BOAC Navigators

[Robert T]

What was the official title BOAC used for their navigators?

Navigation Officer.
Navigating Officer.
Pilot Navigator.

I suspect it may have changed over time, so I am also interested to know the answer in relation to the timeline.
​​​​​​
Thanks.

RobertT

[Robert T]

What was the pathway to enter BOAC as a navigator post WW2 without previous RAF experience?

[MAC 40612]

What was the official title BOAC used for their navigators?

Navigation Officer.
Navigating Officer.
Pilot Navigator.

I suspect it may have changed over time, so I am also interested to know the answer in relation to the timeline.
​​​​​​
Thanks.

RobertT

If you don't get an answer on here regarding your BOAC [and I suspect you probably will, as there is a vast amount of knowledge on this forum] you could email the BA Heritage centre, which is the BA Museum collection which is kept at the BA Waterside HQ just on the NW side of Heathrow and is manned by a number of retired BA staff who have access to the BA archives. The fact that is is manned by retirees means you may not get an answer immediately but they are normally pretty good at finding out historical information on BA and it's predecessor airlines.

email: [email protected]

This is also the address to arrange visits to the collection [along with phone number: [+44 (0)20 8562 5777] which is normally open during normal office hours

[Robert T]

Many thanks. I know the guys down there well, but it doesn't mean they answer my emails!

[rog747]

BOAC B707 ops in the 1960s (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/551133-boac-b707-ops-1960s.html)

This Pprune thread may offer you some insights :)

[bean]

By the mid 60s one Captain and two Fos were standard. One Fo to carry out nav duties. No more dedicated Navigators

[Jhieminga]

In this 1967 manual they were referred to as 'navigator':

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1150x688/screenshot_2023_11_27_at_11_05_33_287d1e0e33924144979bee17cd 3e1143f183f744.png

This could be just a task description of course, with a second F/O taking up this responsibility.

[Bergerie1]

In 1967, there were no straight navigators carried on BOAC aircraft, although there were one or two still in supervisory admin jobs in the Nav Office. After that, all navigation on BOAC aircraft was carried out by one or other of the two dual qualified co-pilots who held both a CPL/SCPL/ATPL and a Flight Navigator's Licence. I cannot remember when the last operational straight navigators retired - somewhere about 1966 I would think.

I did my nav training as N2 on the Britannia 312 from January to October 1963 after which I operated as N1 until February 1964. I then moved to the Boeing 707 as N2 followed by one VC10 trip as N2 before operating as N1 until the start of my VC10 pilot course in December 1964.

My memory is rather hazy, but I know all the N2 time on Britannias was under training with the last of the straight navs and, I think, also my N2 time on 707s and VC10s. As to whether they were called Navigation Officers or Navigating Officers, I don't know, I suspect the former. All pilot/navigators were either Second Officers, First Officers or Senior First Officers and wore pilot wings.

I hope this helps. By the way, in addition to the link mentioned in Post No. 5, this thread may help too:- https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/522731-navigation-system-bristol-britannia.html?highlight=boac+navigation

[Innominate]

This envelope is in the archives of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots (incorporating Air Navigators), formerly GAPAN. Cowsill was one of the crew of a Britannia that took the Queen and her entourage on a tour of India and Pakistan in 1961. It seems from other material in his papers that he may have been an RAF navigator before joining BOAC.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1471x638/20231207_123737_11f2d2a0f26963a7681183d3c8083d3d9db065fa.jpg

[sorvad]

I believe from the mid to late 50s they were hired as Pilots and were already in possession of Commercial Pilots Licences, but that they were to initially train and fly as Navigators with a view to undergoing Pilot training on type after a few years. Their unofficial title at this stage was PiN standing for Pilot initial Navigator. Whether this is what they were known as formally by the Corporation I know not but can ask my Uncle and get back to you.

[Helen49]

Norman Tebbit's 'youtube' is explanatory and interesting on this subject .