Old British airline callsigns
Throw a dyce.
You're spot on with 'Granite' & 'Ecosse'. The Datapost Banderante and Shed flights off the 80's into Luton certainly made the night duties pass quickly!
On the topic of airlines changing callsigns then ending up with the original......Airtours/My Travel. Started off as 'Kestrel'. Became 'Tourjet'. Now back to Kestrel again. The original change, so we were told, was because of a callsign clash with a small operator in the then brand new CCS. The renaming to Mytravel brought it back again.
Spiney
You're spot on with 'Granite' & 'Ecosse'. The Datapost Banderante and Shed flights off the 80's into Luton certainly made the night duties pass quickly!
On the topic of airlines changing callsigns then ending up with the original......Airtours/My Travel. Started off as 'Kestrel'. Became 'Tourjet'. Now back to Kestrel again. The original change, so we were told, was because of a callsign clash with a small operator in the then brand new CCS. The renaming to Mytravel brought it back again.
Spiney
ICAO code OU...ATC callsigns were the aircraft registration with the trip number in field 18 of the FPL. Tristars doing visual circuits with touch and go's on a 2160m runway....lovely!
Spiney
Spiney
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All this is related elsewhere... but Norjet has been mentioned.. soo...
Around Christmas time in Heathrow Tower... Norjet Trident landed having busted the Aberdeen to London record with a direct routing and a really tight split-a**e visual on to 28R. "Congratulations from us all", said I, "How about bringing the girls up to see us?" A little later the whole crew came up and a great time was had by all. (I was going to mention that they brought up several cases of beer to quench our thirsts...... but I'd better not!).
It was either the Captain or F/O I chatted to about the length of final some pilots required in a Trident. He told me he had trained with John Cunningham at Hatfield and when he asked how tight a final could be flown, "Cateyes" took off, kept the wingtip within the airfield boundary and then landed.... Who needs 10 mile finals? Not Norjet!!
Old mate of mine used to fly Avro 748s for BKS.. Captain Malcolm Rolph. Haven't heard of him for 30+ years.
Around Christmas time in Heathrow Tower... Norjet Trident landed having busted the Aberdeen to London record with a direct routing and a really tight split-a**e visual on to 28R. "Congratulations from us all", said I, "How about bringing the girls up to see us?" A little later the whole crew came up and a great time was had by all. (I was going to mention that they brought up several cases of beer to quench our thirsts...... but I'd better not!).
It was either the Captain or F/O I chatted to about the length of final some pilots required in a Trident. He told me he had trained with John Cunningham at Hatfield and when he asked how tight a final could be flown, "Cateyes" took off, kept the wingtip within the airfield boundary and then landed.... Who needs 10 mile finals? Not Norjet!!
Old mate of mine used to fly Avro 748s for BKS.. Captain Malcolm Rolph. Haven't heard of him for 30+ years.
The prefix Norjet was certainly used by the whole Northeast fleet, including VC8s. Naturally the latter were frequently referred to as nojets!
Malcolm Rolph left the then BA (VC8s) and went via Orion (A300s), Capital (146s) to Bae at, Woodford test flying. A very professional operator and generally good egg.
H49
Malcolm Rolph left the then BA (VC8s) and went via Orion (A300s), Capital (146s) to Bae at, Woodford test flying. A very professional operator and generally good egg.
H49
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Albion= BZ= British Airways Regional Division ( former NS / CS / BE Scottish & Channel Island Airways Divs) - Did not last too long, all BA & Speedbird by the end of the 70s!
Thread Starter
Albion does sound vaguely familiar now it's been mentioned a few times. Maybe I heard it on an old airband radio in the late seventies. I thought BA just used "Speedbird" and "Shuttle" but, for a time, obviously not.
Any other contributions about the past gratefully read.
MC
Any other contributions about the past gratefully read.
MC
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Ah! DanAir, the most wonderful airline particularly if you were a staff traveller. They could not do enough for you. Wonderful airline, ever helpful staff. I remember taking my 92 year old grannie to Paris on DanAir, we were on our way to the Somme area of Picardy to visit her brothers grave who was killed in the Great War in 1917. I called DanAir ops the evening before to ask them to inform the cabin staff of her age as it was the first time that she had flown and the intention of our flight. The flight deck and cabin crew could not have been kinder and treated her like royalty. I wonder if that personnal touch exists nowadays. Good Old DanAir! Happy Days!!!!
Mooncrest, if you're interested, (probably not)!! As there's been mention of test pilot callsigns, (AVRO for Woodford). Just remembered a couple but my memory isn't perfect for the locations so I stand by to be corrected but.........
NEWPIN. Followed by a number. i.e. NEWPIN 29 was, I think Hawarden during the 125 building years.
TARNISH. Warton?
BLACKBOX. followed by an alpha numeric. i.e. BLACKBOX DELTA. Bedford Thurleigh?
The thing that worries me is that I can't remember Hatfield's even though I worked them many times!!!! The various manufacturing sites were then linked by a DH Dove company service, (Brough, Woodford, Warton, Prestwick, and very occasionally Dunsfold). These aircraft operated on the aircraft registration and not on a company callsign. The only reg I remember was G-AREA. There was also a Farnborough callsign that was used for the Navajo MOD(PE) inter-site shuttle if anyone can remember. Oh! By the way, I'm talking late 70's, early 80's here.
Talking Dan Air...I was just coming on for a morning duty as the 727 flew through the 26 Localiser at Luton! Myself and the Supervisor retrieved the tail bumper from the debris!!! We just got it into the back of the Land Rover!
Spiney
NEWPIN. Followed by a number. i.e. NEWPIN 29 was, I think Hawarden during the 125 building years.
TARNISH. Warton?
BLACKBOX. followed by an alpha numeric. i.e. BLACKBOX DELTA. Bedford Thurleigh?
The thing that worries me is that I can't remember Hatfield's even though I worked them many times!!!! The various manufacturing sites were then linked by a DH Dove company service, (Brough, Woodford, Warton, Prestwick, and very occasionally Dunsfold). These aircraft operated on the aircraft registration and not on a company callsign. The only reg I remember was G-AREA. There was also a Farnborough callsign that was used for the Navajo MOD(PE) inter-site shuttle if anyone can remember. Oh! By the way, I'm talking late 70's, early 80's here.
Talking Dan Air...I was just coming on for a morning duty as the 727 flew through the 26 Localiser at Luton! Myself and the Supervisor retrieved the tail bumper from the debris!!! We just got it into the back of the Land Rover!
Spiney
Thanks Loki.
I thought Blackbox might be Bedford as the only operation I could remember was a Canberra with some sort of radar trial that used to fly over the Dunstable area operating from Thurleigh. Had I thought it through I should have realised it might have been working for RRE Defford! However I should think some of the Pershore operation moved to Thurleigh when Pershore closed. Did the callsign come with it for their pilots, or did it just disappear I wonder?
Spiney
I thought Blackbox might be Bedford as the only operation I could remember was a Canberra with some sort of radar trial that used to fly over the Dunstable area operating from Thurleigh. Had I thought it through I should have realised it might have been working for RRE Defford! However I should think some of the Pershore operation moved to Thurleigh when Pershore closed. Did the callsign come with it for their pilots, or did it just disappear I wonder?
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Spiney
So when was this? There was talk of Pershore moving to Thurleigh when I was there (early 70s).
Bit of thread drift here though...`tis supposed to be about airline callsigns.
I remember a literally fly by night operation at Heathrow called sagittair, who had three Beech 18s; used to do EGLL ESGG in the middle of the night.
And what of Airbridge, which became Hunting, and then Contract, confused? I still am.
So when was this? There was talk of Pershore moving to Thurleigh when I was there (early 70s).
Bit of thread drift here though...`tis supposed to be about airline callsigns.
I remember a literally fly by night operation at Heathrow called sagittair, who had three Beech 18s; used to do EGLL ESGG in the middle of the night.
And what of Airbridge, which became Hunting, and then Contract, confused? I still am.
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From distant memory.....
RAE Farnborough was allocated "NUGGET", and the callsigns were individual to pilots sooo....
01 was "the boss"
02 deputy boss
04 Wing Comander Flying?
05-19 various Test Pilots
20-22 transport flight pilots (they flew the "ferry" service in the Devons and later, the PA31s.... one or two also drove the Farnborough Dak KG661/ZA947)
30 -ish Helicopter test pilots ???
60 - 62 Meteorological Flight pilots. (Usually associated with the "METMAN" C130 "Snoopy" although at least one of these chaps flew the Chieftans as well).
Boscombe Down used "GAUNTLET" plus numbers for their test pilots and West Freugh (whatever happened to THAT place?) had something else for their balck and yellow Buccs.
All the above is from a VERY deep recess of my mind..... so might well need some correction
Mr. Clarke will be along shortly to tell me I've got it all wrong. over to you Terry.
Rgsd BEX
RAE Farnborough was allocated "NUGGET", and the callsigns were individual to pilots sooo....
01 was "the boss"
02 deputy boss
04 Wing Comander Flying?
05-19 various Test Pilots
20-22 transport flight pilots (they flew the "ferry" service in the Devons and later, the PA31s.... one or two also drove the Farnborough Dak KG661/ZA947)
30 -ish Helicopter test pilots ???
60 - 62 Meteorological Flight pilots. (Usually associated with the "METMAN" C130 "Snoopy" although at least one of these chaps flew the Chieftans as well).
Boscombe Down used "GAUNTLET" plus numbers for their test pilots and West Freugh (whatever happened to THAT place?) had something else for their balck and yellow Buccs.
All the above is from a VERY deep recess of my mind..... so might well need some correction
Mr. Clarke will be along shortly to tell me I've got it all wrong. over to you Terry.
Rgsd BEX
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I remember the Bedford Nuggets mostly started with 9....one that sticks in my mind was Nugget 93; who during my time was a Scottish gentleman I associate most closely with the Sea Vixen for some reason.
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From distant memory.....
RAE Farnborough was allocated "NUGGET", and the callsigns were individual to pilots sooo....
01 was "the boss"
02 deputy boss
04 Wing Comander Flying?
05-19 various Test Pilots
20-22 transport flight pilots (they flew the "ferry" service in the Devons and later, the PA31s.... one or two also drove the Farnborough Dak KG661/ZA947)
30 -ish Helicopter test pilots ???
60 - 62 Meteorological Flight pilots. (Usually associated with the "METMAN" C130 "Snoopy" although at least one of these chaps flew the Chieftans as well).
Boscombe Down used "GAUNTLET" plus numbers for their test pilots and West Freugh (whatever happened to THAT place?) had something else for their balck and yellow Buccs.
All the above is from a VERY deep recess of my mind..... so might well need some correction
Mr. Clarke will be along shortly to tell me I've got it all wrong. over to you Terry.
Rgsd BEX
RAE Farnborough was allocated "NUGGET", and the callsigns were individual to pilots sooo....
01 was "the boss"
02 deputy boss
04 Wing Comander Flying?
05-19 various Test Pilots
20-22 transport flight pilots (they flew the "ferry" service in the Devons and later, the PA31s.... one or two also drove the Farnborough Dak KG661/ZA947)
30 -ish Helicopter test pilots ???
60 - 62 Meteorological Flight pilots. (Usually associated with the "METMAN" C130 "Snoopy" although at least one of these chaps flew the Chieftans as well).
Boscombe Down used "GAUNTLET" plus numbers for their test pilots and West Freugh (whatever happened to THAT place?) had something else for their balck and yellow Buccs.
All the above is from a VERY deep recess of my mind..... so might well need some correction
Mr. Clarke will be along shortly to tell me I've got it all wrong. over to you Terry.
Rgsd BEX
01 was OC, Gp Capt, last seen CFI Old Sarum
02 was Wg Cdr Flying
09 was a one-off...Fred Stringer
10 - 14 Transport. (I can remember most of their names.....)
20 - 23 were the 'airliner' boys
Yes, the 30's were usually rotary esp 37 but 38 and 39 were the IAM rehab Docs in the fast jets. Good old 38, took me for some dual in XL565.
40 was another one-off
50's were the fast jet jocks
You're dead right about Metman
All the names are flooding back.......
Boscombe also had 'Tester'. I used to enjoy intercomming to the tower just before transfer from Stud 2 to Stud 1 "Tester Calls"........
The thing that worries me is that I can't remember Hatfield's even though I worked them many times
The various manufacturing sites were then linked by a DH Dove company service, (Brough, Woodford, Warton, Prestwick, and very occasionally Dunsfold). These aircraft operated on the aircraft registration and not on a company callsign. The only reg I remember was G-AREA.