BEA Flight Bulletin - Viking G-AJBW
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BEA Flight Bulletin - Viking G-AJBW
Just clearing out the loft and came across these Flight Bulletins, issued on a flight to Athens in BEA Viking, G-AJBW. Must be from early fifties.
Capt James Thain - so highly likely - his daughter is still alive in Berkshire - she may like this if it is her Dad's
I have a publisher contact who can get hold of her - she was last interviewed a year ago by the Daily Express still wondering 60 years on if her father would be exonerated....https://www.express.co.uk/life-style...ot-living-hell
I have a publisher contact who can get hold of her - she was last interviewed a year ago by the Daily Express still wondering 60 years on if her father would be exonerated....https://www.express.co.uk/life-style...ot-living-hell
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rog747
If indeed this is the Captain Thain who is the father of the lady in Berkshire, then I would be more than happy to forward the Flight Bulletins to her.
If indeed this is the Captain Thain who is the father of the lady in Berkshire, then I would be more than happy to forward the Flight Bulletins to her.
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Northolt > Jersey Aug '48 Dakota.
Our flight had a similar handout but with a strip map. Position marked as Haslemere. A copy for both sides of the cabin. Captain came round and spoke to every row.
Our flight had a similar handout but with a strip map. Position marked as Haslemere. A copy for both sides of the cabin. Captain came round and spoke to every row.
They are charming documents. The altitude and speed subtle reminders as to how different air travel is now. Just imagine the noise!
They also reminded me that up until the 1980's it was common to have a route map passed through the cabin on flights. Indeed deep in my loft is a Pan Am 747SP "polar" route map LHR-SFO which my father secured for me, perhaps in the late 1970's, as he often jetted off to the US at that time, and a Dan-Air LGW-KGS map, which as a spotty plane mad teenager, did not make it further than my seat! My log notes it was B727-212 G-BHVT on 10.09.80
They also reminded me that up until the 1980's it was common to have a route map passed through the cabin on flights. Indeed deep in my loft is a Pan Am 747SP "polar" route map LHR-SFO which my father secured for me, perhaps in the late 1970's, as he often jetted off to the US at that time, and a Dan-Air LGW-KGS map, which as a spotty plane mad teenager, did not make it further than my seat! My log notes it was B727-212 G-BHVT on 10.09.80
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The in-flight bulletins are a fascinating find! Here is a photo of BEA Vickers Viking cabin service circa 1952: (The Champagne glasses were plastic, a novelty at the time)
Cabin service in a Viking from a different perspective...
Photo by me (this image is displayed inside G-AGRU at Brooklands), the drawing is by Arthur Whitlock, from 'Behind the Cockpit Door'.
They also reminded me that up until the 1980's it was common to have a route map passed through the cabin on flights. Indeed deep in my loft is a Pan Am 747SP "polar" route map LHR-SFO which my father secured for me, perhaps in the late 1970's, as he often jetted off to the US at that time, and a Dan-Air LGW-KGS map, which as a spotty plane mad teenager, did not make it further than my seat! My log notes it was B727-212 G-BHVT on 10.09.80
In 1992 I flew to Los Angeles with American Airlines. I don't remember any in-flight announcements from the cockpit with details of our progress, and this all pre-dates in-flight entertainment systems anyway. However, on the wall next to the galley there was a map. Every 30 minutes of so one of the cabin-crew would mark our position and with a rule would draw a line joining to the previous position. All very low-tech!, and I thought that I would 'acquire' it as a memento of the flight once we'd landed (sadly, I forgot).
However, a lady sitting behind me asked the CC where we were, the CC checked the map, and came back to report that we were 'over the North Atlantic'. About 30 minutes passed, the map was updated once more, and the same lady asked the same question, and got the answer 'still over the north Atlantic'. I don't think she bothered asking again.
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It can still happen today but probably only if you are in the premium cabin and let flight crew know you are interested.
Was passed route and met info when flying Virgin Atlantic a couple of years ago and introduced myself as an interested PPL flying DEL-LHR.
Was passed route and met info when flying Virgin Atlantic a couple of years ago and introduced myself as an interested PPL flying DEL-LHR.
Or, as most folk do these days, watch the digital map on the seatback in front of you, or watch one of up to 6 live camera feeds of the view outside from various points on the airframe. Marvellous stuff. Especially on landing.
Reminds me of the trip in 1965 of the two senior entries at the Towers on their trip in 2 Britannias to the US. Our nav passed round updates on progress signed variously Vasco da Gama, Henry the Navigator, John Cabot et al
The cartoon of the lady and the wing spar triggered memories of a Valetta trip, just before dawn, from Buraimi Oasis to Sharjah in the mid 50s. In that instance, the person attempting to cross the spar was a Saudi Arabian 'prisoner of war' who, together with some dozen others had been 'picked up' by the Trucial Oman Scouts in a dawn 'scuffle'. I was standing in the flight deck access doorway. revolver drawn,(pointless exercise!!) flanked by two TOS troopers with pike bayonets (VERY effective!). The 'PoW's attempt was abruptly halted with the presentation, at his throat, of a pair of pikes. The troopers then turned to me for permission to proceed!! ... NOT granted, much too early in the day! We had, apparently, initiated the incident the previous day by delivering the 'GO' message to the local troops with a routine cash convoy delivery. In the scheme of things it didn't seem terribly unusual but I have since (60+years) read it reported in more than one political diary as being a bit of an international 'incident'with the major players being UK, Saudi and the US in Aramco form. Funny old world!
Happy to say that Capt Thain's daughter Sebuda will be delighted to receive the flight bulletin for her family archives...
