LUTON History and Nostalgia
Gnome de PPRuNe
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I can remember a Gulf 1 owned by Brown Air.
Edit: G-BRWN.
Edit: G-BRWN.
I flew from Luton to Belfast Harbour on 21/3/89 in a Shorts 360 G-OLGW branded as Capital. I seem to remember it was quite uncomfortable as he had to climb to 13000 feet (?) to dodge some weather and it was unpressurised. It subsequently went to Titan as G-ZAPD and then to the USA.
G-OLBA, G-OLGW, G-OLTN, G-OEEC and G-CPTL plus (in-sequence) G-BNDM.
They also briefly operated a couple of 146s: G-OSUN and G-OSKI.
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Capital started off as Brown Air as stated above flying a Cessna 441 between Leeds/Bradford and Oslo. The company specialised in plant equipment. The MD of Capital was a 'character' called Adrian Thomson whom many stories abound of which, unfortunately, could not be published here. I met Gordon Brown - a totally different animal - through a mutual friend several times.
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Further info from Wikipedia:-
Capital Airlines (UK)
Some photos:-
G-OLTN 4/5/89
G-OSKI 28/8/89
G-AOYN 27/5/89
Last edited by cj241101; 17th Nov 2017 at 13:58.
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Yes, I remember that way back when Bernard was AD. Soon got a bit dubious when crews worked out where the micophones were. Then we had in the late 70s very early video recorder to record the radar to check they were on the NPRs. If I recall the VC10s were the worst noise readings
aceatco, retired
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Yes, I think it was balls out for the first part of the climb out, pull back all the power to go over the noise monitors, then foot to the floor for the rest 
I think we referred to it as the 'clapometer'? :-)
I think we referred to it as the 'clapometer'? :-)
I also seem to recall that its use was suspended after a G2 or similar was passed his noise reading and commenced a climb to it!
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Is my memory also correct that Chanex used to use the Herald into LTN? I remember the F27 BNIZ clearly into mid 90's. What routes did they operate? I seem to recall mail to JER mid 80's. And did the Electra ever visit? I remember them, but maybe they were STN
Channel Express used to operate the HPR7 Herald from Luton In the late 80s and early 90s on mail routes, EDI I think. I remember going there to do Daily's or "A" checks when the usual engineer was not available.
I don't remember Channex Electras operating from Luton but Hunting Cargo did for DHL.
I don't remember Channex Electras operating from Luton but Hunting Cargo did for DHL.
Thread Starter
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Handley Page at Radlett was only a few miles south of Luton. I have an old book somewhere that had photos of Herald's clearing customs at Luton for their delivery flights.
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With regards the noise readings, I remember being called into Monarch's Chief Pilot's office (Don Richardson RIP) to explain a reading/complaint about a departure I had done off 26 a few nights earlier.
I said we carried out the standard noise abatement procedure and it was probably due to the aircraft being a 1-11 plus departing in thick fog, if memory serves me correctly the reading was 118. Anyway that was the last I heard of it.
I said we carried out the standard noise abatement procedure and it was probably due to the aircraft being a 1-11 plus departing in thick fog, if memory serves me correctly the reading was 118. Anyway that was the last I heard of it.
Last edited by Offchocks; 19th Nov 2017 at 11:02.
