air stairs
 

yes WHBM is correct PSA only had the left side smaller forward air stair that went into the lower deck lounge - which was a special order for the 5 a/c PSA ordered - they only took 2 and LTU bought the other 3 airframes.

here you are http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../4/1243480.jpg

LTU did use the stairs for boarding at some outstations

the Court line pair were the only ones to have the big extending rear cargo hold fitted contraptions but these were removed by the end of the first summer's ops due to weight saving and their unreliability
a great idea in theory with the baggage belt loading system made their a/c almost self sufficient at small airports especially if they had had the PSA type front air-stairs fitted too - sadly in 1973 the Arab-Israeli war started another fuel crisis just as Court started ops with L1011's

the court line film on YouTube shows both in operation

I wasn't at Farnborough for the initial delivery but I was for the flight to Paull.
12in95, did you later do a stint as OC Flying? I was a controller there from '74 to 2008.

Didn't know of this guy, but a number of the key team who worked on the Tristar design in the late 1960s came from the UK manufacturing industry, and their departure for Burbank was noted and commented on as one of the key aspects of the "brain drain" that was sometimes in the news at the time. Both Handley Page and De Havilland were scaling back their design teams at the time. The Autoland on the Tristar is said by those who flew it, and have flown other types since, to have never been beaten for ability and accuracy, not bad for a 40 year old pre-computing design, on a type now completely out of service. The principal designers were taken from the pioneering Trident Autoland development team at Hatfield, where they had taken years to perfect it, and there was little follow-on work for them.

I did read that the Tristar Autoland was certificated for something like 40 knots crosswind, but the test pilots had been up at nearer 60 during the trials, they then just couldn't find a crosswind of that strength when it came to the certificate demonstration.

Not OC Flying
 

Hi Chevvron

No, I left for a ground tour on promotion having been a member of Western Sqn.

Regards
12in95

another latecomer to this thread.

I knew Dave Boothman well and had met his wife Patsy too. Also remember Harry. I was working in Autair passenger services at the time having dropped out of university! The crash which killed Dave and Harry devastated all of us as we were such a small company in those days. I remember Dave's funeral. I can't quite recall whether Patsy had had the baby (Adam) by then or not.

I went on to have a very shortlived marriage to an Autair flight despatcher. We had a daughter and went to live in Australia and I came back after our marriage broke up. Went back to Luton to work as a trainee controller in ATC at Luton and subsequently married another controller (44 year anniversary coming up!). We went to Hong Kong for 12 years where he worked at Kai Tak and I worked for the Honkers and Shankers having by then obtained an MBA which sent me in a different direction entirely.

I remember many of the people named earlier in this thread from the Autair days - lovely crowd. We saw a few coming through HK from time to time. Many happy memories of our days in aviation over a lot of years - my husband retired 4 years ago after 47 years in Air Traffic!

Savannahlady,
Sorry I have taken so long to say hello, but not much gets posted here now, so I do not check very often.
I see you knew my father, Harold Dryhurst. All I know of my father is that he worked a lot, so I never got to see him very much, but in my later years my husband has done a lot of research on him, and found out more than I ever knew. We now have a very large folder on him, mostly from his exploits during the war.
I would be grateful if you could give me any information on him, little stories, how you knew him, what you thought of him etc.
It looks like you and your hubby have led a very enjoyable life, I hope that continues.
Best Wishes, Lynne.

any reunions upcoming ? the company folded 43 years ago last week - joined in 1972 and i left the outfit 10 days before hand ! (and doubled my salary overnight - not bad for an 18 yo)

2nd September last I heard? Pm me for email address to ask for more details ?

15 August (just 2 days from now)

on this day in 1974 Court Line Aviation, Clarksons and Horizon Holidays/4S Travel ceased to be

only LIAT Horizon Midlands and OSL holidays plus the coach company survived
Liat (1974) is still going
Horizon Midlands formed Orion Airways (bought by Britannia now TUI) and OSL was bought by Rank (BCAL charter then Calair)

Court Line was my second job since leaving school in aviation joining Court and Horizon/4S in 1972
I left 10 days before the collapse (and doubled my salary overnight with Bland Group working for Gib Air and Cadogan Holidays, not bad for an 18 yo!)

there was no word at that time that I knew of that we were in trouble at Court/Horizon

my first job was Air Spain/Vista Jet who also failed lol

Sixties Chic (Autair 1967)
 

Cherry Mason on the left but can anybody identify the other Air Hostess?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/20223...-1/s-l1000.jpg

Is it my imagination but has there been quite a few posts deleted from this thread as I'm sure that I have read posts since the 13 August 2017 which is the second to last on this thread!

Canberra - are you confusing it with LTN History and Nostalgia?

ROG, the problem was they Court Line could have solved the financial problem but was thwarted by the Government. Court Line held some fairly considerable shipping interests including Appledore shipyards, Doxford engines, and Woolsingham Steel amonst them.
These were offered to the Government, who had shown interest. Of course the need for the sale was urgent but of course the government needed to show due diligence !!! They would not even a agree an interim payment. Of Course all this went on to the 11th hour and 59 minutes !!!

that shows your age -

these days the idea that a Govt would even think of buying a shipyard, and engine maker and a steel works is remarkably odd........ and to bail out an airline even weirder when you think of it

i wonder if BA were in serious trouble today if HM Govt would seek to save it >?

Chevron, The Beverley was purchased to support the L1011 in the event of an engine failure overseas. Of course Europe wasn't too much of a problem with a two engine ferry but the Caribbean would have been a bit of a challenge !! The problem with the Beverley was the ARB certification, even in a Restricted catagory .Despite the fact that these had been flying over our heads for years they were suddenly unsafe !!!
The problem was was the ARB required additional data from the manufacturers who of course could see no return on this expense !!

Job for the Spanish government, surely. Same for Heathrow Airport.

Anyone know of F/o Ian Rixon? Ex-RAF Phantoms.

Yes I apparently am, there was quite a bit of discussion a few weeks ago regarding Court Line on the LTN History and Nostalgia forum and as this thread has recently only become active again over the last few days I assumed that it was missing some posts :-)

Did we show this before


a question on the thread discussing this is, are those actual Court Line cabin crew dark blue uniforms around the 11 minute mark. Were the uniforms not the same range of colours as the aircraft ?