me & my mates were parked or driving around the maintenance area.

We got to know them in the end.:O

Then all of a sudden the new Airport Team decided to remove the upstairs spotting terrace, And we stopped going.

All that trade they have lost from the passing cars/ coaches that used EMA as a toilet/snack stop off point.:=

There is only the area opposite the terminal to spot from now.:sad:

[David Eyre]

Some EMA photos from the 1980s:

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=&airlinesearch=&countrysearch=-+Nottingham+%2F+Leicester+%2F+Derby+-+East+Midlands+%28Castle+Donington%29+%28EMA+%2F+EGNX%29&specialsearch=&daterange=198&keywords=&range=&sort_order=&page_limit=15&thumbnails=&calccount=1253959&truecount=false&engine_version=6.0

Phileas Fogg: Here is one of the Laker DC-10 visits:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Laker-Airways-Skytrain/McDonnell-Douglas-DC-10-30/0077296/L/

...and a BA 747 diversion:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airways/Boeing-747-136/0061947/L/

Regards,
David

[Midland 331]

Thanks for your postings, Mr Eyre!

A small world;- my Dad ran the BD "MT" building on the tight bend near Field's hangar, close to Alidair's place. He used to take me into work on a Saturday from the age of five, and I then got a job at Midland after uni. in 1982 following three summer jobs there.

(Oh, and that viewing site on the north side - a prime courting spot after dark. The best of both worlds... :-) )

Yes, I grew up with the place,too, and your reminiscences chime with me. No security checking whatsover for the ramp, hence I could sit in a lorry and ride straight up to Heralds, Viscounts, etc.

I could romp around the main BD hangar when dad clocked on and off, climbing in the Leopard Moth, and onto aircraft having checks. Occasionally, a Viscount would run up just outside the hangar doors. Four Darts on full power, reflected back into the open hangar... wonderful...!

A very different world indeed. Today's NEMA is hardly recognisable.,,

r

[ArcticRed]

Good memories indeed, I remember in the early 1970s going to EMA to watch the arrival of Eastern's L1011 (to show off to RR)

[Midland 331]

I recall seeing one of the first 757s there, too, circa 1982, for the same reason.

It's strange to hear of them being "parted out" now.

Fields did several major checks on Merchantmen around the late '70's/early '80's.

Four Tynes at full power on the compass base for a few hours leaves an impression.

09/27 must have doubled in length over the years - it used to end near the Alidair building circa 1970. Likewise, the road at the Kegworth end was diverted shortly after that to extend further still.

There was also a grass runway (01/19 or similar, I guess?) with traffic lights on the perimeter track as the threshold was very close.

The Saturn c130s used to roll and roll when departing with the RB211s.

Conversely, working on baggage handling for the summer in 1980, I was amazed to see an Aer Turas CL44 with a single racehorse rotate after about 500 metres.


r

[jh5speed]

Some interesting memories above ...

The dentist flying AXIX was the same chap that flew (flies?) the BMA SF260 BAGB - used to be regularly seen doing aerobatics to the north.

Grass runway : OK until they built the Orion office at the end! I never saw it used though.

Hemington wasn't such a good viewpoint when they adopted nose-in parking. Though the 'shoebox' Shorts 360 did its own thing and always parked broadside as I recall (this was a little later in the 80's).

Funny someone should mention Aer Turas - I was recounting a story to a fellow Ppruner the other day of when I had a holiday job in the EMA briefing office. A CL-44 chap came in with £1600 in used twenties. Apparently he wasn't allowed to leave without paying a backlog of landing fees!

I also remember seeing a DC4 and Bristol Freighter - this was way back - around the time when BMA had just taken delivery of some ex-Nora Air Services Viscounts in a shocking pink and yellow livery!

Yes - and I remember that first Tristar, we saw it from that viewing area between the terminal and the freight shed (as was) - it dwarfed everything (do I remember Bavaria Flug 'Holiday Jets' around that time?) - we were in Castle Donington village as it took off and whispered away.

And how about those Brymon Twin Otters: I distinctly remember the chap who use to take off and swoop straight out in a climbing turn over the Fields hangar. Regularly. Saw some interesting Viscount late-turns-onto-finals too - appeared to be inside the fence from where I was standing!

I had a holiday job as an aircraft cleaner with BMA in 85 and 86 (you too Midland331?) and had the opportunity to nose around a bit. Interesting sights around the hangars then - including a lovely orange Catalina (can be seen in some of the photo references above). Heron AOTI was still there (no longer RR's though). The last 3 BMA 707's were there being prepared for their final departure (out to Tel Aviv for hushkitting?). I remember the last one going in the early morning - took off, went around and whistled down the runway at 30ft (or so it seemed), wheels-up. Glorious. (Pilot went on to a job with Cathay Pacific perhaps... )

A job I particularly remember was the first Air Zimbabwe 737 which was painted up from Maersk colours by Fields. A gang of 6 of us was detailed to polish all the unpainted bits. We were given several bags of rags and several buckets of Brasso - took us two 12-hour shifts.

And there was the Redcoat Britannia.

And I see on Google Earth that the old 424 radar head has reappeared in the museum area. Great - this used to be something of fascination to me at 4 years old (then painted red) - some improvements since those days in terms of ATC facilities!

Now, wasn't it N701PA that was parked out by the BMA hangar (nearest the main road) in PIA colours? And yes - I remember that red Argosy - seemed to be parked there for ever, along with Viscount APPX.

[BYALPHAINDIA]

And in those days, If the lad on the carpark barrier was in a happy mood he used to let us stay an extra hour:D

We once dashed back to the car after 35 min, And the lad said 'I would have let you stay a bit longer' It doesn't bother me.:}

In those days the carpark was never full when we went.

Those Turkish 727's Air Alpha ?? were there for a while parked by the BMA Maintainance hangars.

Talking about N701PA I have a model of it at home.:ok:

[David Eyre]

Here's N448M in PIA colours at East Midlands in 1979:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Boeing-707-321C/0989379/L/

...and in all-white BMA Cargo colours at East Midlands in 1981:
http://www.rob.clubkawasaki.com/jas1562.jpg

jh5speed - I think you're referring to Beagle Pup G-AXEX:
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/airbase/ProductionLists/Pup/pupgaxex.jpg
(G-AXIX is an Airtourer)

Regards,
David

[Panop]

No one has mentioned Kestrel Aviation (or Kestrel International Airways as they grandly preferred to be called once they obtained Viscount G-AVJB). They originally operated with DC-3 G-AMFV in the early 70s before replacing it with the Viscount and went out of business in late 1972. Their office was near the old BMA admin and maintenance facilities at the southwest end of the field.

They were the airline with the original 'Kestrel' call sign since taken up elsewhere.

They flew pax and freight charter and sub-charter for other airlines, particularly Dan-Air-Skyways for which airline they flew the Saturday 'Link City' service which connected many smaller UK centres via a series of short hops.

In their dying days, at least, their operation included some, ummm, questionable flying where the desperate need for cash flow overcame safety considerations on occasions. (I speak with some inside knowledge lest anyone wonder!)

All a bit sad as the guys and girls were, overall, a pretty good bunch who tried their hardest for the company.

http://web01.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=246413&showexif=1
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=230429

[David Eyre]

Here's some photos taken by my father at East Midlands Airport, of the terminal and an Alidair Viscount:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/-/-/1342228/L/
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Alidair-Scotland/Vickers-735-Viscount/1342487/L/
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Alidair-Scotland/Vickers-735-Viscount/1342488/L/

Regards,
David

[Midland 331]

Super!

That's the terminal I knew, unrecognisable from the new place.

Fond memories of several summer jobs come rushing back. I could even see the old baggage belt end on one of the shots!

r

[jh5speed]

331

I remember one particular baggage handler at EMA who used to amuse himself by leaning with gloved hands against a running-down Viscount prop spinner, while the rest of the baggage gang were waiting to open the hatch. I hope he made it to retirement without a terminal dose of Dowty-Rotol-itus ...

[Crusher1]

I spent many hours in the terminal during the early 70's, there was a group of maybe 15-20 of us sitting there with air band radios, can't imagine getting away with that now!

I remember the FAA Convair 240 and Saberliner (N85?) that used to visit fields on a regular basis.

The Air Zaire DC4 which was around for ages.

The delivery of ex NAS (Nora Air Services) Viscounts for BMA

Midland Air Cargo Bristol Freighters

Bavaira 1-11's and Phoenix 707 and 1-11's on Sunday afternoons

Various other regulars like the National Coal Board Dove, RAF Varsity's training and Spantax CV990's

Anyone remember Glos Airtourer G-AXIX that used to do demonstration flights?

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Furtling through the more ancient pages of my logbook the other day, I found this;

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n131/Golf_Bravo_Zulu/EGNX_LF.jpg


Landing fee for a Cessna 150, less than 63p! How much now?