BBC Film "The Pilots"

[Peterd28]

Wonder if any on the forum might know where I could get hold of a copy of "The Pilots"- a BBC Documentary produced in 1962/3 about life in BOAC and BEA at that time. I've tried the Beeb but they deny all knowledge of it - but I did see it, not post retirement delusions ! Any help would be much appreciated

Best

Pete

[Tercarley]

I'd like to get hold of a copy of that as well!

The beeb are good at denying all knowledge of docs theyve made I appeared in one on the simulator on VC10 and afterwards cos I was on the BALPA council at the time they had me chatting about pilots conditions etc They obviously wipe the tapes to re-use them and they are no longer available.

Mine was approx 1972, If anyone has a VHS tape of that Id appreciate knowing about it.

[Skipness One Echo]

From the late 1970s the wiping of tapes was discontinued but a lot of 1950 / 60 / 70s is gone forever alas. Lots of Pete and Dud, Doctor Who etc was JUNKED. The only reason some exist in the archives is the BBC got them back later from overseas sales they had made.

[Captain Airclues]

I know that BA have a copy as we were shown it on a course that I did several years ago. I remember two F/Os chatting by the pool in Beirut. One, a Mr Walpole, said that he didn't think that he'd ever get a command in BOAC.

Dave

[Tercarley]

Most of it was set in Beirut - in the Golden Bar as I recall. I remember that Brian Walpole had a fez on in one scene!!

[Rainboe]

There was one TV program with Capt Tom Stoney, TC on 707s, briefing a couple of new Hamsters, about Shannon training? Roundabout that time I was undergoing VC10 induction (which was a far more civilised aeroplane).

Tom was on one of our planes in the late 80s, long retired. He kept a camper in the States and spent years with his Ayatollah travelling the 3 main east-west routes, taking regular breaks back home.

The Hamster reunion had some video from one of those programs. Phil Nelson might be a good one to contact, I think he has access to an archive.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

OT sorry. Capt Tom Stoney was on the first eastbound BOAC Comet across the Atlantic. Can't recall the name of the chap going the other way at the same time..

[Hussar 54]

Can't help with a copy, but been discussed before....


http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/228625-bbc-1966-67-a.html

[BYALPHAINDIA]

I bet the 'Beeb' have got a room full of Aviation/Transport memorabilia programmes....But NO they won't show them.

They insist on us living in Albert Square 5 nights a week, Or it seems that way..

If they (The Beeb) had an Illustrative Gorm' then they would sense that it would be nice to have a 'break from the old routine' and change the record every now & then!!

I don't want to pay 149.00 a year to listen to the same record spinning!!

[Tercarley]

The film that you are talking about featured a friend of mine Captain John -sometimes called Mike Aston who was a BEA Captain at the time. I think he later went on to Tristars and when he left went out to the Middle East to work for Saudia I think.

Unfortunately he died a few years ago.

He joined the RAF with me and we did our training in London Ontario together, when we were boys of 18.

[JW411]

Heathrow Director:

Would the other captain be Bob Millichap's Dad?

[arem]

I've been looking thru' my videos and have found one titled "The Pilots" - don't know what its like but I will check when I get back from the cruise. If its still ok I can copy it to DVD for those who may still be interested - PM me if interested.

It was Dave Jevons by the pool with Brian at Beirut. Only went there once as a slip - stayed at the Carlton on the Corniche - breakfast on the balcony overlooking the Med on a sunny March morning - ah memories!!

[Captain Airclues]

arem

I remember the Carlton well. The four VC10 crew often were the only people in the restaurant. The cabin crew stayed at the Bristol and we would meet them at the Golden Bar. Managed to avoid 'Skinners Leap' on the way back to the Carlton.

Dave

[POHL]

Happy Daze Indeed.
One of my chums relates the story of a Carlton slip-
Being totally exhausted having experienced 10 days with Dougie Cooper he decided to lay low,curtains closed,lights out ,no noise at the bewitching crew party hour. Having ignored several phone calls he lay prone congratulating himself on self preservation. Suddenly he was stunned to find Dougie leaping through his bedroom windows, after climbing perilously around the external walls of the hotel, demanding his presence for Golden Bar duty! That Dougie had no mercy!

[ZOOKER]

I remember seeing this in the late '60s.
I know this because my interest in aviation only developed after EGNX opened in 1965 (hence, I believe, the original 'Castledon Approach' frequency of 119.65, - nice one, ECD and Mr.C!).
I think the film was transmitted as part of the 'Tuesday documentary' series.
P.S.
The BBC have also wiped the July 1969 Apollo 11 material with James Burke, Patrick Moore, et al . - A shame.

[Mike6567]

I remember the film with Brian Walpole as the First Officer.

Who are the crew on this You Tube clip?

YouTube - BOAC Boeing 707-436 & Vickers VC-10-"Top Flight"-1964-Part ll/lll (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ-wrISTa6c)

[Rainboe]

That's a broken link- the ID is wrong.

[Mike6567]

Sorry. I think I got the link correct now!

[MrSoft]

There was one TV program with Capt Tom Stoney, TC on 707s, briefing a couple of new Hamsters, about Shannon training?

Rainboe this film is available (but only on VHS I think) in the "Great British Airline Classics" series. It is called "Airline Pilot" and is an absolute beaut, with some wonderful air-to-air filming of touch and gos at Shannon.

[robingray123]

I've just stubled across the dialogue that you had a couple of years ago about a BBC documentary made in 1962 called "The Pilots". My late Father, Denny Gray, (BEA captain) featured in this film and I would love to be able to get a copy for my Mother. I remember the Director, Richard Cawston and his crew coming to our house and filming in the garden.
Can you help?

[Groundloop]

Quote:
There was one TV program with Capt Tom Stoney, TC on 707s, briefing a couple of new Hamsters, about Shannon training?

Rainboe this film is available (but only on VHS I think) in the "Great British Airline Classics" series. It is called "Airline Pilot" and is an absolute beaut, with some wonderful air-to-air filming of touch and gos at Shannon.


In "Airline Pilot" it is a VC-10 that is being used. Why would a 707 TC be doing the briefing?

[cvg2iln]

Capt Tom Stoney saluting Basil Smallpiece on the arrival of BOAC's first B707 into EGLL.....

AIRPORT NEWS - British Pathe (http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=41416)

....who would appear to be the same fellow (Tom that is, not Basil) seen swatting the engineer's hands from the throttles in the SNN VC10 documentary.

One precedes the other by the best part of a decade. So very possibly a TC on both types.

[Brit312]

Tom Stoney was a Training Captain on VC-10s in 1968 at least, and although I have not seen the video, but whose ever hands he was swatting from the throttles it definitly was not the F/E as he had his own set of throttles on the VC-10 and never touched the pilots set. More likely the co-pilots

[cvg2iln]

It most definitely was the FE, and it's one of the magic moments of the documentary.

The FE reaches forward to initiate engine shutdown prior to 400' agl to have his hand swatted away with an admonishment.

[BSAA1947]

Apologies for adding to such an old thread, but I'm very keen to know if anyone had any success in locating a copy of the BBC documentary "The Pilots"?

I have several reasons for wishing to obtain a copy of the programme, my father worked for BOAC at the time, I had a good friend who was a BOAC 707 Captain in 1963, I have a strong connection to BSAA (and Ernest Rodley features in the documentary) etc. etc., but most significantly of all, I have recently been contacted by a friend who just found out that his late father was on the crew featured in the documentary.

My friend's father was Ian Carter, a BOAC Flight Engineer who was sadly lost in BA911 over Mount Fuji on that awful morning in 1966 (coincidentally three years to the day after the documentary was broadcast). It would be wonderful to locate the film for my friend, even if his father's appearance on screen may be very brief. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

Ian

[tourman68]

I have a copy of this Richard Cawston film on DVD. The quality is quite good would you like me to send you a DVD copy. I have also unearthed a home movie shot by an old friend of mine (sadly now dead) who flew for BSAA and it records a flight during the Berlin airlift on a Tudor. I don't know who the crew were but they would be clearly recognisable to anyone who knew them.

Reg went on to fly for BOAC and flew the Comet 1 with Rod Rodley who is the captain of the 707 featured in the movie. He (Reg), finished his career in BOAC as a skipper on the 707.

[BSAA1947]

Hello Tourman68,

That's absolutely brilliant news, thank you so much! The BSAA film sounds absolutely fascinating too.

I'll send you a PM.

Ian

[olympus]

Did a search looking for DVDs of 'The Pilots' and 'Airline Pilot' on Ebay and this (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160747173023?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649) came up.

No use to me unfortunately as we don't have a video player any more:{

[Nicktrident]

Yep, John was my next door neighbour, and he starred in a BBC doucmentary c1973, which showed him take a BEA Trident One from Heathrow to Germany, in the cockpit. It also filmed him at home and in the crew room. It was probably a year after the Papa India crash, as he was a Training Manager and the workload had increased. A lovely guy who gave me my interest in aircraft, and was always willing to tell me anything I wanted to know. He did go n to Tristars and died in 2001 unfortuately suddenly. A very sad loss to his children, and I miss him a lot. I knew him as John.

[gerry smith]

Danny Gray. Decent man, complaining on the film that the neglected gardens in or near Ruislip were lived in by long haul pilots.

[corin100]

I too would be very interested in a copy of this documentary.

We have a reel to reel tape of the audio recorded by my Grandfather ; a 707 skipper at the time. I would live to see if he shows up anywhere in the film.