Luton musings

[22/04]

Sitting looking at my 1/200 Dan Air and Autair One Elevens tonight and thinking:

Does anyone remember when Luton 08 deaprtures to e.g Palma via UA34 stopped being Brookmans Park Kilburn Epsom and Dunsfold and became Bovingdon 039 radial Beacon Hill etc. Between 1969 and 1974 I think but can't place closer than that.

And what happened to that excellent idea of integral airstairs; are they too heavy in the era of the low minimal wage and loco's; no need to wait for the stairs to arrive yet they've died out.

And registrations vs flight number callsigns; easy to see the advantages of flight numbers once computerised stored flight plans became the norm but why was there a mix in the sixties?

[pabely]

I'm sure I have noticed forward integral airstairs on RYR B737-8's at LTN. Must have a cost saving in handling and quicker to get SLF out quicker for the next rotation.

[42psi]

I believe the biggest problem with airstairs was not the weight (approx 135 Kgs) but that if they malfunction it's a an awkward job to fix.

Requires removal from the aircraft ... annother the problem is the a/c downtime for removal and refit.

I can recall many 737's flying with u/s airstairs for quite some time ....

[HZ123]

Weight penality, around during the time when airports were merely airfields with a building (no jettys), unsafe for the pax getting on and off in bad weather,BA had a couple of A320 with integral stairs and were unpopular as they were narrow and steep. A final thought Health and Safety would probably not permit there use today, even the rear stairs in 1-11 and MD's were extremely uncomfortable with the generater going as you disembarked.

[Buster the Bear]

Just imagine a 08 departure today routing; Brookmans Park Kilburn Epsom and Dunsfold!

[Mr_Grubby]

Seem to remember the usual clearance out of Luton was :-

Beacon Hill, Burnham, Chertsey, Dunsfold at 4, climb when instructed by outbound radar to FL70 and request level change en route.

Clint.:ok:

[compton3bravo]

anyone got any information on flights which went to Rome for the European Cup Final on 27 May as I was out of the loop so to speak. Many thanks in advance.