ATC History
Currently reading an ATCO's memoir and got to a piece where he mentions female cadets. Got me thinking. Who was the first one?
I know Chrissie at LATCC was on a fairly early cadet course as was Sue at LL. I guess there may have been 'Class to Class' (ex-ATSAs) ladies even earlier.
When I started at Latcc late '74 I think out of c400 ATCOs only 8 were from the fairer sex; VW on 'A',TF on 'B',CL LA and AS on 'C', HC on 'D' and PB and MQ on 'E' - sorry if I've forgotten someone!
Even at LL late '86 there were only 4. I guess times have really changed!
It must have been really tough for those trailblazers, even us chaps had to endure some tough 'old-school' mentors!
I remember back in about '99,one evening doing GMC at LL and Speedbird says 'You sound happy' and I replied ' Yeah, I'm the only man here working with 4 gorgeous girls'.
Happy Days!
I know Chrissie at LATCC was on a fairly early cadet course as was Sue at LL. I guess there may have been 'Class to Class' (ex-ATSAs) ladies even earlier.
When I started at Latcc late '74 I think out of c400 ATCOs only 8 were from the fairer sex; VW on 'A',TF on 'B',CL LA and AS on 'C', HC on 'D' and PB and MQ on 'E' - sorry if I've forgotten someone!
Even at LL late '86 there were only 4. I guess times have really changed!
It must have been really tough for those trailblazers, even us chaps had to endure some tough 'old-school' mentors!
I remember back in about '99,one evening doing GMC at LL and Speedbird says 'You sound happy' and I replied ' Yeah, I'm the only man here working with 4 gorgeous girls'.
Happy Days!
MB
If that was Deidre I think she was on the Class to Class one after mine,that's why I'd not mentioned her.
I now have a vague memory of another South-Banker on the wings, who I think didn't make it on radar - Sylvie? or something like that, bespectacled and quite pretty.(As you all were, girls!).
When I was at PO 80-82 used to get to talk to Heather N-C at West Scottish, who later was an instructor at CATC, I guess she was about my age.
Was Wendy on 28 the first female Top Cadet? She did very well considering the stiff (oops!) competition on that course - lot of 'stars' there.
Helen O'C was great - when I had a clanger at LL she was the investigating Inspector and really sympathetic and nice to deal with.
I now have a vague memory of another South-Banker on the wings, who I think didn't make it on radar - Sylvie? or something like that, bespectacled and quite pretty.(As you all were, girls!).
When I was at PO 80-82 used to get to talk to Heather N-C at West Scottish, who later was an instructor at CATC, I guess she was about my age.
Was Wendy on 28 the first female Top Cadet? She did very well considering the stiff (oops!) competition on that course - lot of 'stars' there.
Helen O'C was great - when I had a clanger at LL she was the investigating Inspector and really sympathetic and nice to deal with.
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ATC History
Hi again.
Wendy was on the same cadet course as Bridget.
I think the first female cadet may have been Trudy Hollis.
We had a problem at DM as we were civilians but the flyers were military and needed to fly at any old time. Also, we were charging the MOD an enormous amount of money for our services.
They put the contract out to tender and Airwork got it. We had to train them and to be honest they were hopeless. I was training one of them on Wallop, a chopper called up and he identified it using SSR. A short time later he got the pilot to fly a heading and then turned it 30% to identify it!
The Airwork guys did not validate so the MOD put the military in, which I think was what they wanted. I loved it there.
I had lost my licences as I was diabetic, then went to HQ. I then fell ill again and had almost a year sick. I was therefore kicked out.
Cheers.
JP.
Wendy was on the same cadet course as Bridget.
I think the first female cadet may have been Trudy Hollis.
We had a problem at DM as we were civilians but the flyers were military and needed to fly at any old time. Also, we were charging the MOD an enormous amount of money for our services.
They put the contract out to tender and Airwork got it. We had to train them and to be honest they were hopeless. I was training one of them on Wallop, a chopper called up and he identified it using SSR. A short time later he got the pilot to fly a heading and then turned it 30% to identify it!
The Airwork guys did not validate so the MOD put the military in, which I think was what they wanted. I loved it there.
I had lost my licences as I was diabetic, then went to HQ. I then fell ill again and had almost a year sick. I was therefore kicked out.
Cheers.
JP.
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Brian 48 nav
I think that was Sylvia....can't remember her surname. When I first met her, she was going out with the late Pete Withers (he was sharing a flat in Feltham at the time; not the famous place on the green, with Neil Waller). I next encountered her at latcc in the early 80's when she was working in ATC Ops3, married I think to a bloke called Fred Nash.
I think that was Sylvia....can't remember her surname. When I first met her, she was going out with the late Pete Withers (he was sharing a flat in Feltham at the time; not the famous place on the green, with Neil Waller). I next encountered her at latcc in the early 80's when she was working in ATC Ops3, married I think to a bloke called Fred Nash.
JP
I can't PM you - I'll have to seek permission before I reveal the name.
Loki,
I didn't know Pete Withers but can remember him, IIRC one of 4 young ATCOs to die while I was there - Stu(?) Hicks from flu I think,another guy died after a game of squash and someone else I think had been on a reunion p-up and hit his head getting off a train, believe he died in his sleep.
All very sad! Let's talk about the girls again!
Brian Wildey
Loki,
I didn't know Pete Withers but can remember him, IIRC one of 4 young ATCOs to die while I was there - Stu(?) Hicks from flu I think,another guy died after a game of squash and someone else I think had been on a reunion p-up and hit his head getting off a train, believe he died in his sleep.
All very sad! Let's talk about the girls again!
Brian Wildey
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I was on 28 course, there was a trio of girls on one of the courses we overlapped with at the college.
One was Linda Morrison, another Judy Hunt; was H O'C the third, or am I losing it after all this time?
One was Linda Morrison, another Judy Hunt; was H O'C the third, or am I losing it after all this time?
Loki
When I was doing Twr at Brum, Apr-Aug '74, (slight overlap with Hobbsy and long overlap with Bob Parry) there were 2 ladies doing APC names Brenda & Linda along with Ollie Smith - so I guess about 26 course.
I think Helen may have been before that?
I think Helen may have been before that?
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Christine Thorburn (?) must have been on a fairly early cadet course. Christine was at Glasgow when I arrived in 1979 on ATCA famil from 39 Course and she'd been there a while. During that time she'd become Christine Goodwin. I think she might have been top cadet on whichever cadet course she was on. She retired last year from EGAC. When I was posted to Glasgow in 1980, she and Linda Morrison were the only two lady ATCOs there.
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ATCA Famil from 39 Course, at Glasgow. - That should lead to an 'ident' shortly.
Stand-by while I dig out the course documentation from the late Chas Davies.
As for the Tridents.......MONSTER!!
(especially the 3Bs)!
Stand-by while I dig out the course documentation from the late Chas Davies.
As for the Tridents.......MONSTER!!
(especially the 3Bs)!