LUTON History and Nostalgia

[LTNman]

I could be wrong here but I suspect that 06/24 grass was closed when the hard taxiway was built to the new hangar near the old LFC and Helitech hangars. The taxiway was partially constructed and then left moribund for some time, as I suspect you probably recall. Some of the wags in ATC used to refer to it as 'The Raisbeck memorial parkway'.

This has got the brain matter working overtime. You must mean this hangar that was for The London Aviation Centre but apart from the hangar and the offices either side nothing else got finished. Even this hangar is gone now.
from the David Gearing collection via Luton Anorak

I can't remember the taxiway being built but then I seem to remember it had to be made wider for the cargo apron that followed years later, so it must have already have been there.

[Spiney Norman]

Originally Posted by vintage ATCO

When I started in 1967 there was grass rwys 24/06 and 18/36. 24/06 certainly is not parallel to 26/08 but if we trusted the bloke in the light aircraft we would treat it so. 'Clear to land 24, if the event of a go-around remain north of the main' was the phrase used. :-)

Left circuits on 06 were interesting. Left base would cross through the final app for 08 and then final would cross over the runway again. Again, if you trusted the person then you could ask the light aircraft to remain north of the 08 approach.

All good fun. Wouldn't get away with it now!

Statute of limitations applies. ;-)

Va. Similarly you may remember the use of 'in the event of a go-around, remain north of the main' for landers on 18 with the main active. These days that would definately result in a 'tea with no biscuits' visit to an appropriate authority figure!

[Spiney Norman]

Originally Posted by LTNman

This has got the brain matter working overtime. You must mean this hangar that was for The London Aviation Centre but apart from the hangar and the offices eaither side nothing else got finished. Even this hangar is gone now.
from the David Gearing collection via Luton Anorak


I can't remember it being built but then I seem to remember it had to be made wider for the cargo apron that followed years later, so it must have already have been there.

That's the one! If my memory is correct it was originally constructed to be used for GA by a chap named Raisbeck? (Thus the nickname).The construction included a long, narrow taxiway from the hangar along the east side of 18/36 all the way to the run-up bay spur thus crossing 24/06 grass runway. I believe construction was completed but then some issue regarding it's approval for use came up meaning that it couldn't be used by aircraft and access to the hangars on the E side of the field had to be via the gates in front of the old tower or the entry-exit point, (which was constantly either damaged and too rough for aircraft use, or waterlogged).

[LTNman]

This is the hangar complete with apron access via the traffic lights. No sign of the taxiway in this shot so it must have been well short of its destination.

from the David Gearing collection via Luton Anorak

[Spiney Norman]

image.jpeg

I managed to find this image from the UK VFR Flight guide 1997 edition showing the completed taxiway. I left Luton in 1989/1990 which was before that area became a cargo apron.

I've just included this to show how the taxiway would have made 24/06 unusable as I'd estimate it would cross the 06 threshold. On the other hand....My memory may be completely incorrect. I'm pretty sure about the taxiway being built whilst I was still working at Luton.

[LTNman]

1970 2 grass runways shown but only one listed. Note the lack of an engine run up bay as well

[Spiney Norman]

That's interesting as 24/06, the one not listed is shown diagramaticaly as much longer than it was 'in my day'. I remember it definately being a licenced runway and something like 361x18 metres. It was marked with whitewashed recessed edge and threshold markings and had the runway designators on it too.

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by PAXboy

Buster: I didn't know that the beautiful bird had visited humble LTN?? I'm sure others here know but please tell.

28th October 1983, ferried in from LHR then did a supersonic trip over the Bay of Biscay the next day before ferrying back to LHR in the evening.



G-BOAE 28/10/83






The next visit was in the summer of 1986 although the exact date eludes me (was away somewhere). Lastly another paid a visit to an airport open day in January 1994, parked on the south stands.

[dc9-32]

If I remember correctly, didn't the first visit aircraft have a fuel leak which delayed the pleasure flight ? I was on duty the day it came in and I have some close up photos of my own somewhere. Maybe I'll figure out how to post them up here.

[treadigraph]

That Cessna 210 in LTNman's post 1665 pic met with a very sad end in Italy as I recall...

[cj241101]

I was on duty both days the first Concorde visited. I remember BA sent us a Concorde weight and balance manual a couple of weeks in advance – as I recall the loadsheet was too complex for the BA computerised system to handle because the C of G at take-off had to be an exact figure (45% MAC I think). This was achieved by specifying the amount of fuel in each tank, of which I believe there were 14. So I was sweating over how to complete this manual loadsheet for days beforehand. What BA forgot to tell us was that they were sending their own load controller on the day just to complete the loadsheet. Probably just as well.

[xreime]

Good morning everyone,

enjoying this beautiful thread over the past few years I am finally able to contribute with a link to a website I am following too.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125303...57673717255005
Some old photos and a few old approach plates of Luton.

Hope you enjoy it.

Best regards
xreime

[LTNman]

Thank you xreime Glad you are enjoying the thread.

This photo was taken on 21st July 1951 and came with the following comment.

NV768 Hawker Tempest V. Napier test aircraft, with annular radiator and ducted spinner. Napier had a Flight Test unit at Luton, but the Sabre-powered Tempest was probably long retired.

A picture from the 'At Home' event organised by the Luton Flying Club on July 22nd 1951


Photo by the late Gerald Lawrence, digitised by Tony Clarke.

[PAXboy]

Thanks for the Concorde information. The fuel tanks are detailed here: CONCORDE SST : FUEL SYSTEMS

[YVRLTN]

Where did Sabre operate their 727's (and 732's) to? Apart from Dan-Air, were there any other regular pax 727 operators at LTN?

Cleaning up some early 90's records, I have a log of a City Airbus D228 operating for Suckling - would that be correct? HUY based IIRC.

[dc9-32]

Aviogenex used to bring their B727-200's to LTN Friday nights in the 80's if I remember correctly. TAP on Saturday's with their -100's.

[Level bust]

Condor in the late 70s, Scanair in 1978. Sterling in the 70s and 80s, and Tunisair in 1987.

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by Level bust

Condor in the late 70s, Scanair in 1978. Sterling in the 70s and 80s, and Tunisair in 1987.

Royal Air Maroc weekly on Fridays summer 1979
JAT 1986 and 1987, other years just 707'S (1979), DC-9's and 737-300's
Virgin 1988 Dublin schedules (Club Air 727-100 and -200)
Air Atlantis summer 1987
Iberia on Aviaco flights, think just Mar/Apr 1984



EI-BUP 1/4/88 ex-Dan Air G-BAFZ, ex Cayman Airways lease, leased briefly to Virgin by Club Air pending the lease of the 727-200 EI-BVO



CS-TBK 2/6/84



YU-AKH 2/8/86



YU-AKA 26/7/86



EC-DDV 23/3/84

[LTNman]

Boeing 727's always seemed in my eyes to need more of Luton's runway to get airborne. In fact it was a Dan-Air 727 that took out some of Luton's approach lights and ILS. I seem to remember when reading the accident report that the aircraft then dropped into the valley before climbing away to head for Gatwick for a emergency landing.

It might well be the case that Luton's position on top of a hill saved the aircraft.

From the report

The aircraft appeared to get airborne just at the end of the stopway.

One observer said it seemed to him that the aircraft remained level while the runway dropped away from it. The aircraft was then seen low in the valley to the west of the airport from which position it climbed away.

[The AvgasDinosaur]

Learned contributors,
Does anyone have a copy of the report into this incident or a link to same?
I can't seem to find one.
Thanks in anticipation for your time and trouble.
Be lucky
David
The Avgas Dinosaur