LUTON History and Nostalgia
SRA 08
I remember a dark and dirty winter night in 71or72. Cloudbase 300ft,south east wind,we
were all doing double AMS in the 1-11,shipping football fans. Most made multiple approaches having broken cloud right over the apron on the first one
were all doing double AMS in the 1-11,shipping football fans. Most made multiple approaches having broken cloud right over the apron on the first one
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SRA 08
Out of interest, and I’m sure Vintage ATCO would agree , that the SRA to 08 , particularly with a crosswind, was not easy. At about one and a half miles, coincident with ridge where the M1 motorway is, the effect of drift changed rapidly so you had to be quick to adjust for that. After a few, and I have done more than a few, on that day, you got the hang of it and started adjusting the heading before the “ridge” . However to complicate things the ridge produced a PE (Permanent Echo) so you also had to make sure you tilted the aerial up, not too much!, so you could see the blip but not the PE. I won’t even go into rain/snow clutter. It was a long time ago now .
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Last DC-10 commercial passenger flight I have on record was Electra Aviation SX-CVP on 25th Aug 2002 operating for MD Airlines to Preveza.
SX-CVP 25/8/02
Only Varig example I saw was PP-VQY on 22nd March 2006. Subsequent visits used the MD-11F.
PP-VQY 22/3/06
aceatco, retired
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It was my practice to rest the ball of my left thumb on the ridge of metal of the central console so I could operate the aerial tilt switch with my index finger. On more than one occasion I caught the aerial rotation switch and switched the bl@@dy scanner off!!
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What happy memories seeing the Electra Dc10 . Flew on this when it belonged to Skyjet airlines .When the Spanish property boom of the 80s was in swing so many ticket company's like Avro chartered a number of company's my late parents bought on the Costa blanca .I flew out from gatwick on Ambassador airways 757 should have flown back on European airlines A300 got to Alicante informed they had gone bust don't worry the ticket agent said there's a plane in its place wow a Skyjet Dc10 awaited to take us back. Only problem when landed at gatwick no luggage bins on the plane .All of this hand placed in the hold it took over 2hrs for luggage to come through they where the days.
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Nice background shot of the tower under construction. I can remember I think Vintage ATCO saying that they were taken up in a bucket to check out the view when the new tower was being designed. Was the chosen location the only one considered and is it still in the ideal location and right height?
I think at the time it was the second tallest in the UK.
I think at the time it was the second tallest in the UK.
Air Spain Coronados were exciting, you had to talk very fast!
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December 1992
That's me in the middle. The chap with the furry hat was from Aer Rianti who were the project managers. He didn't like heights!
We considered other sites on paper but didn't bother with the platform. It was the simplest for existing infrastructure, power etc.
ATNotts: Yes, Air Spain DC-8s, Spantax Coronados. Equally exciting!
That's me in the middle. The chap with the furry hat was from Aer Rianti who were the project managers. He didn't like heights!
We considered other sites on paper but didn't bother with the platform. It was the simplest for existing infrastructure, power etc.
ATNotts: Yes, Air Spain DC-8s, Spantax Coronados. Equally exciting!
December 1992
That's me in the middle. The chap with the furry hat was from Aer Rianti who were the project managers. He didn't like heights!
We considered other sites on paper but didn't bother with the platform. It was the simplest for existing infrastructure, power etc.
ATNotts: Yes, Air Spain DC-8s, Spantax Coronados. Equally exciting!
That's me in the middle. The chap with the furry hat was from Aer Rianti who were the project managers. He didn't like heights!
We considered other sites on paper but didn't bother with the platform. It was the simplest for existing infrastructure, power etc.
ATNotts: Yes, Air Spain DC-8s, Spantax Coronados. Equally exciting!
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If so it would have been me, a very memorable flight as we ended up diverting to LHR due to the unforcast fog at Luton and not a great deal of fuel!
Last edited by Offchocks; 6th Apr 2018 at 10:05.
aceatco, retired
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vintage ATCO Thanks for the reply. Level bust it was a good one so it may have been you!
The flight was a good example of no matter how well you plan, there are rare times the plan turns to rubbish. The company was not too happy I ended up in LHR in the middle of the curfew, but every where else went out in fog, some of them unforcast.
The flight was a good example of no matter how well you plan, there are rare times the plan turns to rubbish. The company was not too happy I ended up in LHR in the middle of the curfew, but every where else went out in fog, some of them unforcast.
Last edited by Offchocks; 7th Apr 2018 at 01:32.
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Luton-Madrid on G-AOVI followed by a Palma on 6th.
On a different tack, was the building on front right of the photo the original fire station? I seem to remember it was still there in 1977 being used by Lep Air who did Customs and cargo clearances. And does anyone remember when the "new" fire station was built? It was there when I took my first pictures back in 1969.
10/4/69
On a different tack, was the building on front right of the photo the original fire station? I seem to remember it was still there in 1977 being used by Lep Air who did Customs and cargo clearances. And does anyone remember when the "new" fire station was built? It was there when I took my first pictures back in 1969.
10/4/69
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I would think around 1967/68. Was definitely there in August 68.
I have a vague memory of visiting LTN with my Uncle in 1965 and there being fire engines housed somewhere near the old tower/terminal in use then.
I have a vague memory of visiting LTN with my Uncle in 1965 and there being fire engines housed somewhere near the old tower/terminal in use then.
Last edited by 22/04; 9th Apr 2018 at 18:32.