G-WLAD British Midland and Airways Cymru
BMA LBA life and times
i was at BMA 76-85 at LHR traffic/ops coordinator and we started the LBA taken over from BA whilst i was working
(we also at LHR had IOM EMA NQY BHX LPL jet MME jet - then came the big time with GLA EDI BFS and we got 2 DC-9 -32's as well as the 6 small 9's)
the 707 sometimes did the GLA flights when British Rail/Airways were on strike
LBA was pure BMA Viscount territory at first and the BMA baby 9's rarely went there as they had no LE flaps and the original LBA runway was too short for any high weights.
Martinair 9's were -32/33 and had LE devices so could do LBA.
2 BMA Viscounts got pranged there in landing accidents in quick succession and ZLT was infact a w/off and was rebuilt with (?) BAPF's wings and reincarnated as G-BMAT
did the ghastly F27 i think do LHR-LBA sometimes?
BMA/Bish were offered SAS DC 9-21's which had all the -32 wings/LE kit/bigger engines with the short body but the CAA stick pusher regs costs were prohibitive, likewise that McDouglas offered the Super 80 as well but that was discounted eventually due performance issues at Jersey and being too long back then for some domestic T1 stands at LHR.
The CYM 1-11 came after my time sorry but i did fly on it after i left back from MME - and i agree with all the comments about poor old LBA pax getting a rough deal sometimes!
I did fly in the said 1-11 too with British Eagle to Venice in 1967!
its name was Supreme
(we also at LHR had IOM EMA NQY BHX LPL jet MME jet - then came the big time with GLA EDI BFS and we got 2 DC-9 -32's as well as the 6 small 9's)
the 707 sometimes did the GLA flights when British Rail/Airways were on strike
LBA was pure BMA Viscount territory at first and the BMA baby 9's rarely went there as they had no LE flaps and the original LBA runway was too short for any high weights.
Martinair 9's were -32/33 and had LE devices so could do LBA.
2 BMA Viscounts got pranged there in landing accidents in quick succession and ZLT was infact a w/off and was rebuilt with (?) BAPF's wings and reincarnated as G-BMAT
did the ghastly F27 i think do LHR-LBA sometimes?
BMA/Bish were offered SAS DC 9-21's which had all the -32 wings/LE kit/bigger engines with the short body but the CAA stick pusher regs costs were prohibitive, likewise that McDouglas offered the Super 80 as well but that was discounted eventually due performance issues at Jersey and being too long back then for some domestic T1 stands at LHR.
The CYM 1-11 came after my time sorry but i did fly on it after i left back from MME - and i agree with all the comments about poor old LBA pax getting a rough deal sometimes!
I did fly in the said 1-11 too with British Eagle to Venice in 1967!
its name was Supreme
Thread Starter
Hello WHBM. We've discussed 1-11s before. Last time it was the Adria Rombac machines from 1987.
WLAD seems to be quite a talked about aircraft. I think BMA sub-leased it to Manx when the DC9 finally returned to Leeds Bradford so the IOM had a turn at ear-bashing. I still don't understand what happened with BMA to necessitate leasing it in the first place. Obviously it made its mark though.
For their own part, before they disappeared, Airways Cymru operated an extensive programme for Thomson from Bristol and Cardiff, and to an extent, Glasgow and Manchester. They had a pair of new 733s and the old Britannia black sheep, G-BAZI, by then. I can only speculate on the effect these acquisitions had on Airways Cymru's fortunes but they should certainly have made some brass from the BMA lease.
The F27 definitely operated LHR-LBA for a spell in the mid to late eighties, usually at weekends. By then the Viscount was all but gone from the schedules but not before G-AZNA received the Diamond treatment
WLAD seems to be quite a talked about aircraft. I think BMA sub-leased it to Manx when the DC9 finally returned to Leeds Bradford so the IOM had a turn at ear-bashing. I still don't understand what happened with BMA to necessitate leasing it in the first place. Obviously it made its mark though.
For their own part, before they disappeared, Airways Cymru operated an extensive programme for Thomson from Bristol and Cardiff, and to an extent, Glasgow and Manchester. They had a pair of new 733s and the old Britannia black sheep, G-BAZI, by then. I can only speculate on the effect these acquisitions had on Airways Cymru's fortunes but they should certainly have made some brass from the BMA lease.
The F27 definitely operated LHR-LBA for a spell in the mid to late eighties, usually at weekends. By then the Viscount was all but gone from the schedules but not before G-AZNA received the Diamond treatment
Rog.,
Interesting to read about the options of the -21 and the -80! I wonder what the stand issue was, as Paramount did some work for BA on the MAN shuttle some time in the late-,80s, which would have involved the Novembers and Alphas.
I worked for SAS after Midland, and enjoyed some sprightly nose-up departures on the -21. I think one is/was still kicking around in the U.S. as a para-dropper, the folks using the rear stairs, D.B. Cooper-style. 12.5K in 4 minutes, I've read. It has the edge on a Skyvan...
Ironically, just before I left in 1994, a wet-leased SAS -21 turned up on LHR-MME, complete with travelling engineer, a kind of odd convergence of my aviation past!
Back (roughly) on topic - I think the Cymru damp-leasing was down to a shortage of aircraft, as Midland had started some short-haul European routes (Paris and/or Amsterdam?). And, as I mentioned further up the thread, there was always the impression that the prestigious trunk routes had to take priority over everything else, so no chance of having a leased aircraft on there. And I suspect that there was some slack in operational planning to stick a spare 9 on if one went sick. Leeds and Teesside, from being the top routes, suddenly became poor relations. I even suffered an hour and a half on an ancient. vibratory F27 one night up to Teesside.
Teesside also had the 732 EI-BTR for a while, flown by some Vietnam vets, and truly bonkers, according to a stewardess who worked with them (the late and lovely Kim Lerner).
Interesting to read about the options of the -21 and the -80! I wonder what the stand issue was, as Paramount did some work for BA on the MAN shuttle some time in the late-,80s, which would have involved the Novembers and Alphas.
I worked for SAS after Midland, and enjoyed some sprightly nose-up departures on the -21. I think one is/was still kicking around in the U.S. as a para-dropper, the folks using the rear stairs, D.B. Cooper-style. 12.5K in 4 minutes, I've read. It has the edge on a Skyvan...
Ironically, just before I left in 1994, a wet-leased SAS -21 turned up on LHR-MME, complete with travelling engineer, a kind of odd convergence of my aviation past!
Back (roughly) on topic - I think the Cymru damp-leasing was down to a shortage of aircraft, as Midland had started some short-haul European routes (Paris and/or Amsterdam?). And, as I mentioned further up the thread, there was always the impression that the prestigious trunk routes had to take priority over everything else, so no chance of having a leased aircraft on there. And I suspect that there was some slack in operational planning to stick a spare 9 on if one went sick. Leeds and Teesside, from being the top routes, suddenly became poor relations. I even suffered an hour and a half on an ancient. vibratory F27 one night up to Teesside.
Teesside also had the 732 EI-BTR for a while, flown by some Vietnam vets, and truly bonkers, according to a stewardess who worked with them (the late and lovely Kim Lerner).
Last edited by Midland 331; 16th Nov 2014 at 10:24.
the Super 80 was offered around the time once first new a/c deliveries were occurring to Swissair (1980?)
the LHR stands deemed a problem back then were A7/9 plus B2 B10 and
an extra stand was made next to that iirc B12?
N39/41 was used often by BMA and that too would then have been too small
for a Super 80
the Jersey issue seemed more important though as the runway was too short for it
how nasty an F27 on the MME!
the LHR stands deemed a problem back then were A7/9 plus B2 B10 and
an extra stand was made next to that iirc B12?
N39/41 was used often by BMA and that too would then have been too small
for a Super 80
the Jersey issue seemed more important though as the runway was too short for it
how nasty an F27 on the MME!
Thread Starter
Speaking of 737s I also remember a Trans European machine in the late eighties painted in half a Diamond scheme. This aeroplane often used to drop into LBA from Teesside on its way to Heathrow. Probably only took about ten minutes.
If I remember rightly BMA were looking at the MD87 to replace their entire fleet of DC9 "Classics". As the short body variant stand depth at Heathrow shouldn't have been a problem. But then there's the Jersey performance question...
If Paramount were subbing for BA on the Shuttle flights with their MD83s then surely they would have been parking on stands suitable for 757s, thereby negating the depth problem. However I'm not familiar with Heathrow so correct me if I am wrong.
Whatever happened I'd argue that Sir Bishop seemed to know what he was doing. I have little doubt that the DC9 Classics would have stayed around longer if not for European noise regulations. Well built and reliable. As for WLAD, who knows ??
If I remember rightly BMA were looking at the MD87 to replace their entire fleet of DC9 "Classics". As the short body variant stand depth at Heathrow shouldn't have been a problem. But then there's the Jersey performance question...
If Paramount were subbing for BA on the Shuttle flights with their MD83s then surely they would have been parking on stands suitable for 757s, thereby negating the depth problem. However I'm not familiar with Heathrow so correct me if I am wrong.
Whatever happened I'd argue that Sir Bishop seemed to know what he was doing. I have little doubt that the DC9 Classics would have stayed around longer if not for European noise regulations. Well built and reliable. As for WLAD, who knows ??
Ah. Then you may have been peripherally involved in what was my finest hour at check-in, probably about 1982-83.
BMA had started Glasgow, and I was making a trip up there. There was a cheap "non-changeable" return fare on the 13.00 lunchtime flight, which saved the office budget a bit over the BA Shuttle (goodness knows why I did this, I never saw any personal benefit from doing so). Just before setting off from our office in The City to the Underground about 10.45 a phone call comes in from our Australia office which went on and on. Suddenly I realise it's 11.30, roar out of the office to the District Line, out to Barons Court, wait and wait for a Heathrow Piccadilly, OhMyGodI'mNotGoingToMakeIt, finally onwards .... how many more stations .... three minutes a station .... oh no Hounslow West to Hatton Cross is a huge distance ,OhMyGodI'mNotGoingToMakeIt .... finally into Heathrow tube station at 12.48, leap up escalator and along passages, no queue at BMA, told "just a chance", no queue at security, aircraft on first stand on right down the pier (stand 2 ?), give BP, in, doors of the DC9-10 close behind me, OTD at 13.00, 12 minutes after I arrive in the tube station
Now then, rog747, if I'd just missed it, would you have kindly endorsed my non-endorseable onto the 15.00 ?
Also recall going up to Teesside, maybe 1988, in one of the ex-Indonesian DC9-30s. Full reverse and braking on touchdown. My briefcase whizzes forward down the aisle most of the way to the front. C'mon guys, MME's runway is not that short.
Last DC9 I ever rode in was about 1995, returning from Edinburgh one evening, which by then was all 737-400 on BMA, but there was an aircraft sub and a DC9 was on the rotation. More than a little tatty inside, but I believe ValuJet bought the last ones from BMA.
I more than once had to endure one on Waterford to Luton. My last-ever Dart-powered flights. Noisy little thing abeam the props.
Ended up like so many One-Elevens with Okada Air in Nigeria, last heard of derelict and dumped at Benin over there, towards the end of the 1990s.
BMA had started Glasgow, and I was making a trip up there. There was a cheap "non-changeable" return fare on the 13.00 lunchtime flight, which saved the office budget a bit over the BA Shuttle (goodness knows why I did this, I never saw any personal benefit from doing so). Just before setting off from our office in The City to the Underground about 10.45 a phone call comes in from our Australia office which went on and on. Suddenly I realise it's 11.30, roar out of the office to the District Line, out to Barons Court, wait and wait for a Heathrow Piccadilly, OhMyGodI'mNotGoingToMakeIt, finally onwards .... how many more stations .... three minutes a station .... oh no Hounslow West to Hatton Cross is a huge distance ,OhMyGodI'mNotGoingToMakeIt .... finally into Heathrow tube station at 12.48, leap up escalator and along passages, no queue at BMA, told "just a chance", no queue at security, aircraft on first stand on right down the pier (stand 2 ?), give BP, in, doors of the DC9-10 close behind me, OTD at 13.00, 12 minutes after I arrive in the tube station
Now then, rog747, if I'd just missed it, would you have kindly endorsed my non-endorseable onto the 15.00 ?
Also recall going up to Teesside, maybe 1988, in one of the ex-Indonesian DC9-30s. Full reverse and braking on touchdown. My briefcase whizzes forward down the aisle most of the way to the front. C'mon guys, MME's runway is not that short.
Last DC9 I ever rode in was about 1995, returning from Edinburgh one evening, which by then was all 737-400 on BMA, but there was an aircraft sub and a DC9 was on the rotation. More than a little tatty inside, but I believe ValuJet bought the last ones from BMA.
how nasty an F27 on the MME!
As for WLAD, who knows ??
> aircraft on first stand on right down the pier (stand 2 ?), give BP, in, doors of the DC9-10 close behind me, OTD at 13.00, 12 minutes after I arrive in the tube station.
B2/4 were great for that type of fun. In my time at SAS, I used to travel Teesside-Heathrow-Manchester on free staff tickets, sometimes allowing me to disembark at B2 or 4, dash across the corridor to The Shuttle Lounge, and be sat on the Manchester within ten minutes. A whole lot more fun than driving, and cheaper, too. Not to mention free drinks and/or jump-seating on the way back. As well as getting paid.
>Now then, rog747, if I'd just missed it, would you have kindly endorsed my non-endorseable onto the 15.00 ?
Probably my domain as a young ticket agent, circa 1983. Your BMA "Keyfare" was normally utterly unchangeable. But on the trunk routes, head-to-head with BA, there was always the desire to not lose punters to "The Enemy". So you may have had a chance. BMA Heathrow appeared to have it's own way of doing lots of things... :-)
>C'mon guys, MME's runway is not that short.
The trick was to make the high-speed exit off 23 which led straight onto the ramp. Achievable on a good day without too much drama, but occasionally the crews tried just a bit too hard, resulting in a mild "eyeballs-out" effect.
Ryanair always seemed to make it, though...
B2/4 were great for that type of fun. In my time at SAS, I used to travel Teesside-Heathrow-Manchester on free staff tickets, sometimes allowing me to disembark at B2 or 4, dash across the corridor to The Shuttle Lounge, and be sat on the Manchester within ten minutes. A whole lot more fun than driving, and cheaper, too. Not to mention free drinks and/or jump-seating on the way back. As well as getting paid.
>Now then, rog747, if I'd just missed it, would you have kindly endorsed my non-endorseable onto the 15.00 ?
Probably my domain as a young ticket agent, circa 1983. Your BMA "Keyfare" was normally utterly unchangeable. But on the trunk routes, head-to-head with BA, there was always the desire to not lose punters to "The Enemy". So you may have had a chance. BMA Heathrow appeared to have it's own way of doing lots of things... :-)
>C'mon guys, MME's runway is not that short.
The trick was to make the high-speed exit off 23 which led straight onto the ramp. Achievable on a good day without too much drama, but occasionally the crews tried just a bit too hard, resulting in a mild "eyeballs-out" effect.
Ryanair always seemed to make it, though...
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flew out with airways Cymru on a page and moy charter to nice for the Monaco Grand Prix in 84 went out on there tatty ex bia 1 11 but came home on there very smart painted up 1 11 wlad only trouble had was due to sheer traffic of aircraft at nice due to Grand Prix believe there was 3 airfrance concordes there plus ba Concorde the airport was heaving and flight was delayed by 3 hours unable to get a good picture of aircraft
remember the Aviaco DC-9 very well.
Also the Stirling Caravelle OY-SAH in May 78 I think. I have a photo somewhere.
Also the Stirling Caravelle OY-SAH in May 78 I think. I have a photo somewhere.
I'm sure I have a pic of OY SAH as well but on a 'basic' camera and with prints/negs still somewhere round my mother's place.
If you remember Dave W of that era he's currently putting up several scanned slides from seventies on FB every week .
Here's the old girl in all her glory
New to British Eagle : http://www.airliners.net/photo/Briti...12463268655612
Canadian sojourn (actually 15 years, 1969 to 1984) : http://www.airliners.net/photo/Quebe...ca81a1a4d42ad3
Airways Cymru c/s, back home as G-WLAD : Photos: BAC 111-304AX One-Eleven Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
BMA c/s. You can see it was a minimalist livery adaptation, and in fact the Airways Cymru scheme was not a million miles away from the BMA Diamond scheme anyway : Photos: BAC 111-304AX One-Eleven Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
Manx scheme. Complete and full repaint : Photos: BAC 111-304AX One-Eleven Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
A current view of Benin City airport, Nigeria, with what look like a lot of One-Eleven fuselages etc dumped in the weeds. I reckon it's one of these : https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Benin...,+Nigeria&z=18
New to British Eagle : http://www.airliners.net/photo/Briti...12463268655612
Canadian sojourn (actually 15 years, 1969 to 1984) : http://www.airliners.net/photo/Quebe...ca81a1a4d42ad3
Airways Cymru c/s, back home as G-WLAD : Photos: BAC 111-304AX One-Eleven Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
BMA c/s. You can see it was a minimalist livery adaptation, and in fact the Airways Cymru scheme was not a million miles away from the BMA Diamond scheme anyway : Photos: BAC 111-304AX One-Eleven Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
Manx scheme. Complete and full repaint : Photos: BAC 111-304AX One-Eleven Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
A current view of Benin City airport, Nigeria, with what look like a lot of One-Eleven fuselages etc dumped in the weeds. I reckon it's one of these : https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Benin...,+Nigeria&z=18
Last edited by WHBM; 16th Nov 2014 at 22:33.
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Enjoyed reading this thread brought back memories..
BM had promised the travelling public jet aircraft on the LBA-LHR route when the runway extension at Leeds was complete, However at this time I think there was only 8 DC9s in the fleet 6-DC9-10 and 2 DC9-30. These where assigned 2x GLA 2 x BFS 2x EDI and 1 for MME and LBA, this meant that there was no spare capacity for disruption and engineering, I would guess this was not a great idea especially when competing with BA on the former routes so as a short term measure a jet of comparable size was leased in to cover the operation. Why was it placed on the LBA route well as a forumer earlier has mentioned you could base the aircraft with crew at LBA and let it run backward and forward to LHR as a self contained operation, whilst on the other routes crews and aircraft where based at both ends so it was sensible to keep aircraft types the same, In the case of the MME route if though there was only one aircraft assigned to this route during the day due to the tight schedule it often changed aircraft to maintain the schedule.
If I remember correctly once BM had sourced more 9s the plan was for Manx to operate one on the IOM-LHR run and some Manx crews actually had commenced their training on the BM 9s in readiness for this then there was a change of plan and the 1-11 was transferred to Manx until they obtained their 146. The only reason I can think for this change was the runway length at Ronaldsway was not really suitable for the 9 or the 1-11 with a full payload.
BM had promised the travelling public jet aircraft on the LBA-LHR route when the runway extension at Leeds was complete, However at this time I think there was only 8 DC9s in the fleet 6-DC9-10 and 2 DC9-30. These where assigned 2x GLA 2 x BFS 2x EDI and 1 for MME and LBA, this meant that there was no spare capacity for disruption and engineering, I would guess this was not a great idea especially when competing with BA on the former routes so as a short term measure a jet of comparable size was leased in to cover the operation. Why was it placed on the LBA route well as a forumer earlier has mentioned you could base the aircraft with crew at LBA and let it run backward and forward to LHR as a self contained operation, whilst on the other routes crews and aircraft where based at both ends so it was sensible to keep aircraft types the same, In the case of the MME route if though there was only one aircraft assigned to this route during the day due to the tight schedule it often changed aircraft to maintain the schedule.
If I remember correctly once BM had sourced more 9s the plan was for Manx to operate one on the IOM-LHR run and some Manx crews actually had commenced their training on the BM 9s in readiness for this then there was a change of plan and the 1-11 was transferred to Manx until they obtained their 146. The only reason I can think for this change was the runway length at Ronaldsway was not really suitable for the 9 or the 1-11 with a full payload.
WHBM midland331
yes WHBM!
we/1 would have got you most likely without fuss on the next one FOC normally as standby - especially if it was a regular or a mr/mrs 'nice'
but if it was full we always asked to use the 1 or 2 jump seats on the Dc-9's if the skipper and no.1 were agreeable (99.999% were)
we did that for full fare pax, not just staff as people wanted to get home and loved the jump seat ride and they still got food or a dinner!
frantically ringing the caterers for 92 meals for the BD338 or 340 and the bloke saying but thought you only seat 90!
Terminal 1 Gate 2 or 4 was perfect for LMC's - we never left anyone behind and checkin would squawk me if any runners...we even opened the doors again sometimes if at all possible.
On my shift i tried to get aircraft airborne at ''departure time'' rather than pushing back as we could normally slip onto a runway intersection and take off quickly in front of the Q - as long as the doors were not closed before -10 we could skip off and try and get going fast as usually we did not need full length runway.
the hold ups to this were always Shell not turning up or late bags to the a/c.
we normally never caused anyone grief if they missed a flight - we got them home
we (sometimes the girls would come to me and ask) but usually it was a yes just put them on the next one on sby. get them away.
midland 331 you are right we did do things a wee bit differently at LHR LOL!
yes we had firecracker and keyfares but it was so simple to just put someone on the next flight at the CI desk or the gate and keep them happy.
Our ethos was you have paid for seat and you wanna go home.
also the seat plan was a sticker! (no computers)
things were fun at LHR
we turned around a very late running MME DC-9 on B2 in 5 minutes - i still have kept the telex from the Fuhrer congratulating me and the staff for doing that (or the jet ban would have screwed us£ royally)
50 pax off, hardly any bags to load/offload, splash of fuel and 92 punters at the bottom the steps waiting to board the a/c whilst the girls did a quick run through the cabin for the trash and crossed the belts - boarded the herd superfast and the the 9 was at 4000' again within 12 minutes of arriving on blocks.
the good old days - we could transfer pax from a late inbound to another gate in the van or our car to make a connection - all so easy and people were so grateful
we/1 would have got you most likely without fuss on the next one FOC normally as standby - especially if it was a regular or a mr/mrs 'nice'
but if it was full we always asked to use the 1 or 2 jump seats on the Dc-9's if the skipper and no.1 were agreeable (99.999% were)
we did that for full fare pax, not just staff as people wanted to get home and loved the jump seat ride and they still got food or a dinner!
frantically ringing the caterers for 92 meals for the BD338 or 340 and the bloke saying but thought you only seat 90!
Terminal 1 Gate 2 or 4 was perfect for LMC's - we never left anyone behind and checkin would squawk me if any runners...we even opened the doors again sometimes if at all possible.
On my shift i tried to get aircraft airborne at ''departure time'' rather than pushing back as we could normally slip onto a runway intersection and take off quickly in front of the Q - as long as the doors were not closed before -10 we could skip off and try and get going fast as usually we did not need full length runway.
the hold ups to this were always Shell not turning up or late bags to the a/c.
we normally never caused anyone grief if they missed a flight - we got them home
we (sometimes the girls would come to me and ask) but usually it was a yes just put them on the next one on sby. get them away.
midland 331 you are right we did do things a wee bit differently at LHR LOL!
yes we had firecracker and keyfares but it was so simple to just put someone on the next flight at the CI desk or the gate and keep them happy.
Our ethos was you have paid for seat and you wanna go home.
also the seat plan was a sticker! (no computers)
things were fun at LHR
we turned around a very late running MME DC-9 on B2 in 5 minutes - i still have kept the telex from the Fuhrer congratulating me and the staff for doing that (or the jet ban would have screwed us£ royally)
50 pax off, hardly any bags to load/offload, splash of fuel and 92 punters at the bottom the steps waiting to board the a/c whilst the girls did a quick run through the cabin for the trash and crossed the belts - boarded the herd superfast and the the 9 was at 4000' again within 12 minutes of arriving on blocks.
the good old days - we could transfer pax from a late inbound to another gate in the van or our car to make a connection - all so easy and people were so grateful
Last edited by rog747; 17th Nov 2014 at 17:59.
You guys probably know more about the arrangements, but after the last passenger flight of the day LHR-EDI there was a Royal Mail postal flight each way, leaving each end about 23.00 and arriving shortly after midnight. I believe the mail was carried in special pouches fixed over the seat units. I also believe it was the only scheduled landing into Heathrow so late, and was a Post Office special arrangement outside normal slots.
Once, driving inwards to London on the M4 just after midnight, I had just passed the Heathrow exit when lights from the left appeared in the sky, which I am pretty sure would have been this flight inbound. At first I thought it was coming in on 23, but it was just a bit further on and made a tight banked turn onto short final for 27 Right, they must have been hand flying it. Of course, it was the only aircraft around. What fun for the guys up front !
When did Liverpool get a DC-9 service ?
Once, driving inwards to London on the M4 just after midnight, I had just passed the Heathrow exit when lights from the left appeared in the sky, which I am pretty sure would have been this flight inbound. At first I thought it was coming in on 23, but it was just a bit further on and made a tight banked turn onto short final for 27 Right, they must have been hand flying it. Of course, it was the only aircraft around. What fun for the guys up front !
These where assigned 2x GLA 2 x BFS 2x EDI and 1 for MME and LBA
Thread Starter
I've just remembered that WLAD had a starring role in BBC Airport 1986. Mike Smith took a jump seat ride behind Capt. Jeff Price and chum on the BD413 from LBA to LHR one foul November morning. He radioed Peter McCann at LATCC on the way down. The weather at Heathrow was terrible but WLAD landed on the first approach. I wonder if she was CATII equipped.
Loved that series. A real eye-opener.
Loved that series. A real eye-opener.
there was a Royal Mail postal flight each way, leaving each end about 23.00 and arriving shortly after midnight.
Thread Starter
The Airport 86 film I've referred to above can be found on Vimeo. The quality isn't the best but it's perfectly adequate. Good to see the old banger in action, defying the lousy weather at both ends of the route.
