Heathrow - Your first flight
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I later went up and was amazed to see the boy in the captains seat!
Flying back to Singapore from UK leave, around 1977, we'd levelled off after leaving Calcutta. Middle of the afternoon, BA 747, and half full. My two boys, 6 and 9 years old, were restless and the F/E came walking past. 'Any chance I can take them to the flight deck' I ask. 'No problem, go upstairs and talk to the 'hostie'.
So off we went and arrived at the flight-deck door. F/O is at the F/E's panel, right hand seat is empty. The Captain turns around, ignores me and says 'Come in lads. Ever flown a 747?' he says to the elder. 'Er - No'.
'Jump in and I'll show you how'. Number 1 son gets himself into the right hand seat and off comes the Autopilpot. 'OK' says Cap, 'Turn right'.
And right we go. 'Now come back onto (heading) or we'll get lost'.
This went on for five minutes or so, snaking our way across the Bay of Bengal.
Then younger son has a go but can't see over the glare shield. No problem says Cap, 'Just watch the big ball in front of you'. And off we go again.
After fifteen minutes or so, Cap turns to me and says, 'What do you do in Singapore?' .. he'd realised from the boys' comments that they knew something of aircraft living, as we did, on Seletar airfield.
I was tempted to mention the CAA who had an office in KL, but he was too nice a guy for that sort of shock. Surname began with V I recall.
How the world has changed. You try and tell youngsters that today .................
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May 1961 - Air India B707 to Dum Dum, Calcutta via Paris, Frankfurt, Rome and Cairo. After 3 1/2 years working in India, returned to England via by BOAC VC10, overnighting in Bahrain. Both experiences exceptional - superb cc service and meals. Although travelling economy, it was better than todays business class!!. I made a quick visit to England in July 1961, again a round trip by Air India. I was 15 minutes late for check-in on my return leg and AI were good enough to hold the aircraft on the taxiway and I was rushed aboard with my luggage by small car
. Changed days indeed.
. Changed days indeed.
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<< J/S on those from SEN to Ostend.>>
Was the Captain 'gentleman jim' Plunket? - I seem to recall my father saying he did most of the DC-4 flights - The only time I flew on it was when my father took it up to Wymeswold for a post delivery maintenance check
Was the Captain 'gentleman jim' Plunket? - I seem to recall my father saying he did most of the DC-4 flights - The only time I flew on it was when my father took it up to Wymeswold for a post delivery maintenance check
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Heathrow - June 1954
First flight from Heathrow was late June '54
BOAC Canadair Argonaut DC4M to Nairobi - Eastleigh via Rome, Cairo, Khartoum and Entebbe & possibly Benghazi between Rome & Cairo
DAD was EA DCA ATCO and was on the apron to meet us in Nairobi
First visit to Heathrow was 48/49, seeing off one of Dad's RAF mates on a York possibly Hunting
Most memorable flight out of Heathrow was a SAA B707 for Nairobi via Athens in Jan 64 must have been one of the last SAA flights through rather than round Africa for many years - the Take off & climb out of Heatrow was IMPRESSIVE
PZU - Out of Africa
BOAC Canadair Argonaut DC4M to Nairobi - Eastleigh via Rome, Cairo, Khartoum and Entebbe & possibly Benghazi between Rome & Cairo
DAD was EA DCA ATCO and was on the apron to meet us in Nairobi
First visit to Heathrow was 48/49, seeing off one of Dad's RAF mates on a York possibly Hunting
Most memorable flight out of Heathrow was a SAA B707 for Nairobi via Athens in Jan 64 must have been one of the last SAA flights through rather than round Africa for many years - the Take off & climb out of Heatrow was IMPRESSIVE
PZU - Out of Africa
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Taken my eye off the ball.
peterpallet: Have thus far avoided one family tradition, perhaps due in part to avoiding Victoria's Lake flies since a kid back in '63. Some close shaves along the road to maturity however
Heathrow Director Thanks for the link to LV-GJB. Senior flew that first on Dec 19th 1959 (Sao Paulo-Caracas) and continued training some Argentinians with amazing names right through until Feb. He flew Caracas -Idlewild on Dec 25th and due to what must have been a wicked past, left back to Caracas on Boxing day. see below for some DC-4 bits.
AREM In '61 he was flying various aircraft including DC-4's. Regret I do not see the name you mention in his logbook that relates to this period - he only flew with other Captains whilst trainig or ATL.98 test flying. There is a Capt. Lane and on one day they did Sothend - Palma and Palma - Heathrow in G-AOXK
4.35 outbound and.....5.35 inbound. Try telling that to the kids of today
Suppose there was that "black Saturday" some years back when it came to a standstill and some manged to get back from Palma via the Ocean.
Other DC-4's at the time for Heathrow Director; G-APID; G-AREK; G-APNH;
G-ANYB must have been the original Carvair.
Arem - pm me and will check name to see if in the book.
Excuse long digress.
Forget It's such a shame we can't go back to the way it once was
peterpallet: Have thus far avoided one family tradition, perhaps due in part to avoiding Victoria's Lake flies since a kid back in '63. Some close shaves along the road to maturity however
Heathrow Director Thanks for the link to LV-GJB. Senior flew that first on Dec 19th 1959 (Sao Paulo-Caracas) and continued training some Argentinians with amazing names right through until Feb. He flew Caracas -Idlewild on Dec 25th and due to what must have been a wicked past, left back to Caracas on Boxing day. see below for some DC-4 bits.
AREM In '61 he was flying various aircraft including DC-4's. Regret I do not see the name you mention in his logbook that relates to this period - he only flew with other Captains whilst trainig or ATL.98 test flying. There is a Capt. Lane and on one day they did Sothend - Palma and Palma - Heathrow in G-AOXK
4.35 outbound and.....5.35 inbound. Try telling that to the kids of today
Suppose there was that "black Saturday" some years back when it came to a standstill and some manged to get back from Palma via the Ocean.
Other DC-4's at the time for Heathrow Director; G-APID; G-AREK; G-APNH;
G-ANYB must have been the original Carvair.
Arem - pm me and will check name to see if in the book.
Excuse long digress.
Forget It's such a shame we can't go back to the way it once was
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As a wide eyed youngster with his Dad on the 31st May 1975.
It was a BA Boeing 707-436, G-ARRB to LBG, chartered for a day trip to the Paris Air Show.
Since then in excess of 100 or so with TAP alone to OPO, plus a few others to elsewhere.
Never thought all those years ago that terminal two would end up feeling like a second home....
Foxile
It was a BA Boeing 707-436, G-ARRB to LBG, chartered for a day trip to the Paris Air Show.
Since then in excess of 100 or so with TAP alone to OPO, plus a few others to elsewhere.
Never thought all those years ago that terminal two would end up feeling like a second home....
Foxile
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Too young to remember but a Valetta in 1951 was, apparantly, my first depearture from LHR. Four days to Changi.
In later years flew regularly (from 1963 on) to a place called (it says in my passport) Aden Colony in Britannias and Comets. Still have a BOAC Junior Jet Club log book with these flights.
On one trip was given - at the tender age of 12 - the task of escorting elderly grandmother who's comment - when going from the West London Air Terminal and arriving at LHR - was:
'Not as nice as Croydon!'
In later years flew regularly (from 1963 on) to a place called (it says in my passport) Aden Colony in Britannias and Comets. Still have a BOAC Junior Jet Club log book with these flights.
On one trip was given - at the tender age of 12 - the task of escorting elderly grandmother who's comment - when going from the West London Air Terminal and arriving at LHR - was:
'Not as nice as Croydon!'
June 1963.....inbound from Manchester in a BEA Vanguard (through a fairly impressive thunderstorm), spent a few hours in the roof gardens on T1, then off to Nicosia via Athens on a BEA Comet. I still remember the phenomenal rate of climb off 28R, late one Saturday night on a lightly loaded sector! Oh... and you could fly half way around the world for the same price today!!
Those really were the days!
H49
Those really were the days!
H49
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Gordon Fraser's post reminds me of the time I was late for a BEA Viscount flight from Ringway to Turnhouse in April 1969. I was on my way home for school holidays and had missed a train. By the time I got to Ringway it was just past the departure time and I was sure I had missed the flight but they had kept the flight waiting, checked me in as I only had hand baggage and rushed me out to the aircraft. All four engines were running with the steps in place up to the back door. As soon as I was in my seat the door was closed and off we went. Grand days indeed.
Last edited by KeMac; 18th Feb 2007 at 11:03. Reason: spelling
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First flight with Air France Viscount to Orly, Paris in July 1955, on a school exchange trip. Second time in an Air France Constellation to Orly in July 1958.
And then many times to Geneva with Swissair Caravelles and the occasional BEA Vanguard.
Cost in 1955 11 pounds return, in 1958 14 pounds return and then the Geneva trips were 22 pounds return (1961 to 1966).
First long haul out of Heathrow was an SAA 707 to Joburg in June 1969, routing via Sal in the Cape Verde Islands, I'm with PAXBOY on the African sunrise, have really lost count of the trips up and down over the next 25 years.
Now avoid Heathrow like the plague, fly to Zurich and then short haul to London City, magic!
And then many times to Geneva with Swissair Caravelles and the occasional BEA Vanguard.
Cost in 1955 11 pounds return, in 1958 14 pounds return and then the Geneva trips were 22 pounds return (1961 to 1966).
First long haul out of Heathrow was an SAA 707 to Joburg in June 1969, routing via Sal in the Cape Verde Islands, I'm with PAXBOY on the African sunrise, have really lost count of the trips up and down over the next 25 years.
Now avoid Heathrow like the plague, fly to Zurich and then short haul to London City, magic!
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Wycombe, you just reminded me; did the same trip in a Comet but can't remember when.
Sultan The way our taxes are going, we'll look back and think those days were cheap...relatively
Sultan The way our taxes are going, we'll look back and think those days were cheap...relatively
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For what it's worth, first Heathrow departure was a BA Trident 3 to CDG on 1/1/75 on G-AWZK - airport was deserted. Return on an Air France 727-200 a couple of days later.
First long-haul out was in August 1975 on an Aeroflot Il-62 to Moscow and onto Tehran. From that trip, I returned into LHR from Baghdad on a brand new Iraqi Airways 707-320C, via Geneva, with about 8 passengers on the final short sector. Yes, I know, how times change !
First long-haul out was in August 1975 on an Aeroflot Il-62 to Moscow and onto Tehran. From that trip, I returned into LHR from Baghdad on a brand new Iraqi Airways 707-320C, via Geneva, with about 8 passengers on the final short sector. Yes, I know, how times change !
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Not quite as long ago as most replies but first flight from heathrow was in the early eighties on a BA shuttle to Aberdeen, short working trip, friday to monday and was amazed to be on one of BA's first 757's Only about 30 pax each way as the oil boom was in its decline.
Arriving back at heathrow I coulndn't be bothered with the train/bus/taxi option so used my airline ID to get a 10% fare on Caledonian Link to Gatwick for about £12. First ever helicopter flight, Brill!!
As an aside / thread hijack, didn't the powers that be decide that once the M25 was finished there would be no need for a helicopter link between Heathrow and Gatwick? yeah Right
JB
Arriving back at heathrow I coulndn't be bothered with the train/bus/taxi option so used my airline ID to get a 10% fare on Caledonian Link to Gatwick for about £12. First ever helicopter flight, Brill!!
As an aside / thread hijack, didn't the powers that be decide that once the M25 was finished there would be no need for a helicopter link between Heathrow and Gatwick? yeah Right
JB
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As an aside to my earlier post #74, those first flights in 1955 and 1958 originated at the Air Terminal on the South Bank, site of the Festival of Britain 1951. The later Geneva flights we joined at the West London Air Terminal in Kensington (Earls Court).
It was great to check in, have a snack or a drink, no coffee culture in those days, and then take the appropriately named bus to Heathrow.
As I recollect it was free, I say again FREE, tell that to the Heathrow Express.
It was great to check in, have a snack or a drink, no coffee culture in those days, and then take the appropriately named bus to Heathrow.
As I recollect it was free, I say again FREE, tell that to the Heathrow Express.
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HD said in part "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."
Well some of us get all the luck for as SLF I managed 44 Concorde flights from '76 to 85 [Thanks to the companies I worked for] all of them absolute heaven to be on. Seat 10A or 10D mainly. One JFK-LHR flight was delayed [snow] a little. We arrived at LHR a few minutes before my Norwich flight Shorts 360 was due to leave. I had given details of the flight earlier. Anyway we got to our stand. I was called to the door [hand luggage only, thankfully] and there was a Customs type and a BA rep. We walked down the outside steps to the tarmac - a car was waiting - the customs man chalked my bag - I was whisked off at high speed to eventually catch up with a taxiing Shorts 360 - it stopped - the rear door/steps opened and I climbed aboard. Oh Concorde! what magic spells you wove! The Texan ladies with their 25 carat diamond rings sparkling the cabin, Truman Copote well pi**ed, and some so called "Stars" making fools of themselves. Twice doing JFK LHR in 2 hours 55/7 minutes. The best was the entire flight in the jump seat behind the "Boss". I still get a buzz when I think of those magic trips.
Aviate 1138
Well some of us get all the luck for as SLF I managed 44 Concorde flights from '76 to 85 [Thanks to the companies I worked for] all of them absolute heaven to be on. Seat 10A or 10D mainly. One JFK-LHR flight was delayed [snow] a little. We arrived at LHR a few minutes before my Norwich flight Shorts 360 was due to leave. I had given details of the flight earlier. Anyway we got to our stand. I was called to the door [hand luggage only, thankfully] and there was a Customs type and a BA rep. We walked down the outside steps to the tarmac - a car was waiting - the customs man chalked my bag - I was whisked off at high speed to eventually catch up with a taxiing Shorts 360 - it stopped - the rear door/steps opened and I climbed aboard. Oh Concorde! what magic spells you wove! The Texan ladies with their 25 carat diamond rings sparkling the cabin, Truman Copote well pi**ed, and some so called "Stars" making fools of themselves. Twice doing JFK LHR in 2 hours 55/7 minutes. The best was the entire flight in the jump seat behind the "Boss". I still get a buzz when I think of those magic trips.
Aviate 1138