"The Heston Hilton" BA Training Centre - What Went On There?

[Midland 331]

I did my basic BABS reservations system training there in 1982.

It had quite substantial accomodation on campus, inconveniently close to The International Market, which opened for business at around 0300.

Were Trident sims there? Do any "greybeards" have memories of the place. Great views of 28R landing traffic for bored students from upper floor classrooms.

If the market didn't wake you up, early morning departures of the "pre-stage three" kind did.

It had an air of decline, and I returned to look for it some years later, to find it replaced by a bland "business park".

[merlinxx]

At least the nosh & bar weren't that bad. Sstudy bedrooms OK, no radio or TV, took me own after the 1st week there, then got a bollocking, but kept them anyway.

[parabellum]

The ex Court Line BAC1-11 SIM was there.

[HZ123]

Never stayed there but do recall it. It was similar to the Russian 'In Tourist' hotels that I stayed at on a number of visits. The market has also gone now and is just an empty space.

[Midland 331]

An odd feel, circa 1982, rather like I'd imagine a holiday camp out of season that had seen better days.

Lots of empty space, with the odd distinguished-looking chap appearing from around a corner from time to time.

It clearly "had a past", hence the question.

BABS had it's own automated self-training programmes, frequently cryptic and baffling, utterly unforgiving, and obviously written by Basil Fawlty in collaboration with James Robertson Justice. - incorrect entries would generate the response "LOOK! THINK!". Very "BA early-1980s", I thought.

[Flightwatch]

First went there in 1967 to do the Viscount 800 sim course - never stayed though. In those days there were Viscount/Vanguard/Comet and Trident sims plus the usual "talk and chalk" classrooms. I returned in 1970 for the BAC 1-11 full course when the S1-11 sim had been installed. The last one was the B1-11 sim if I remember right. Subsequent sims (732, 757 etc.) were put at Cranebank and the S1-11 and B1-11 moved there after the sim block closed. I think the instruction/accommodation block had closed sometime earlier. The S1-11 and T3 sims were back to back with the consol operators sitting a few feet away from each other and shared a common "moving map" visual. This lead to many agonised cries from the consol operators for their oppo to release the visual when their respective machines were nearing the ground especially during cat II/III training. I did quite a few extra holds due to this problem!

The only other sim that I think was there earlier was the Ambassador/Elizabethan which was actually the sawn off nose of a prototype and I guess was one of the first commercial aircraft sims. I met that at Oxford in '65 during basic training. The most impressive thing about these early sims was the dining hall sized computer room with more valves glowing in the half light than you could shake a stick at.

IIRC there were also a couple of Link trainers that had been modified with the early Smiths Flight system, common to the Viscount, Vanguard and Comet where one could practice some of the very strange looking procedures that system produced. Whereas the Viscount and Vanguard sims were static, the Comet had limited (longtitudinal only) motion, due to the unusually nose high attitude on takeoff that needed to be experienced by those (most in fact) who had flown only prop/turboprop types before.

The best bit was that there were a number of pubs nearby to partake of refreshment, the BEA sim sessions were 2 hours on - 2 hours break - 2 hours on - it is remarkable how well the second session went sometimes after the break!

[Fokkerwokker]

Did the Trimoth groundschool/sim there end '75.

The place had the feeling of a large grammar school about it!

[tinpis]

Viscount and Vanguard sim definitely there in 79
Staying in the ghastly Ariel Hotel around the corner

[ZFT]

Flightwatch,

This was the 1st commercial sim in 1950

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a154/ZFT/Redifon20First20Civil20Flight20Sim2.jpg

..and this was I believe the sister ship of the BEA Comet 4B (1958) with the single axis (pitch) motion system.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a154/ZFT/Redifon20Comet20420Simulator201958.jpg

[chevvron]

I think it was called 'Viking House'. Did a two week course there using Trident Systems trainers (not the full blown sims) back in '74 just prior to graduating as an ATCO. This was a 'standard' part of our ATCO Cadet Course in those days; regrettably I don't think they do it nowadays as it teaches controllers what goes on on the flight deck 'hands on' rather than just sitting and watching on a fam flight.

[Hyperborean]

I did the 2 weeks ATCO Cadet course there in 1972. Played with the rigid Trident sim and a weird Vanguard sim which I think was called the ROT ( Route Operations Trainer? ) sort of early desk top kit. Also learned how to leave a BEA aircraft in extremis which entitled one to a piece of paper which meant you could stay on the flight deck for landing and take off. This was for the fam flight part of the course, in my case Belfast and return on a Guardsvan. Fairly interesting destination at that time. Looking back the ATCO Cadet Scheme was the Rolls Royce of training. Aerodrome, Approach, Area, Radar and a PPL plus some instrument training plus the BEA bit described above, Happy days!

[chevvron]

Yes I was sent to Belfast for the fam flight on this course, but in a Trident as 'supernumeray 3rd officer' on the flight deck!! (they carried Captain, F/O plus second officer as a sort of flight engineer as normal). I'd just done Area Radar at Lindholme and when we called them on the way north, a familar female voice answered, so I told the captain her name and he then addressed her by name on every transmission!
One of the instructors at Viking House told us that they were in the habit of changing the configurations of some rooms at short notice. He went away on leave, and on returning found himself in urgent need of a p1ss. He rushed to the toilet, unzipping himself as he burst through the door, to be confronted by a classroom containing trainee stewardesses! He left the room and found the real toilet, and on leaving the stewardess instructor was standing outside. She was apparently quite understanding about it, and assured him the trainees just thought it was a 'set up' to test their reaction to a flasher!!

[Jimarilo]

Hi all,

Just found this site today whilst searching for some info for my G/F Joanne Plastow who's dad was Alfie Plastow

There is alot that we both don't know about Jo's parents and any info would be helpful

I am very interested myself as he sounded quite a guy and wish I could have met him

From what I know he flew Wellingtons in the 2nd world war, but for what squadron we don't know

After the war he flew Tri-stars for BEA, where he met Joannes mother who was one of the first seven air stewardess's

He went on to teach with fight simulators, maybe at Heston we don't know. Alfie died around 20yrs ago and Jo's mother sum 35 yrs ago

Alfie had 2 families and provided for both of them both before and after he died, like I say quite a guy

Regards

[Scouser1]

HI Jimarilo-welcome to Pprune!
You might want to post a question on the "Where are they now" section...you might get a reply from someone that knew them...good luck!

[Jimarilo]

Ok many thanks

[chevvron]

The accomodation block was separate from the main building. It contained a nice little bar on the ground floor run a very pleasant mature retired stewardess. The cleaners always seemed to be hanging around during the day. They told us there had recently been a course of stewards through under training for Lufthansa, and if they (the cleaners) wanted any makeup, they acquired it from these stewards rooms!

[pickerm]

1966 bea sims heston i met a very charasmatic man who i showed round the sims, he was very interested in the vanguard, said it reminded him of the wellingtons that he flew in the war. sadly cant remember his name now though.

[pickerm]

did you know that it was haunted? used to be a nunnery years ago, between the wars ie, heston airfield until bea and other commercial interests bought the site. never seen them myself but there was many a sighting ,.told to me of the wandering nuns.

[Speedbird48]

I stayed there in about 1977/78 for the TriStar ground school and simulator. Basic accomodation but very satisfactory for studying.

Speedbird 48

[TURIN]

If you think Viking House was poor, try Thorncliffe up the road.

Now that was bad.

[The SSK]

In the days of long lunch-hours (mid/late 70s) a few of us beancounters used to head up there occasionally from Hatton Cross. The food was excellent by BA canteen standards, the coffee lounge was nice and there were usually groups of trainee stewardesses to brighten up the scenery.

[ONE GREEN AND HOPING]

I visited as a BCal customer for a bi-annual 1-11 sim check just once in about 1974. I seem to recall two 1-11 sims. The BEA 'Super' 1-11 version was equipped with Decca Omnitrac 2nd generation moving map display. ( I half expected to discover it had triple INS, Loran A, and a Polar Path sextant as a back up, since the taxpayer was covering ). I also remember as customers that we were allowed to use a rather smooth middle management type restaurant for lunch. I came away with the impression that it was all rather civilised, and remained somewhat envious of gentlemanly Corporation standards.


A while before that, I shared a flat in central London with someone who I once accompanied to an audition as a potential presenter of 'Blue Peter' at the BBC near Shepherd's Bush. ( me just being nosey, and I never asked for a badge ) What struck us was that the offices and general atmosphere at the BBC was identical to that when visiting BEA.....even the door notices seemed similar in look. My pal never took up the Blue Peter option, but he had flying background as well and joined BEA as a second officer on the Vanguard instead. Salary was about the same........

[avionic type]

Did my Vanguard , Trident Electrical /Instrument and Autopilot courses there in the 60s and we knew it as the Heston Training Centre, at that time there was also some parts of the Flt Attendants training course carried out there, pre inflateable escape chute and Emergency training etc plus of course the Sims .the old Nunnery was next door and was being used by International Air Radio [they did the airport charts books for the Aircrew ].
The Viking Centre was situated by the Green Man on the way to Feltham close to the airport and I may be wrong but I think it was just an Engineering school as I did my Viscount training there in the 50s [SO LONG AGO!!!] .:confused::confused::confused:

[scotbill]

One of the more civilised aspects of Sim courses at Heston was that sessions were two hours long divided by a two hour break.
From a training point of view this was infinitely superior.
a) Much easier to brief for 2 hours rather than 4.
b) As the average span of useful human concentration is about 45 minutes, the crew generally got more out of each session.
c) The 2 hour break gave time for a more effective de-brief/re-brief as well as an opportunity to relax and take advantage of the above-average catering facilities mentioned in the thread. Particularly valuable if someone was having problems.

With the merger of BEA/BOAC, training effectiveness was sacrificed for the convenience of standardisation on the industry-wide 4 hour session.

[Speedbird48]

I remember visiting the Viking Center in the mid '60's where BEA had a uniform store. The outfit I flew for had uniforms supplied from BEA
There was an Elizabethan fuselage laying there as well if my memory serves me right.
Speedbird48

[robmack]

The Viking Centre was also the home of BEA's Stationery & Printing department, which took care of all BEA in-house printing-headed notepaper, boarding cards etc, until it re-located to Douglas House in Ruislip, a brand new, purpose biult, state of the art building which within 4/5 years was surplus as the dept then moved to the old BOAC site at LHR, before being closed down altogether and the work out-sourced. I wonder how much that all cost. I have a photo of said Ambassador fuselage, which was used for cabin crew training, but for the life of me cannot figure out how to post photos on here.