Heathrow - Your first flight
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1947? G-AHEN LHR-PIK-SNN(wait for replacement screen)-YQX(stuck for a few days waiting for the jetstream to die down cos we couldn't make it to YUL)-YUL. No I can't remember all this - its all from what my parents told me later - I was only 2 years old!
The next time was as a second officer with BOAC on 707-436's and it was my first trip as a u/t nav in June 1967
Memories!!
The next time was as a second officer with BOAC on 707-436's and it was my first trip as a u/t nav in June 1967
Memories!!
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Aahh, the DC-4. HD must have been in one.
Is there anyone out there who remembers a red strap being pulled out of the overhead panel on landing - was it something to do with stopping the windshield cracking from vibration? Maybe it is just my imagination, but it really was a long time ago since J/S on those from SEN to Ostend.
Is there anyone out there who remembers a red strap being pulled out of the overhead panel on landing - was it something to do with stopping the windshield cracking from vibration? Maybe it is just my imagination, but it really was a long time ago since J/S on those from SEN to Ostend.
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No, to my immense regret I have never flown in a DC-4. I have been semi-promised a ride if I ever get to South Africa again but for various reasons I don't think that'll be on. Might be on a Catalina in a few weeks tho'!
Been in a Dak... on honeymoon to Jersey. We expected a Herald, but it went tech so they wheeled out a Dak. Brilliant!
Arem mentioned: "nav". You have my respect, sir; not many about nowadays.
Been in a Dak... on honeymoon to Jersey. We expected a Herald, but it went tech so they wheeled out a Dak. Brilliant!
Arem mentioned: "nav". You have my respect, sir; not many about nowadays.
I arrived from LBA on the jumpseat of a Viscount in 1980, 28R, into a dusk sky.
The lights, complexity of taxiways, radio traffic, and general activity left a profound impression to a 20 year old student!
r
The lights, complexity of taxiways, radio traffic, and general activity left a profound impression to a 20 year old student!
r
Feb 1968 in a British Eagle BAC 1-11 after having made an emergency landing en route BHX-PMI in another British Eagle 1-11 a couple of hours earlier.
The BHX-departing aircraft suffered an engine failure just after take-off aircraft, with the benefit of hind-sight it sounded like a compressor stable - a rapid string of muffled bangs and then an announcement by the Captain that he'd shut down an engine and we were diverting to LHR.
I remember the lights of central London as we circled for a night landing at LHR accompanied by emergency services with 'blues and twos' after touchdown. We disembarked down the rear steps under the whistling APU and were parked in the middle of Cravelles from Iberia and Alitalia. The sound sight and smell were wonderful!
I was ten years old and it was my first ever flight. Mum stayed serenely calm throughout, whereas Dad - who got claustrophobic on aeroplanes - as soon as we were in the departure lounge at LHR headed quickly to the bar to calm his nerves.
Mum thought all airliners had four engines and that losing one of these was no big deal. As Dad got his drink she heard other passengers praising the pilots for the single engine landing and discovered the 1-11 only had 2 engines. "I will have that drink after all," she shouted across to my Dad!
The BHX-departing aircraft suffered an engine failure just after take-off aircraft, with the benefit of hind-sight it sounded like a compressor stable - a rapid string of muffled bangs and then an announcement by the Captain that he'd shut down an engine and we were diverting to LHR.
I remember the lights of central London as we circled for a night landing at LHR accompanied by emergency services with 'blues and twos' after touchdown. We disembarked down the rear steps under the whistling APU and were parked in the middle of Cravelles from Iberia and Alitalia. The sound sight and smell were wonderful!
I was ten years old and it was my first ever flight. Mum stayed serenely calm throughout, whereas Dad - who got claustrophobic on aeroplanes - as soon as we were in the departure lounge at LHR headed quickly to the bar to calm his nerves.
Mum thought all airliners had four engines and that losing one of these was no big deal. As Dad got his drink she heard other passengers praising the pilots for the single engine landing and discovered the 1-11 only had 2 engines. "I will have that drink after all," she shouted across to my Dad!
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Early '50s (possibly 1951) in a Handley Page Hermes routeing: LHR - Rome - Cairo - Khartoum - Entebbe - Dar es Salaam.
Think the aircraft was named 'Heron' but can't find the reg at the moment.
In those days you dressed UP to go travelling......not DOWN!
Aaaaaah what a way to travel!
FW
PS Although very young I clearly remember departing from the 'temporary' terminal near the Bath Road. Any pictures of those buildings on the net?
Think the aircraft was named 'Heron' but can't find the reg at the moment.
In those days you dressed UP to go travelling......not DOWN!
Aaaaaah what a way to travel!
FW
PS Although very young I clearly remember departing from the 'temporary' terminal near the Bath Road. Any pictures of those buildings on the net?
Last edited by Fokkerwokker; 15th Feb 2007 at 14:03.
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Mine was LHR - DUS on a LH 727, won a competion at work (used to work for an LHR Freight forwarder at the time) went from DUS - FRA on their high speed train service and back to LHR the same day on a 737.. Thanks Luftansa!
ps was 1982 or 1983 I think!
ps was 1982 or 1983 I think!
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My very first flight was in a Hunting Clan Bristol Britannia 317. G-APNB. London Heathrow to Nicosia, Cyprus in November 1959. Trooping flight.
I was 8. Fantastic. I really enjoyed it.
Clint.
I was 8. Fantastic. I really enjoyed it.
Clint.
Death Cruiser Flight Crew
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June 1953, from the old North Side: Heathrow - Tripoli - Kano - Accra. BOAC Canadair Argonaut G-ALHI 'Antares'. (Now do you get the GeorgeAbleLove bit?) Except the final phonetic should be Item, not India. Only my friend - and total Anorak - 'Discorde' has ever corrected me on it!
(arem must've been one of the first Hamble graduates to get into BOAC. BEA took all the ones from the first courses. Their arrival caused great excitement amongst the stewardesses. Up to then there had been a dearth of young pilots, just about the only 'eligible batchelor' being in his early forties, IIRC.)
(arem must've been one of the first Hamble graduates to get into BOAC. BEA took all the ones from the first courses. Their arrival caused great excitement amongst the stewardesses. Up to then there had been a dearth of young pilots, just about the only 'eligible batchelor' being in his early forties, IIRC.)
Last edited by Georgeablelovehowindia; 15th Feb 2007 at 17:06.
A bit later than some, despite growing up on top of the place I was a late starter on flying.
Thanksgiving Day (November2??) 1971 LHR -JFK on BA175 a pretty new 747.
A BOAC despatcher friend of my old mans and our neighbour ( staff travel trip of course, me and a pal going to Barbados via NY) showed us around the aircraft before boarding.Where would you like to sit said he indicating the vastness of economy class.We chose a couple of seats in front of the wing (no chance of that in Y these days). When we got back to his office he checked his his terminal ,yes they did have computers of a sort then and said-Oh they 'e been allocated already-never mind I dont suppose those passengers had any idea so we will put you two in there.-click click tap tap and its done.
PB
Thanksgiving Day (November2??) 1971 LHR -JFK on BA175 a pretty new 747.
A BOAC despatcher friend of my old mans and our neighbour ( staff travel trip of course, me and a pal going to Barbados via NY) showed us around the aircraft before boarding.Where would you like to sit said he indicating the vastness of economy class.We chose a couple of seats in front of the wing (no chance of that in Y these days). When we got back to his office he checked his his terminal ,yes they did have computers of a sort then and said-Oh they 'e been allocated already-never mind I dont suppose those passengers had any idea so we will put you two in there.-click click tap tap and its done.
PB
telfboy
You are very modest
As a long time airband listener and heathrow brat I often wondered if pilots got nervous doing their first trip ata mega airport. However in spite of your nervousness I bet you felt that you really had made the big league when you first got to say 'Good morning London AB xxx ready to start for .......' and I am sure you ahd earned it too after the long road to an airline flight deck
PB
You are very modest
As a long time airband listener and heathrow brat I often wondered if pilots got nervous doing their first trip ata mega airport. However in spite of your nervousness I bet you felt that you really had made the big league when you first got to say 'Good morning London AB xxx ready to start for .......' and I am sure you ahd earned it too after the long road to an airline flight deck
PB
I see all the old friends recalling their past here
My first time in was on British Eagle One Eleven G-ATPI in September 1968, coming down from Liverpool. A surprisingly high speed turnoff/swerve from 28R. Did they do those so long ago ? Yes they did.
The sad bit is, despite NOT being a spotter, that registration is not in any notes or anything but is in my head, and has been so for nearly 40 years.
My first time in was on British Eagle One Eleven G-ATPI in September 1968, coming down from Liverpool. A surprisingly high speed turnoff/swerve from 28R. Did they do those so long ago ? Yes they did.
The sad bit is, despite NOT being a spotter, that registration is not in any notes or anything but is in my head, and has been so for nearly 40 years.
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Terrific replies and nice to know the topic evokes such brilliant memories.
Whoever mentioned age SSK - I was first carried on a Britannia at the age of 11 months, or so I'm told! Must confess, it's about the only flight I do not remember.
But hey, memory gathering pace today, we did not end up in Idlewild on that delivery flight, but Newark and sadly I recall looking out of the Greyhound bus at the N.Y. skyline. Plane went on down to B. Aires.
Great to see some replies from you guys strapped into the r/h seat, let alone the left.
So come on, who is going to spoil the Hermes, Rapide, Britannia, Viscount, Vanguard, 1-11 and VC.10 et other memories and declare that they think it might have been in an SST
Feather#3 - did you ever drink in a pub somewhere near the Gloucester Rd. in the early 70's with some expats from SIA?
Whoever mentioned age SSK - I was first carried on a Britannia at the age of 11 months, or so I'm told! Must confess, it's about the only flight I do not remember.
But hey, memory gathering pace today, we did not end up in Idlewild on that delivery flight, but Newark and sadly I recall looking out of the Greyhound bus at the N.Y. skyline. Plane went on down to B. Aires.
Great to see some replies from you guys strapped into the r/h seat, let alone the left.
So come on, who is going to spoil the Hermes, Rapide, Britannia, Viscount, Vanguard, 1-11 and VC.10 et other memories and declare that they think it might have been in an SST
Feather#3 - did you ever drink in a pub somewhere near the Gloucester Rd. in the early 70's with some expats from SIA?
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I shared my Heathrow career with Concorde; we started around the same time but she saw me out and I shed a lot of tears when I watched the very last take-off. We bought our #1 son a ride on Conc for his 21st birthday and he never ceases to remind us about it - we never made it unfortunately. One of our most treasured possessions is a galley container from the Concorde fleet which some dear friends bought us for Christmas... Sad, I know, but my wife and I are loony about such things.
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Brilliant thread. BOAC Boeing 707-436 G-APFG, 21st July 1964, London Heathrow to Hong Kong.
Those were the days when the HKG route was via Frankfurt, Rome, Beirut, Bahrein, New Delhi, and Bangkok to Hong Kong, the shortest sector (to Frankfurt) being 1 hour 23 min. and the longest (to Bangkok) being 3 hours 43 min. Window seat 16F in economy gave a first class geography lesson on all the daylight legs, as no one insisted on the window blinds being pulled down so that people could watch a film or have a mandatory doze so as not to disturb the peace of the cabin crew.
A meal was served on every sector, and they were of a quality that would be a credit to Business Class today. All the passengers were smartly dressed, the men in suits and a good proportion of the ladies wore hats.
Thanks to Captain Jasinski for an inspiring visit to the flight deck on the final leg - I've been 'in the business' ever since!
Those were the days when the HKG route was via Frankfurt, Rome, Beirut, Bahrein, New Delhi, and Bangkok to Hong Kong, the shortest sector (to Frankfurt) being 1 hour 23 min. and the longest (to Bangkok) being 3 hours 43 min. Window seat 16F in economy gave a first class geography lesson on all the daylight legs, as no one insisted on the window blinds being pulled down so that people could watch a film or have a mandatory doze so as not to disturb the peace of the cabin crew.
A meal was served on every sector, and they were of a quality that would be a credit to Business Class today. All the passengers were smartly dressed, the men in suits and a good proportion of the ladies wore hats.
Thanks to Captain Jasinski for an inspiring visit to the flight deck on the final leg - I've been 'in the business' ever since!