ATC History
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: France
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Brian Wildey
You are right with the initial but it finished 8 years ago. You are also right about the good looks and charm but as I excelled I was a member of the two wing Master Race and would, occasionally allow a one of my Navs to carry my headset. The very thought of Malc in a mini skirt reminds me why I left the UK over 20 years ago for the delights of Périgueux. No Bren it was not my dog that disgraced himself, but he took great delight in peeing on the Tree of Lebanon at the back of the Tower.
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: That France
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I took two Dobermans (not Dobermen, they were both girls, so that makes them Doberwomen I guess) in during my time; although they were about 10 years apart.
IMC was dozing in a chair in the tellyroom, and I got my Dobe to go and sniff him on the ear - he nearly levitated...
Still got the dog, being in such close proximity to IMC didn't do any permanent damage.
If anyone sees IMC say hello to him from me...
IMC was dozing in a chair in the tellyroom, and I got my Dobe to go and sniff him on the ear - he nearly levitated...
Still got the dog, being in such close proximity to IMC didn't do any permanent damage.
If anyone sees IMC say hello to him from me...
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: reading uk
Age: 77
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aeroflot
Hi EX EGLL,
Going the other way I remember the Aeroflots used to leave at 3.E (became UA37 I believe).
They worked us (Border) and near the FIR boudary we put the to Copenhagen.
After passing the boundary they would call at twenty mile intervals saying that they could not contact Copenhagen and did we still have radar contact. Of course....the answer was negative !!
We always checked with Copenhagen and of course they had them in contact.
Dave
Going the other way I remember the Aeroflots used to leave at 3.E (became UA37 I believe).
They worked us (Border) and near the FIR boudary we put the to Copenhagen.
After passing the boundary they would call at twenty mile intervals saying that they could not contact Copenhagen and did we still have radar contact. Of course....the answer was negative !!
We always checked with Copenhagen and of course they had them in contact.
Dave
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Age: 70
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
After passing the boundary they would call at twenty mile intervals saying that they could not contact Copenhagen and did we still have radar contact. Of course....the answer was negative !!
Nice one Jack! Having the shame (for an ex-nav) of a son who is a member of the 2-winged master race,formerly of the single seat variety (the worst!),I've learnt to smile gracefully at their wit!
I checked my '50yrs of Heathrow ATC' book to check your dates there and it got me thinking that for ex-military pilots the early 60s must have been a lean time for those who wanted to get civvie pilot jobs. People like Bunny Austin,Chas Griffin,John Smeath,Tony Bielby,Fido at Brum',John Davis all ex jet pilots who ended up in ATC.
Incidentally did you know Abe Lincoln on the Shack? A Kiwi pilot that at least 3 of us at LATCC had flown with;Frank Leeming on Sunderlands,Bob Trott on Shackletons and myself on the Herc.
BW
I checked my '50yrs of Heathrow ATC' book to check your dates there and it got me thinking that for ex-military pilots the early 60s must have been a lean time for those who wanted to get civvie pilot jobs. People like Bunny Austin,Chas Griffin,John Smeath,Tony Bielby,Fido at Brum',John Davis all ex jet pilots who ended up in ATC.
Incidentally did you know Abe Lincoln on the Shack? A Kiwi pilot that at least 3 of us at LATCC had flown with;Frank Leeming on Sunderlands,Bob Trott on Shackletons and myself on the Herc.
BW
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good Lord; I had no idea I had mixed with such an elite group! However, my Cycling Proficiency Certificate doesn't count for nothing you know!
Bunny is still alive and well and I exchange emails with him occasionally. Wasn't Terry Quantrill a flying type - Javelins, later on Penny-farthing bike? I know the last bit is true because I rode it (the bike, not the Javelin) round the 6th floor Approach Room and couldn't get off!
Bunny is still alive and well and I exchange emails with him occasionally. Wasn't Terry Quantrill a flying type - Javelins, later on Penny-farthing bike? I know the last bit is true because I rode it (the bike, not the Javelin) round the 6th floor Approach Room and couldn't get off!
Last edited by HEATHROW DIRECTOR; 25th Oct 2010 at 17:54.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Surrey, Uk
Age: 72
Posts: 1,585
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Howling Dogs.
An assistant at Gails Radar in '77 - 78 ( Martin Coop ? ) had a black mongrel thing that he would sometimes bring into work. It was well behaved and just lay sleeping most of the time by your feet. However sometimes it would wake up and start howling loudly for no apparent reason.
A BEA Trident inbound to Glasgow one morning complained about interference on the frq. He said it sounded just like a dog howling. A mystery to me I said but would get Tels to look into it. A swift boot up its backside usually sorted the problem.
Clint.
An assistant at Gails Radar in '77 - 78 ( Martin Coop ? ) had a black mongrel thing that he would sometimes bring into work. It was well behaved and just lay sleeping most of the time by your feet. However sometimes it would wake up and start howling loudly for no apparent reason.
A BEA Trident inbound to Glasgow one morning complained about interference on the frq. He said it sounded just like a dog howling. A mystery to me I said but would get Tels to look into it. A swift boot up its backside usually sorted the problem.
Clint.
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When I worked abroad, one early morning after a night shift the Watch Sup was doing the Area bit whilst using his electric shaver to tidy up before going home. A foreign aircraft commented that there was a strange noise on the frequency. My boss, trying hard not to laugh, asked the pilot if he could describe the sound... "Eet sounds like zee shaving electrical" (or words to that effect). We all collapsed screaming..
Never had a dog in the tower out there (thank God - they all had rabies) but a Chameleon climbing up the venetian blind strings was a sight not many UK towers could boast!
Never had a dog in the tower out there (thank God - they all had rabies) but a Chameleon climbing up the venetian blind strings was a sight not many UK towers could boast!
Last edited by HEATHROW DIRECTOR; 27th Oct 2010 at 17:38.
"C" Watch Legends
A handful of names released the flow of a lot of memories! I was on "C" watch from mid 1966, as a Cadet, 'till February 1968,as ATCO4. Stewart McIvor was Deputy Supervisor, the Supervisor was a quiet chap called Bill Blott.
Jack Moffat was deputy to the deputy and often in charge during night duties, I think it was him who forgot to call a certain "long sleeper" (me!) in the early West Drayton days, I emerged about 8am wondering why the place was so bright, and who all the strangers in the ops-room were! ("B" watch?).
Alan Fletcher was the "D" controller when I (as a radar trainee) had an Airmiss near Compton between a German Airforce Noratlas and a BEA Viscount, he remained remarkably calm!
Pat Carroll had dual nationality and had done his (French) National Service flying JU52s into, among other places Dien Bien Fu (!). His command of vernacular French came to the assistance of many an "A" man trying to pass a load of estimates against the "French resistance"!
Dick Yeo was an unflappable, calm, gentleman who, I'm glad to say is still with us, in his 90s, and living in Falmouth, we still correspond.
Jack Moffat was deputy to the deputy and often in charge during night duties, I think it was him who forgot to call a certain "long sleeper" (me!) in the early West Drayton days, I emerged about 8am wondering why the place was so bright, and who all the strangers in the ops-room were! ("B" watch?).
Alan Fletcher was the "D" controller when I (as a radar trainee) had an Airmiss near Compton between a German Airforce Noratlas and a BEA Viscount, he remained remarkably calm!
Pat Carroll had dual nationality and had done his (French) National Service flying JU52s into, among other places Dien Bien Fu (!). His command of vernacular French came to the assistance of many an "A" man trying to pass a load of estimates against the "French resistance"!
Dick Yeo was an unflappable, calm, gentleman who, I'm glad to say is still with us, in his 90s, and living in Falmouth, we still correspond.
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: S -UK
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is it true that Trever H fired a Colt 45 in LATCC Ops room to prove to the disbelievers of the night Watch that it was a working replica? Probably in the early 70's.... and trust it was with blanks.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,812
Received 137 Likes
on
64 Posts
No 74 JATCAR ... Left right, as far as my memory will go these days: even the official Course Photo isn't annotated. Civ underlined, Mil first names only.
Front row ... John, Bernie, Frank Rittmeyer, Rick Wade, John, Mil, Mil, RN, Civ, Civ, Civ, Civ, Fighter Controller.
Top row ... Piers, Tim.
Sorry, it was a long time ago [Spring 1970]
[Edit ... please feel free to quote, with updates!]
Front row ... John, Bernie, Frank Rittmeyer, Rick Wade, John, Mil, Mil, RN, Civ, Civ, Civ, Civ, Fighter Controller.
Top row ... Piers, Tim.
Sorry, it was a long time ago [Spring 1970]
[Edit ... please feel free to quote, with updates!]
Last edited by MPN11; 27th Oct 2010 at 12:44.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: On the wireless...
Posts: 1,901
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by MPN11
Front row ... John, Bernie, Frank Rittmeyer, Rick Wade, John, Mil, Mil, RN, Civ, Civ, Civ, Civ, Fighter Controller
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,812
Received 137 Likes
on
64 Posts
Now were getting somewhere!
Front row ... John, Bernie, Frank Rittmeyer, Rick Wade, John, Mil, Mil, RN, Civ, Rod Wilde, Civ, Civ, Fighter Controller.
Tim and I spent hours cutting out a stylised "74" out of black sticky-stuff. There wasn't a pub lavvy seat in the area left without one of those under the lid And I did hear, later, that our defacement of the Sopley Ops Site signboard remained un-noticed for months!!
Front row ... John, Bernie, Frank Rittmeyer, Rick Wade, John, Mil, Mil, RN, Civ, Rod Wilde, Civ, Civ, Fighter Controller.
Tim and I spent hours cutting out a stylised "74" out of black sticky-stuff. There wasn't a pub lavvy seat in the area left without one of those under the lid
And I did hear, later, that our defacement of the Sopley Ops Site signboard remained un-noticed for months!!
More than just an ATCO
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Up someone's nose
Age: 75
Posts: 1,768
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From Sopley about that time, the "Fly Navy" sticker with the words reversed and an extremely long zip inserted in the middle as a sign of the FAA's superiority in the bedroom.
I wonder if it's a record but at least three pupils from Luton Grammar School ended up in ATC - Martyn Cooper, Brian Chumleigh (sp? and not sure if the surname, was an ATCA 2 at LATCC the last time I saw him) and me
added; there was a fourth,; on here as "Old Controller" I think and was at Manston?
I wonder if it's a record but at least three pupils from Luton Grammar School ended up in ATC - Martyn Cooper, Brian Chumleigh (sp? and not sure if the surname, was an ATCA 2 at LATCC the last time I saw him) and me
added; there was a fourth,; on here as "Old Controller" I think and was at Manston?
Last edited by Lon More; 31st Oct 2010 at 11:06.
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Loved about the zip Lon More. In the Approach Room at Heathrow, on the peg board where frequencies, etc, were displayed someone hung up a picture of a Slovakian person playing a penny whistle. Using the plug-in letters under it was written "Recorder Czech".