BBC 1966-67

[J.Don.]

Hi
Does anyone out there remember a BBC series called I believe The Professionals, i.e. Docters, Lawyers,& of course PILOTS, if I remember correctly it dealt in some detail with airline pilots & their various problems including whether they preferred flying British or American aircraft,not a choice to-day I might add.
J.Don.

[jammydonut]

Bodey - Doil and the Sweeney was on ITV

[Conan the Librarian]

I think that may have been a little later than 67. I would say around 70-71. If it is the programme I am thinking about, the subject of one episode,was centred on women in different roles within the RAF and carried a section on the Brittania which I remember for other reasons :-)

Conan

[Hussar 54]

Remember seeing something a few months ago on TV in Ghana which might have been what you're thinking about.....An old black and white documentary about about BOAC Captain taking a 707 to somewhere out East.

The prrgamme started with the guy getting into his car outside his house and the commentary ( can't remember his name ) along the lines of '' Capt XXX is about to start his most dangerous job of the day - driving his car to the Airport ''

I was in a friend's house so couldn't politetly watch after that, but there was a scene where it showed the crew disembarking ( perhaps Bahrain ) and something about the skipper always stayed in a different hotel than the rest of the crew.

Could that be the one ?

[J.Don.]

Yes I do remember BOAC Captain XX I think they were on aservice to the Far East via Frankfurt & the film was certainly in black & white, I do not how ever remember any military involvment at all it might be a good idea for me to search the BBC web-site or perhaps the BA archives if they hav,nt thrown them all away.
Regards J.Don

[D120A]

The Pilots

You are looking for the documentary The Pilots, made in about 1962-63 by Richard Cawston for the BBC. The film had as its main theme the BOAC Boeing 707-436 service to the Far East, and followed it via Frankfurt and Rome as far as Beirut. The captain was Captain Ernest Rodley, who I think was the first British airline pilot to receive a jet rating on his licence, on the Comet 1. He was the first because he raced a fellow newly Comet-rated pilot to the ARB in London and won because he owned the faster car! Captain Rodley was a distinguished Lancaster pilot during the war, and left the RAF as a Wing Commander.

The film was actually an inspiration to a great many of us who went into aviation in the 1960s.