LUTON History and Nostalgia
The operator name given on the flight plan related to a company in London that was, supposedly, engaged in the Diamond trade. As the usual destinatons were either Deelen or Rotterdam I suppose that could be loosely taken as evidence that may be correct. Of course, they may have chartered the aircraft for these runs. I'm afraid that, as I left Luton in 1989 for Manchester I increasingly find that the Luton memory files have been over-written! I was hoping Antek might chip in with the operator identity as he's a young whipper-snapper....(standing by for incoming).
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Remember one Luton approach controller who was romantically involved with an Air Continental pilot (for a time) ringing every LARS unit between the CFD VOR and Leuchars to try and get a radar service for the flight.
P.S. If it's who I think, they liked to write letters to the Daily Telegraph too.
Antek...As I become a real pensioner this year AND have had cardiac spare parts fitted everyone seems like a whipper-snapper to me these days!
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Thanks so much for those tunnel photos LTNman! The top one certainly brought back some memories. My first car, a battered old 1967 Mini Cooper decided to seize its front brakes right in the middle of it one day in 1979.
Needless to say I wasn't exactly Mr. Popular for a while.
Needless to say I wasn't exactly Mr. Popular for a while.
Driving through the tunnel in the direction of the photos took one past Vauxhalls press shop on the left and on the right the outdoor storage area where the redundant press tools were stored. I recall the tools being massive?
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P.S. If it's who I think, they liked to write letters to the Daily Telegraph too.
She did, and she occasionally brought her Labrador into Approach on night shifts. Surprised it slept, given the rats running around under the floor of the Approach room....
She did, and she occasionally brought her Labrador into Approach on night shifts. Surprised it slept, given the rats running around under the floor of the Approach room....
He shoots....He scores....
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He shoots....He scores....
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With some aircraft types being in service for decades it is the cars that really age a photo.
In this advert the small print mentions that these cars have optional push button radios, underriders and wing mirrors. The 2000GXL also has optional fabric trimmed seats.
Over 40 years later the more expensive cars have now done away with fabric and have gone back to vinyl but this time marketing gives it names like MB-Tex, leatherette or SensaTec which is just another name for vinyl.
Going back to the photo it looks like the photo includes a rare shot of a Britannia 707 that has just come off the runway.
In this advert the small print mentions that these cars have optional push button radios, underriders and wing mirrors. The 2000GXL also has optional fabric trimmed seats.
Over 40 years later the more expensive cars have now done away with fabric and have gone back to vinyl but this time marketing gives it names like MB-Tex, leatherette or SensaTec which is just another name for vinyl.
Going back to the photo it looks like the photo includes a rare shot of a Britannia 707 that has just come off the runway.
Last edited by LTNman; 5th Feb 2017 at 21:35.
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Me too - and I'll give you that it was quite rare to see them together but they weren't that rare. There was a Tenerife every weekend one winter- I'd say 71-72 but it might have been the year after- they left in spring '73. Remember a crosswind day when that and the Monarch 720B went around, though the 737s and One elevens were IIRC getting in. Any "drivers" around to comment
The picture looks like summer 1972 - if my maths is right 'L' plates were issued from August that year.
The picture looks like summer 1972 - if my maths is right 'L' plates were issued from August that year.
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Re the PN68 you mention. Wasn't that Hubbardair?
Was there also not a G-HUBB ?
Also, I seem to remember a slippery Merlin, D-IOTF rings a bell, but it was a long time ago. That used to do night services. Have we missed that one ?
Was there also not a G-HUBB ?
Also, I seem to remember a slippery Merlin, D-IOTF rings a bell, but it was a long time ago. That used to do night services. Have we missed that one ?
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No, G-HUBB was another one. As Red Four says, David Martin Couriers operated G-SVHA.
The Merlin was I think nightly from/to Frankfurt. It started as EO111, which became EXT111 when designators went three-letter. I belive It is still running forty years later, albeit to Coventry now, same c/s and operated by a Shed. Once so common in the night sky, there can't be many of them left now.
The Merlin was I think nightly from/to Frankfurt. It started as EO111, which became EXT111 when designators went three-letter. I belive It is still running forty years later, albeit to Coventry now, same c/s and operated by a Shed. Once so common in the night sky, there can't be many of them left now.
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Regarding night freight does anyone remember Northern Executive Aviation using a Piper PA-23 on a Sunday to Friday night flight from Manchester to Luton bringing The Sporting Chronicle newspaper which was printed in Manchester. I think the flight was flown VFR. The period was mid to late 1970s if my memory is correct.
Regarding night freight does anyone remember Northern Executive Aviation using a Piper PA-23 on a Sunday to Friday night flight from Manchester to Luton bringing The Sporting Chronicle newspaper which was printed in Manchester. I think the flight was flown VFR. The period was mid to late 1970s if my memory is correct.
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No, G-HUBB was another one. As Red Four says, David Martin Couriers operated G-SVHA.
The Merlin was I think nightly from/to Frankfurt. It started as EO111, which became EXT111 when designators went three-letter. I belive It is still running forty years later, albeit to Coventry now, same c/s and operated by a Shed. Once so common in the night sky, there can't be many of them left now.
The Merlin was I think nightly from/to Frankfurt. It started as EO111, which became EXT111 when designators went three-letter. I belive It is still running forty years later, albeit to Coventry now, same c/s and operated by a Shed. Once so common in the night sky, there can't be many of them left now.
The nightly EXT111 was a Beech99 (see previous posts 1756 and 1762 ) Those who know me will understand why I remember
