ATC History
 

Hi Lon.

Just "Google" it.

The service is brilliant and I managed to find a book published in 1919 at the first attempt.

JP.

John Dancer. Now there's a name to bring some memories to the fore. Agree completely with the health warning.

The Killers even mentioned JD's prowess in their hit "Human" :-
"Are we human, or are we dancer?"

OK , I'll get me coat :O

I remember Denny Johns quite well - married her - TWICE.!
She's very well, commends you on your outstanding memory and would love to know who you are. I'm not so sure!!!

LM, try the following link:-

http://www.zebedeelist.co.uk/furnitu...kOrderForm.pdf

/RTFM

Hank P..

Guess you know Hank is no longer with us...... Thoroughly decent chap.

colin b was my watch supervisor when i was a sprog at eghh 1976. eventually, when i made supervisor at eghh 1990, i did exactly what he used to do - sit in a chair and laugh like a drain. he went on to become mayor of his wife's village in france - typical.
jack collins was another favourite of mine from hurn days. as were bob coney, stuart coning, hank, dick johnston - 1976, the BIG summer, what a time to be in bournemouth. what a beach!

days gone by
 

JP
If ever for your tome needs a photo from BD with JC AB and IB from 1982, I have it!! Suits and jackets as was required then!! Happy Days. II

Bit of history going on ebay here.

HD . . Hank certainly was a great guy and with a superbly dry sense of humour . . which I only saw him loose on one occasion. He was also a master of carpentry and I am sure sadly missed by all who knew him.

The occasion revolved around a tower duty one afternoon . . . I am sure Hank would not mind me telling the story . . .

Hank was Twr Sup and I was Air Dep 27L . . . GJETC (or perhaps A or B) was lining up and requested higher on a BCN departure which seemed reasonable and after a couple of calls I managed to organise climb FL130 which was duly passed before being cleared 4 Take off.

Well . . the roll was the shortest ever, wheels off and up passing Block 84 . . . but no climb . . . 20ft max . . . until Block 79 . . . then vertical.
Spectacular Yes, but kinda right outside MASU widows (Maneuvering Area Safety Unit) over on the southside . . . Hank picks up ringing phone (MASU) which he has to hold some 10 inches from his ear, I can almost hear it and I have a headset on.
The phone goes down with a crash and without any conversation from Hank who turns to me and with the straightest face imaginable (and a stern expression ) says ''Did you tell him to do that'' in an equally stern voice !!

I think I replied something like . . Hank, how would you possibly phrase such a clearance !!? and everyone dissolved in tears, well except the guys in MASU. As for the citation it popped out of the overhead (DFTI) and into SSR coverage at something like 140 and still going.

Those were the days . . .

Anyone remember the final HS21 departures . . . all stripped down and just enough fuel for Wroughton/Cardiff etc . . . So they can climb !!! not quite as above but quite impressive off 27 L.:cool:

? . . why did the F111's stop doing the PD's then:sad:

OOps . . . re the above and not wishing to confuse . . . it was definitely 28L . . . (saw T4 in Op but not the 27's) . . . however, I may accept a visit to the New Tower, if there is still a familiar face around ?

Anyone interested in a very grainy B&W of the Shuttle fly by ! (on the back of the 74) definitely 28R and taken from ' The Balcony ' . . . Oh for a mobile phone with XX! Gig in your pocket.

Keep up the good work people :D

A great shame to let this thread disappear into the depths of page 5, particularly in view of the obvious interest from the number of hits.

arrffaa, HD, India 99 etc

Knew about Hank and Colin and indeed one or two others no longer with us – does not seem possible. Other names dragged out of the recesses of one’s memory from Hurn, 69/early 70s…Ron Minnikin (sp?), Jack Collins (still there when we (IAL) took over the contract in ’79), Don White, John Hargreaves, Les Revell, Ralph “Bluie” Hebron, Jan, Nicky, Gwyneth, Paul Temple (“Tall Pimple”), “Lucky” Craven and a couple of so-called Chief Officers (non-op Head Men – better not mention the names) who were complete fruitcakes.

2 s

2 sheds... You mentioned Lucky Craven.. When I left school in '61 I was too dumb to get into ATC so I became the lowest of the low - a temporary clerk in MoA HQ At Tavistock Place. The office I worked in dealt with the provision of telephone landlines for ATC so the Tels people in the office were constantly dealing with ATC types in Woburn Place, next door. I used to gaze in awe at the ATCOs who visited our office as I so wanted to be one!

Lucky was one of the ATCOs and he visited my boss one day and was telling a story during a tea break (tea trolley!!) recalling his days at Bournemouth. Apparently some high-ranking aviation types were visiting from Europe so before entertaining them in his office Lucky popped out and bought an imitation dog poo from a local toy shop. He postioned it just behind one of the legs of his desk and set up the visitors' chairs so one of them would just notice it... and he added a few drops of water for effect. Sure enough, when the visitors arrived they'd only sat down for five minutes when one noticed the poo. Lucky followed his eyes round the end of his desk... exclaimed "Oh that bl**dy dog", took out his hanky, picked the poo up in in, put it in his pocket and carried on as if nothing had happened. He said the look on the visitors's faces was a joy.. and they didn't stay long!!

I was getting my boss's tea from the trolley one day and Lucky gave me some imitation plastic sugar to put in his cup. I did, but it had no effect because being a Tels blokes didn't have the same zany sense of humour as Lucky.

If I recall didn't Lucky get the name because he was the sole survivor of his bomber crew?? I guess he's long gone but to me, a 17-yr old at the time, he was a hero!

HD

You might be right - I always assumed that it was a reference to Craven Lucky Strike fags!

2 s

2 S.... Probably also, although I don't recall Lucky smoking.

I've got some photos of Lucky Craven 'working' on the D-side.....

Wow, M, I'd love to see them..... Did you ever come across George Endersby, Charlie Fearn, Pat O'Hara, Paul leBorgne or Dave Henson? I worked in an office next to these guys in the 60s.

ATC History Squawk Ident
 

Hello,

I am an aviation student and the proud owner of 32 hours. A retired British ATC visitor attended at my flight school recently, and I asked him about squawk idents. He started to explain why there are no 8's and 9's used in squawk idents. He then said that in the early days, he would count four strokes on the radar screen, to a maximum of seven.

I note this comment earlier,

"Prior to this they showed as a single bar before identification, then a two bar once identified and during the squawk ident process (20 secs duration) there was a third bar flashing."

I would appreciate further explanation of the early four stroke system, up to 7 and what this means.

Thank you