Heathrow - Your first flight
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Originally Posted by Fokkerwokker
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.
Think the aircraft was named 'Heron' but can't find the reg at the moment.
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When, what airline and what type?
Paxing All Over The World
Fokkerwokker
Yes, I remember them too because our parents made my elder sister, brother and I be turned out smart for our first flight as a family in December 1965.
I had visited LHR before, from our home in Cambridge, to see my sister off on a school exchange trip to Rome in 64 or 65. She was on Alitalia so it was probably a Caravelle??
On Dec 4th or 5th 1965, BOAC VC-10 for JNB via CIA (IIRC) and NBO. Being a family of five, we had a row to ourselves and I had the aisle seat of the three, so as to be nearest to my parents - yes I was the naughty one who needed to be controlled! We were smartly dressed and took it in turns to sit at the window.
Rome was just a blur but Nairobi was MAGICAL. To get off the plane and walk around the airport in the middle of the night?? was VERY exciting to a nine year old! When we got out at NBO, my sister immediately said that the night time 'sound track' was just like Daktari!
Then to JNB in the blazing morning sun ... I have made that journey many times since by Super VC-10 and 741/2/3/4 and 343 and shall be making that journey again in April on (probably) a 346. Watching the dawn come up over Africa NEVER fails to thrill me.
Yes, I too lost my Junior Jet Club log book.
Whilst it is true that I loathe BAA at LHR, I have an enduring love for the field itself and the many trips made from it. Even this week, dropping a friend off at T1 (SAA to CPT!) made me feel all cosy.
I cannot refrain from saying ... 8th August 2003 on G-BOAC. For me, it was altogether perfect to ride on 'BOAC' and I also have a galley container but I bought it for myself!!
[There is a sudden loud rustling of anorak from the wardrobe.
]
In those days you dressed UP to go travelling......not DOWN! Aaaaaah what a way to travel!
I had visited LHR before, from our home in Cambridge, to see my sister off on a school exchange trip to Rome in 64 or 65. She was on Alitalia so it was probably a Caravelle??
On Dec 4th or 5th 1965, BOAC VC-10 for JNB via CIA (IIRC) and NBO. Being a family of five, we had a row to ourselves and I had the aisle seat of the three, so as to be nearest to my parents - yes I was the naughty one who needed to be controlled! We were smartly dressed and took it in turns to sit at the window.
Rome was just a blur but Nairobi was MAGICAL. To get off the plane and walk around the airport in the middle of the night?? was VERY exciting to a nine year old! When we got out at NBO, my sister immediately said that the night time 'sound track' was just like Daktari!
Then to JNB in the blazing morning sun ... I have made that journey many times since by Super VC-10 and 741/2/3/4 and 343 and shall be making that journey again in April on (probably) a 346. Watching the dawn come up over Africa NEVER fails to thrill me.
Yes, I too lost my Junior Jet Club log book.
Whilst it is true that I loathe BAA at LHR, I have an enduring love for the field itself and the many trips made from it. Even this week, dropping a friend off at T1 (SAA to CPT!) made me feel all cosy.
I cannot refrain from saying ... 8th August 2003 on G-BOAC. For me, it was altogether perfect to ride on 'BOAC' and I also have a galley container but I bought it for myself!!
[There is a sudden loud rustling of anorak from the wardrobe.
]
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1961 before I got in a Viscount. Went to Lisbon, but that was out of LGW.
Did Bealine have them in '54? I can't keep going up to the loft to check these historical facts
Was the VCV in service by '54?
Fast forwarding, think last flight out of EGLL was off Rwy 23L albeit the sole surviving one at the time. Sure was a windy night.
Longest flight into Heathrow was a bit like D120's outbound but obviously not quite so inspiring as cannot remember sector times let alone seat number (but it was in a very comfortable section with a lounge above
staff travel was great apart from offloads)
It was SIA's inaugural 747 service via.....umm, Bangkok, Bombay, Bahrein, Athens, & Frankfurt or Amsterdam. Everywhere we landed the Press came out and local dignitaries - think it was well over 22 hours. Even got a commemorative coin in a paperweight or similar.
Lucky you PAXboy - but will someone remember Concord (as it was first spelled down in Bristol) as their 1st arr/dep at LHR......there's bound to be one out there!!
I'll never know what I missed - the old man left Bristol's/BAC before it flew and I only got in it on the ground.
Did Bealine have them in '54? I can't keep going up to the loft to check these historical facts
Was the VCV in service by '54?
Fast forwarding, think last flight out of EGLL was off Rwy 23L albeit the sole surviving one at the time. Sure was a windy night.
Longest flight into Heathrow was a bit like D120's outbound but obviously not quite so inspiring as cannot remember sector times let alone seat number (but it was in a very comfortable section with a lounge above
staff travel was great apart from offloads)It was SIA's inaugural 747 service via.....umm, Bangkok, Bombay, Bahrein, Athens, & Frankfurt or Amsterdam. Everywhere we landed the Press came out and local dignitaries - think it was well over 22 hours. Even got a commemorative coin in a paperweight or similar.
Lucky you PAXboy - but will someone remember Concord (as it was first spelled down in Bristol) as their 1st arr/dep at LHR......there's bound to be one out there!!
I'll never know what I missed - the old man left Bristol's/BAC before it flew and I only got in it on the ground.
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Originally Posted by GK430
1961 before I got in a Viscount. Went to Lisbon, but that was out of LGW.
Did Bealine have them in '54?
Did Bealine have them in '54?
1953
1 April: Tourist fares introduced on BEA routes throughout Europe.
3 April: BOAC introduced Comet jet services to Tokyo, reducing the flight time to 33 hours from the previous 86 hours.
On 18 April BEA began the worlds first sustained airscrew-turbined airliner passenger service with Vickers Viscount V.701 G-AMNY flying London-Rome-Athens-Nicosia.
1 April: Tourist fares introduced on BEA routes throughout Europe.
3 April: BOAC introduced Comet jet services to Tokyo, reducing the flight time to 33 hours from the previous 86 hours.
On 18 April BEA began the worlds first sustained airscrew-turbined airliner passenger service with Vickers Viscount V.701 G-AMNY flying London-Rome-Athens-Nicosia.
**** I'm getting old, they still look 'new' to me
Death Cruiser Flight Crew
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PAXboy: Yes, your sister almost certainly flew on a Caravelle.
Rome Ciampino on your VC10 ... probably not, unless perhaps Fiumicino was out in fog. FCO opened in 1960 (or 1961) when Britannia 102s were still the mainstay on the African routes.
Rome Ciampino on your VC10 ... probably not, unless perhaps Fiumicino was out in fog. FCO opened in 1960 (or 1961) when Britannia 102s were still the mainstay on the African routes.
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My first out of Heathrow was not as early as some: an Air Canada DC8L to Montreal in 1974. It sticks in my mind because it had smoking and non-smoking sections. One on one side of the central aisle and t'other on t'other. To a non-smoker this did not constitute a smoke-free area in any way at all!
'b
'b
Regarding "Captain Jasinski", an article in Propliner magazine a while ago about the BOAC Canadair Argonauts in the 1950s said that BOAC at the time had a couple of Polish flight deck crew, ex-Polish Air Force Spitfire pilots based in Britain in WW2 who had married British girls and stayed on. Possibly the same.
Originally Posted by awerobelly
Air Canada ..... smoking and non-smoking sections. One on one side of the central aisle and t'other on t'other. To a non-smoker this did not constitute a smoke-free area in any way at all!
Viscounts
Junior Jet Club
Concorde
Too mean to buy a long personal title
For me, it was July 1964, LHR-BSL. But I can't claim to remember anything as I was only 5˝ weeks old.
My Junior Jet Club logbook is, fortunately, safe at home. Unfortunately, it only starts in 1974. I think I could probably reconstruct much of my previous flying from the collection of ticket receipts, though, which I have continued to maintain even though recently they have been far less glamorous than they used to be.
My Junior Jet Club logbook is, fortunately, safe at home. Unfortunately, it only starts in 1974. I think I could probably reconstruct much of my previous flying from the collection of ticket receipts, though, which I have continued to maintain even though recently they have been far less glamorous than they used to be.
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I recall about the last three rows down the rear of Royal Brunei 767's set aside for smoking into the 1990's - I think 92 was about the last time I flew in one.
No alcohol served on board, but you could take your own and cabin crew would chill a bottle for you to have during the meal service
No alcohol served on board, but you could take your own and cabin crew would chill a bottle for you to have during the meal service
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First flight into Heathrow was in BEA Vangaurd G-APEL in May 1968. Fare was 29 shillings.
Last flight into Heathrow was in a PA31, G-CITY in 1996. Landing charges 624 quid!
Last flight into Heathrow was in a PA31, G-CITY in 1996. Landing charges 624 quid!
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First LHR departure was by BEA Trident to LeBourget, July 1966.
On the same holiday, Icelandic CL-44 JFK to KEF to LUX and
return. Surface LUX to London and Paris to LUX.
====
First flight - Piper J3 at age about 13,
Next, USAF C-47 ADW <> Stewart AFB, New York,
probably 1951.
First commercial DCA to LGA, Martin 202 or 404, about 1954
then continued by Sikorski helicopter of NY Airways to EWR.
I worked for an aviation enthusist
On the same holiday, Icelandic CL-44 JFK to KEF to LUX and
return. Surface LUX to London and Paris to LUX.
====
First flight - Piper J3 at age about 13,
Next, USAF C-47 ADW <> Stewart AFB, New York,
probably 1951.
First commercial DCA to LGA, Martin 202 or 404, about 1954
then continued by Sikorski helicopter of NY Airways to EWR.
I worked for an aviation enthusist
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Heathrow- Your first flight
I arrived at Heathrow in 1959 (I think, you´ll have to forgive me as I have a lousy memory except for the important things in life one of which is mentioned below) after a memorable flight ( my very first) from Singapore.
I was 19 years old in the M.N. and having been away form home 11 months my Company paid for me to fly. The plane was a Brittania whose 4 engines kept going all the way.
We were treated royally, I seem to remember most of our meals being served on the ground at properly laid tables and waiters smartly dressed.
1. We flew Singapore-Colombo-Bombay-Karachi-Beirut-Rome then Heathrow. Due to the runway being blocked at Bombay (a plane ahead of us crashed on landing-so we were told, we had to make it to Karachi instead.
2. On the Singapore to Colombo leg we were able to view a couple one of whom had flown from Sydney and one who got on board at Singapore ( who had presumably never met before) join the "mile high club" decently covered by a tartan rug.
That was our in-flight entertainment and very enjoyable too.
Thanks to all the BOAC pilots who I flew with and BA also, having spent many happy cockpit hours since that first flight ( The good old days)
Peter
I was 19 years old in the M.N. and having been away form home 11 months my Company paid for me to fly. The plane was a Brittania whose 4 engines kept going all the way.
We were treated royally, I seem to remember most of our meals being served on the ground at properly laid tables and waiters smartly dressed.
1. We flew Singapore-Colombo-Bombay-Karachi-Beirut-Rome then Heathrow. Due to the runway being blocked at Bombay (a plane ahead of us crashed on landing-so we were told, we had to make it to Karachi instead.
2. On the Singapore to Colombo leg we were able to view a couple one of whom had flown from Sydney and one who got on board at Singapore ( who had presumably never met before) join the "mile high club" decently covered by a tartan rug.
That was our in-flight entertainment and very enjoyable too.
Thanks to all the BOAC pilots who I flew with and BA also, having spent many happy cockpit hours since that first flight ( The good old days)
Peter
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12th April 1990 - LHR-CDG (and coincidentally T4's 4th Birthday so free chocolate).
This was in a BA 763 G-BNWC. 16.5 years later I was in the driving seat. Full circle.
This was in a BA 763 G-BNWC. 16.5 years later I was in the driving seat. Full circle.
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PeterPallet - of course all four Proteus engines kept going - GK430 senior along with his colleagues spent hours testing them in all sorts of places and climates.
However, one quit on him many years later and after a diversion to Entebbe, the crew became restricted guests of the Ugandan Gov't
However, one quit on him many years later and after a diversion to Entebbe, the crew became restricted guests of the Ugandan Gov't
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According to my Junior Jet Club Log Book, my first flight into Heathrow was on 27th May 1958 on Stratocruiser G-ANTY leaving Kano the previous day and routing via Rome. 8hrs 15 mins flying time to Rome from Kano and 3hrs 10 mins to LHR. I can't make out the captains name. It looks like it might be Squires. A later one is Capt. Fletcher on Britannia G-ANBH on 29th August 1959 Kano-Barcelona-LHR.
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GK430
Yep, tou are right. I landed at Payar Lebar, and departed Changi. Next trip was as [unofficial] P2 in a PA31 , then MAN-LHR-SIN-BNE ans back
watp,iktch
Yep, tou are right. I landed at Payar Lebar, and departed Changi. Next trip was as [unofficial] P2 in a PA31
, then MAN-LHR-SIN-BNE ans backwatp,iktch
