LUTON History and Nostalgia
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With regards to the corsair jumbos including the sp I beleive these where used for the Euro96 and the Caribbean airlines 747 what and banger that was around 89 inter sun holidays had leased this in for there Barbados flights was going to go on this but the flights operated from stanstead instead went by BWIA Tristar direct from Heathrow while in Barbados met a couple who used this they said they had a 2 Day delay then inter sun leased in another old banger if any of you can remember Orion airlines 747 got some great publicity for this also Airtours leased this in
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No. Condor flights in the late 70's were German-originating pax with most flights from Stuttgart (DF2848/9). Can't remember the name of the charterer. I do remember the first Bavaria flights from Munich which started 9/10/75 on Thu (BV4582/3) and Mon (BV1582/3) were chartered by City Express Flug, operated by 1-11 400's initially with the -500's taking over nearly all flights after the 1st few weeks. These operated year round until Oct 1979 as Bavaria, Bavaria Germanair then Hapag-Lloyd.
aceatco, retired
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As a small aside . . . . When the two Corsair B747s arrived i took some photos of them landing from the tower and subsequently posted them on my (then) website. A few days later the airport alerted me to the fact that the anti-airport lot LADACAN (do they still exist?) had linked to them from their website with a headline 'Two Jumbos land at Luton Airport' and how terribly noisy they were. The airport asked me to take them down. I did better than that . . . .
I found a pic on the internet of two elephants and substituted that (with the same url) as the pic of the Corsair B747s. It was several days before LADACAN twigged. It did amuse me . . .
I found a pic on the internet of two elephants and substituted that (with the same url) as the pic of the Corsair B747s. It was several days before LADACAN twigged. It did amuse me . . .
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Me too, brilliant!
Did they trumpet the headline? (groan...)
Did they trumpet the headline? (groan...)
Vintage ATCO's mention of LADACAN reminds me of the rather cavalier attitude that Autair displayed towards the disturbance caused by their newly introduced BAC 111s.
I remember one summer night shift in the late sixties at a time when three one-elevens were scheduled one after another to perform an overnight rotation to Alicante. The crews used to compete to see who could achieve the quickest round trip by the end of the season - I digress. On this occasion just after the first departure I received a very irate telephone call from an incensed member of the public some few miles distant who then threw his receiver out of the bedroom window so that I could listen to the diminishing roar of the Speys as they climbed upwards into the clear night sky. Whilst the caller hauled his phone back up through the roses and wisteria the second one-eleven blasted off from the runway. I then appraised the complainant of the situation and apologized which resulted in an even greater diatribe after which the receiver was again flung out of the window with renewed vigour. I took this opportunity to hang up.
On another occasion a milder mannered old gent whose Saturday afternoon nap had been disturbed rang to complain about "That blasted little blow-torch that goes round and round." I've always remembered this as the most splendid description of the ill-fated H.S 125 G-AVGW which was performing circuit training on that summer day so long ago.
It must have been in 1968 or then abouts that one summer night an urgently needed one-eleven was given an incautious full power engine run outside the hangar at one o'clock in the morning. This resulted in a delegation, really a misnomer for a rather nasty looking rabble of residents, suddenly arriving on the airport apron outside our office window. Dressed in pyjamas, sweaters, dressing gowns, shod in 'Bovver Boots' and clasping a couple of pick axe handles, their mood could fairly be described as ugly.
I woke our duty Ops Manager Pete Lingard from a very deep slumber on the floor of his darkened office and half awake he stumbled outside to confront the mob. I remember how very well he dealt with an awkward situation. He immediately identified the ring-leader and just able to make his voice heard above the din of the Speys invited the tough into his office. Quite what was said after all this time I cannot recall however after a minute or two the situation was calmed and the protestors melted away into what was left of the night.
In 1972 John Kitchen wrote a thesis on The Expansion of Luton Airport. This is a tiny edited extract:
Noise Characteristics of Selected Aircraft in relation to Luton at a level 3.5 nautical miles from the start of roll with a 4 Degree Climb.
Tristar 95 PNdB
B737 96 PNdB
BAC 111 102 PNdB
B707 108 PNdB
Source B.F. Collins (Airport Director)from data supplied by Rolls Royce and DTI.
I remember one summer night shift in the late sixties at a time when three one-elevens were scheduled one after another to perform an overnight rotation to Alicante. The crews used to compete to see who could achieve the quickest round trip by the end of the season - I digress. On this occasion just after the first departure I received a very irate telephone call from an incensed member of the public some few miles distant who then threw his receiver out of the bedroom window so that I could listen to the diminishing roar of the Speys as they climbed upwards into the clear night sky. Whilst the caller hauled his phone back up through the roses and wisteria the second one-eleven blasted off from the runway. I then appraised the complainant of the situation and apologized which resulted in an even greater diatribe after which the receiver was again flung out of the window with renewed vigour. I took this opportunity to hang up.
On another occasion a milder mannered old gent whose Saturday afternoon nap had been disturbed rang to complain about "That blasted little blow-torch that goes round and round." I've always remembered this as the most splendid description of the ill-fated H.S 125 G-AVGW which was performing circuit training on that summer day so long ago.
It must have been in 1968 or then abouts that one summer night an urgently needed one-eleven was given an incautious full power engine run outside the hangar at one o'clock in the morning. This resulted in a delegation, really a misnomer for a rather nasty looking rabble of residents, suddenly arriving on the airport apron outside our office window. Dressed in pyjamas, sweaters, dressing gowns, shod in 'Bovver Boots' and clasping a couple of pick axe handles, their mood could fairly be described as ugly.
I woke our duty Ops Manager Pete Lingard from a very deep slumber on the floor of his darkened office and half awake he stumbled outside to confront the mob. I remember how very well he dealt with an awkward situation. He immediately identified the ring-leader and just able to make his voice heard above the din of the Speys invited the tough into his office. Quite what was said after all this time I cannot recall however after a minute or two the situation was calmed and the protestors melted away into what was left of the night.
In 1972 John Kitchen wrote a thesis on The Expansion of Luton Airport. This is a tiny edited extract:
Noise Characteristics of Selected Aircraft in relation to Luton at a level 3.5 nautical miles from the start of roll with a 4 Degree Climb.
Tristar 95 PNdB
B737 96 PNdB
BAC 111 102 PNdB
B707 108 PNdB
Source B.F. Collins (Airport Director)from data supplied by Rolls Royce and DTI.
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 12th Nov 2017 at 08:40.
aceatco, retired
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We had a chap turn up in the middle of the night in the old control tower in pyjamas and dressing gown to complain about an engine run. No security in those days. He was very polite.
Whilst the Airport Duty Officer was called to speak to him he was sat down and given a cup of tea. He stayed over and hour then said he ought to go, still very polite.
For my sins, in the 90s, I was in charge of the person that looked after the Noise & Track and dealt with noise complaints. Unfortunately, I had to let him go on leave occasionally and then I had to deal with the complaints.
Rather than write letters I would telephone people. By and large, they were all reasonable, they had been annoyed by a particular event and felt they wanted to complain as they had every right to do. I would even invite them in to see the Noise & Track monitoring although not everyone would 'you are trying to brain wash me'. For that, you need a brain (no, I didn't say that) :-)
Whilst the Airport Duty Officer was called to speak to him he was sat down and given a cup of tea. He stayed over and hour then said he ought to go, still very polite.
For my sins, in the 90s, I was in charge of the person that looked after the Noise & Track and dealt with noise complaints. Unfortunately, I had to let him go on leave occasionally and then I had to deal with the complaints.
Rather than write letters I would telephone people. By and large, they were all reasonable, they had been annoyed by a particular event and felt they wanted to complain as they had every right to do. I would even invite them in to see the Noise & Track monitoring although not everyone would 'you are trying to brain wash me'. For that, you need a brain (no, I didn't say that) :-)
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G-MONH 6/10/91
Last edited by cj241101; 12th Nov 2017 at 08:57. Reason: photo found
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Some useful stats:-
https://publications.parliament.uk/p...89/8040111.htm
and some photos:-
G-ISLE 4/8/92
G-OATP 2/9/89
G-OJET 27/5/90
G-OATP 10/10/94. Suspect the other ATP was the Manchester-Stansted flight, with the J41 the previously mentioned Waterford-Stansted flight.
Last edited by cj241101; 13th Nov 2017 at 09:45.
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I always found the Manx livery a very attractive one and it suited all of there aircraft very well including the 'sheds'.
That's a great photo to have three Manx aircraft in one shot at LTN.
I do enjoy reading this thread but it's a shame there is not a similar one regarding Stansted!
Surely there is an equally great STNman out there lol
That's a great photo to have three Manx aircraft in one shot at LTN.
I do enjoy reading this thread but it's a shame there is not a similar one regarding Stansted!
Surely there is an equally great STNman out there lol
Interesting to note the two bits of ground equipment in the last pic of G-OATP were originally Britannia equipment which transferred to Servisair when BY ceased self-handling.
The tug was obviously used for 767's in its early days (looks a bit over-sized on an ATP!) The other bit of kit was a mobile ground power unit. The drive came from the rather beefy generator motor (which was limited!) However, it was easy to by-pass the limiter which turned it into a lethal projectile with useless brakes. I recall the thing ended up modifying the wall of the newly built Line office outside H89 a long time ago!.....
The tug was obviously used for 767's in its early days (looks a bit over-sized on an ATP!) The other bit of kit was a mobile ground power unit. The drive came from the rather beefy generator motor (which was limited!) However, it was easy to by-pass the limiter which turned it into a lethal projectile with useless brakes. I recall the thing ended up modifying the wall of the newly built Line office outside H89 a long time ago!.....
The other bit of kit was a mobile ground power unit. The drive came from the rather beefy generator motor (which was limited!) However, it was easy to by-pass the limiter which turned it into a lethal projectile with useless brakes. I recall the thing ended up modifying the wall of the newly built Line office outside H89 a long time ago!.....
It used to bounce around a lot as well.EGGW
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The G-OAT ATP Picture
The GPU was a Houchin 604 GPU. It had a glorious sounding Cummins V555 V8 diesel engine fitted. No suspension worth talking about hence the appalling ride and handling.
The comment re the tractor size v the aircraft. It looks like a Reliance Mercury RM400 meaning 40,000lbs wight (18.1 tonnes in metric ) tonnes weight. I would think the ATP would weigh much the same but I agree, it does't look the right tractor for the job.
The comment re the tractor size v the aircraft. It looks like a Reliance Mercury RM400 meaning 40,000lbs wight (18.1 tonnes in metric ) tonnes weight. I would think the ATP would weigh much the same but I agree, it does't look the right tractor for the job.
Wow...Good info there! Yes, that was one serious engine and with the limiter by-passed it was like trying to drive a V8 powered go-cart!....I always thought it looked like it belonged on Wacky Races!
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Didn’t Manx also fly a Luton to Belfast service once? I think their cheaper fares were called fare crackers.
There was a Leeds based airline called Capital that was owned by I think a company called maybe Browns that flew 146’s to Belfast from Luton.
There was a Leeds based airline called Capital that was owned by I think a company called maybe Browns that flew 146’s to Belfast from Luton.
Yes, the airline was originally called Brown Air & started with SH360s. I think that they also had a Gulfstream 1 - but I may be wrong on that. They added the 146 later & changed the name to Capital.