LUTON History and Nostalgia

[Tempsford]

There was an engine test cell down there. Might have something to do with it?

[LTNman]

Remembering Monarch who was 50 years old, for me they have always been there at Luton. Bigger than Courtline this is a bad day for Luton. We will talk in the years to come with affection about Monarch like we do about Courtline.


Photo by Howard Sanderson

[dc9-32]

Monarch was the airline that kick started my career in aviation back in 1981. Best company I have ever worked for (except my own of course).....

When I see how the German government keeps Air Berlin afloat, and how the Irish Aviation Authority appear to do or say nothing over the Ryanair shambles that is filling the headlines, and see Monarch, an institution as far as I am concerned, be allowed to fold over night, it makes me wonder is being British a good thing ?

All airlines need money, that is obvious but they also need help sometimes and some airlines deserve it more than others. Ryanair deserve to go next after years of abusing staff and passengers in one way or another.

At least Monarch can hold it's head up high and say they never treated staff/pax poorly.

Sad day for UK aviation.

[treadigraph]

I think Monarch was the last survivor "as was" of the significant independent British airlines operating when I first started getting interested around 1974. Air Anglia, Britannia, British Caledonian, BMA, Invicta, Dan-Air, BIA, BAF, Laker... Courtline had already gone... Apart form BA, the only others I can think of still operearting are Aurigny and Loganair and I think Loganair are BA aren't they?

Very sad.

[Groundloop]

I think Loganair are BA aren't they?

No. They were once a BA franchise partner. Then a Flybe franchise partner. Now neither.

[cj241101]

Originally Posted by dc9-32

Monarch was the airline that kick started my career in aviation back in 1981. Best company I have ever worked for

Sad day for UK aviation.

Ditto to all of the above. 1977-1993 in my case. Best memories of a 40+ year career in aviation.

Sad for the passengers of course - very distressing having lost their holidays but most likely will get their money back. I have greater sympathy for the staff, a few of whom have shown incredible loyalty down the years and whom I have worked with at some stage. Hopefully another airline will seize the opportunity, set up a Luton operation and take on at least some of those who have lost their jobs.

[22/04]

Like so many others, Monarch have been a big part of things for me. On my first visit to the spotters back gate on April 5th 1968, Britannia G-AOVI departed for Madrid. I have flown on their aircraft from Britannia (G-AOVG) to Airbus 321 (G-OZBE). I expected them to stagger on; they had been through bad times before.

[Blacksheep]

I think Monarch was the last survivor "as was" of the significant independent British airlines operating when I first started getting interested around 1974.

They were even older than BA - which was formed by merging the former loss making BOAC and BEA in the seventies. Had they not been government owned they would both have gone to the wall as well.

[GAZIN]

Very sad news.
They were one of the last British independants from the 60's era.
Technically I think Britannia are still going. I am fairly sure that you could have worked for them in the 70's and still be employed today at Thomson.

[Groundloop]

and still be employed today at Thomson

Not Thomson anymore - it's TUI.

[LTNman]

Over the years Monarch had a selection of tail colour schemes, this is I think number 3. All the airport buildings in the background are also long gone.


Photo by Howard Sanderson

[India Four Two]

LTNman,

Thanks for that nice picture. I had never realized how big the Britannia is, compared to a Comet.

[LTNman]

Never noticed it before but now you mention it, it has got me thinking.

The tail on the Britannia covers a huge area compared to the Comet. Why would there be such a size difference?

[ZeBedie]

The engines of the Brit are further outboard than those of the Comet.

[Offchocks]

LTNman thanks for posting that photo of the Monarch 1-11 framed by B720 tails, any idea which winter it was taken in?

[Spiney Norman]

Originally Posted by Offchocks

LTNman thanks for posting that photo of the Monarch 1-11 framed by B720 tails, any idea which winter it was taken in?

It’s certainly a very nice picture of the aircraft but also features the Tels Viva van! I can’t describe how cold a morning like that used to feel as I left the warmth of ATC to carry out the airfield surface inspection at the end of a long night duty! The Viva was shear luxury as it had a decent heater but was unsuitable for inspecting the grass runways. Our usual mount was a very ancient Land Rover which looked and felt as if it had been used in multiple ram raids. It was pepperred with holes that let in the freezing cold/rain/snow/soup or anything else that was guaranteed to make your life a misery. It may have had a crash gearbox, or it might just have been that the synchromesh had given up the ghost years ago. The windscreen wipers were the size of lollipop sticks and were so slow that anything more than the odd spot of precipitation would overwhelm them. After escaping back into the warm one was so numbed that occasionally the poor runway inspector would depart for home and bed with the vehicle keys in his/her pocket thus bringing down the wrath of Tels on their head. Happy days!

[LTNman]

Ha ha, if you think you had it tough then think about the poor firemen who were sent to the raised huts to constantly count runway lights when Luton was in fog.

Not a job for wimps I would have thought. Did they have heaters and windows in those sheds on stilts?

LTNman thanks for posting that photo of the Monarch 1-11 framed by B720 tails, any idea which winter it was taken in?

The photo owner has been given a link to this thread so should read your comment. If he knows he can message me via facebook and I will report back.

[dixi188]

I think it is probably winter 81 or 82.
We had a lot of snow at Gatwick about then.

[Spiney Norman]

Originally Posted by LTNman

Ha ha, if you think you had it tough then think about the poor firemen who were sent to the raised huts to constantly count runway lights when Luton was in fog.

Not a job for wimps I would have thought. Did they have heaters and windows in those sheds on stilts?



The photo owner has been given a link to this thread so should read your comment. If he knows he can message me via facebook and I will report back.

LTNman.
Pretty sure they had windows but no heat or electrical power. I certainly do sympathise and often did when I was sitting in the warm taking those readings on the RVR notepad. The nights when Luton was in fog in those days seemed very fequent, but perhaps that’s a standard trick of memory like glorious summers when you’re a kid.
Just popping back to the Monarch 1-11 photo above. It seemed a fairly regular occurance for the 1-11 to suffer a minor starting issue. The subject turbine would be wound up with an increasing whine which would suddenly become a rising and falling note sometimes requiring a re-start. Occasionally this would require an engineer from Airline Engineering to attend with a tall step ladder. He would then open a portion of engine cowling and appeared to hit an accessory on the engine which would cause the warbling sound to stop. Cowl shut, Engineer departs, aircraft calls for taxy. I never heard an explanation of what exactly was going on. Perhaps someone here may know?

[rogerg]

Had to do it a few times as a 1-11 pilot. Once down route in Tripoli and we were very keen to leave. I seem to remember it was a valve in the pneumatic starting system playing up. There was also one in the sub wing to the engine cowl, and we had a rod thing in the cockpit to give it a twist. As you were locking up the cowl it was a bit noisy!!
All part of the fun in those days.