Airlines You'd Like to Bring Back
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Laker
Laker
Laker
Once described by the crews as a means of getting from one party to another...at no expense to the individual!
Laker
Laker
Once described by the crews as a means of getting from one party to another...at no expense to the individual!
Within one 24 hour period I travelled back from one party TPA/BGR/LGW just in time to jump on the midday LGW/LAX to another party, inbound to LGW on board had been Judith Chalmers, the 'Wish You were Here Team', Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart (looking worse for wear than I did) and Mike Reid, whilst, with all jumpseats occupied, I repeatedly needed to discreetly retire to a rear toilet during turbulence and landings/take-offs.
On the LGW/LAX, as knackered as I was, I found myself called upon to assist in overpowing a passengers, it took 3 or 4 of us to overpower him and when later questioned by passengers, politely explaining that I was a staff passenger etc. etc. etc. their response was that the fight had been far more interesting to watch than the movie
And as for the night shifts, not many guys can say FAL taught them to drive his Rolls Royce around the, then very narrow, LGW perimeter road whilst under the influence!
As a passenger I'd like to see MALEV back, I only did one round trip with them STN/BUD/ODS/BUD/STN. If one got a seat near to the front of economy then it was in business class config, two of the sectors were on B737's with the other two sectors being on my favoured F70's, PDQ connection on the way out with some time to occupy in BUD on the way back, not much to do if one didn't like pizza as I recall.
Silver City cross-channel car ferry!
Never did like boats and first took a car to continental Europe in 1959 using Silver City's Lydd-Le Touquet service. I put up with boats when SC stopped, took to Hoovercraft when I could and I've used the Tunnel since it opened in 1994 but am hacked off with their fare structure where the day-trip boozers are subsidised by those of us taking proper holidays.
Never did like boats and first took a car to continental Europe in 1959 using Silver City's Lydd-Le Touquet service. I put up with boats when SC stopped, took to Hoovercraft when I could and I've used the Tunnel since it opened in 1994 but am hacked off with their fare structure where the day-trip boozers are subsidised by those of us taking proper holidays.
Hi Capetonian,
Good choice. SAL/SAA/South African Railways took me on my first long-haul flight (LusakaCity/Eastleigh/Khartoum/Cairo/Athens/Ciampino/Orly/Heathrow on a L749...), which hooked me into civil aviation. After you posted the Air Rhodesia pics, I wondered if you might mention its predecessor, CAA.
I guess we all look at the airlines of our youth with rose-tinted spectacles. In the early Fifties, CAA was based at Belvedere airport, Salisbury (capital city of Southern Rhodesia, recently part of the Central African Federation with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland). It was operating Beavers, Vikings and Dakotas. My first ever flight was in a CAA Viking from Lusaka-City to Belvedere, and I remember having to step over the centre-section main spar when moving up the cabin (unlike the Dak).
In 1956 the new airport at Kentucky (about 7 miles south of the Salisbury) opened, and CAA's move there roughly coincided with the delivery of the first of five Viscount 748Ds, fitted with slipper tanks to replace the Vikings on the airline's "Zambesi" service to London. The Viscount operation was slick and efficient, marred only by the 1958 fatal accident on the approach to Benina. CAA also leased a DC6 from Alitalia.
In 1963 the Federation was disolved when Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland suddenly gained independence (as Zambia and Malawi), leaving the more developed Southern Rhodesia still a British colony. The fledgling Zambia Airways and Air Malawi started off with CAA aircraft. CAA later founded Air Rhodesia for local services, but continued the CAA brand for long-haul services. Still based in Salisbury, its order for two One-Elevens fell victim to the sanctions policy put in place after Rhodesia declared UDI on 11/11/65. With Rhodesia granted international pariah status, CAA was soon broken up. What happened after that is another story.
Good choice. SAL/SAA/South African Railways took me on my first long-haul flight (LusakaCity/Eastleigh/Khartoum/Cairo/Athens/Ciampino/Orly/Heathrow on a L749...), which hooked me into civil aviation. After you posted the Air Rhodesia pics, I wondered if you might mention its predecessor, CAA.
I guess we all look at the airlines of our youth with rose-tinted spectacles. In the early Fifties, CAA was based at Belvedere airport, Salisbury (capital city of Southern Rhodesia, recently part of the Central African Federation with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland). It was operating Beavers, Vikings and Dakotas. My first ever flight was in a CAA Viking from Lusaka-City to Belvedere, and I remember having to step over the centre-section main spar when moving up the cabin (unlike the Dak).
In 1956 the new airport at Kentucky (about 7 miles south of the Salisbury) opened, and CAA's move there roughly coincided with the delivery of the first of five Viscount 748Ds, fitted with slipper tanks to replace the Vikings on the airline's "Zambesi" service to London. The Viscount operation was slick and efficient, marred only by the 1958 fatal accident on the approach to Benina. CAA also leased a DC6 from Alitalia.
In 1963 the Federation was disolved when Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland suddenly gained independence (as Zambia and Malawi), leaving the more developed Southern Rhodesia still a British colony. The fledgling Zambia Airways and Air Malawi started off with CAA aircraft. CAA later founded Air Rhodesia for local services, but continued the CAA brand for long-haul services. Still based in Salisbury, its order for two One-Elevens fell victim to the sanctions policy put in place after Rhodesia declared UDI on 11/11/65. With Rhodesia granted international pariah status, CAA was soon broken up. What happened after that is another story.
Last edited by Chris Scott; 2nd Sep 2013 at 22:14.
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Thanks Chris for that little walk into history. Your memory goes back further than mine as I was only in Rhodesia in 1979-81, and not for the whole time as I was officially living in Cape Town then.
.... a very tragic one too.
What happened after that is another story.
Airlines you'd like to bring back
For me Laker, Air UK, British Eagle, BCAL, Brymon, MAOF, Majestic, Flight West, Sunstate, NYRBA (New York Rio and Buenos Aires taken over by PanAm)
and adding to a previous post, I've flown on 22 carriers that no longer operate and worked for a few of them as well.
Paul
and adding to a previous post, I've flown on 22 carriers that no longer operate and worked for a few of them as well.
Paul
Last edited by pppdrive; 27th Sep 2013 at 13:25.
Worked at LHR Air Canada Commissary during the student vacs of '66, '67' & '68. Next door were the Eagle hangars. Occasionally during Britannia engine starts a plume of flame would streak out of an exhaust, stretching beyond the tail (presumbly unburnt fuel igniting too late). Spectacular!
This pic was taken in the summer of '68, just before Eagle's demise.
This pic was taken in the summer of '68, just before Eagle's demise.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Co.Kildare. Ireland
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Jetgreen
Eirjet.
Aer Turas
Progressive Airways
Euro Direct.
B K S Airtransport
Itavia.
Spacegrand Aviation
Avair
Red Coat Air Cargo
Air Commerz
Germanair
Trans Polar
Manx Airlines
Eirjet.
Aer Turas
Progressive Airways
Euro Direct.
B K S Airtransport
Itavia.
Spacegrand Aviation
Avair
Red Coat Air Cargo
Air Commerz
Germanair
Trans Polar
Manx Airlines
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Generally known as the Vomit Comet, the Air Cape HS748 operated the coastal route CPT - OUH - GRJ - PLZ if I remember correctly. It was always fun to buy a ticket to the first stop and stay on to the end of the ride! Only got caught once and did the 'oh **** have I missed George ....?' act.
Last edited by Capetonian; 16th Aug 2014 at 14:48. Reason: Removed image as too big.
Dan Air
Laker
BEA ex Northolt
BEA helicopter service ex London Waterloo (South Bank)
BOAC Terminal Building in London Victoria, Buckingham Palace Road - remember the half double deck bus to the airport, with luggage trailer?
Laker
BEA ex Northolt
BEA helicopter service ex London Waterloo (South Bank)
BOAC Terminal Building in London Victoria, Buckingham Palace Road - remember the half double deck bus to the airport, with luggage trailer?
Join Date: Feb 2001
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BOAC Terminal Building in London Victoria, Buckingham Palace Road - remember the half double deck bus to the airport, with luggage trailer?
There are various aviation related vehicles, as well as aircraft, cars, and bikes, at Brooklands Museum, well worth a visit. There's also a bus museum.
If it sounds as if i'm giving the museum a shameless plug, I am. I think and hope it's allowed on Pprune as it's non-profit making and a registered charity, and deserves more support and publicity.
Memebership of the trust pays for itself after the second visit, as it gives free entry for a year. Brooklands Trust Members - Brooklands Museum
Volunteers are needed for many areas. Volunteer - Brooklands Museum
