Top 10 British Pilots
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pandora considering your relative "juniorority" at Big Airways Don't slag off the management. I know you like to be out spoken on these forae, but just because your name wasn't on the list . . .
Lloyd isn't a bad bloke, and has contributed much to aviation - shame he changed his name.
Dan also isn't a bad bloke - bit of attitude is a good thing in a fast jet jockey. But Dan, all the girls don't love you
Is that a new Lotus . . .
Mike - pretty good career at BA and the re-intro of the rocket was a good job - give the guy a break.
I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Tom, but doesn't affect his piloting skills. Nor Alan - but same again.
Paul Douglas is just slightly misaligned, but again not a fundementally bad guy.
Mike - I've never met you, but anybody who admits to failure and learns from it is on the right lines.
I take exception to Richard Hill - skilled aviator who knows, but nice guy he'll never be. My experiences of Richard leave a sour taste. BMI could be a better airline, were it not for him.
Paul & Craig have played with some good toys so I'm envyous - but good luck to them.
If I betray my background then so be it, but Pandora, just remember how lucky you've been. And so have I for that matter .. .
Lloyd isn't a bad bloke, and has contributed much to aviation - shame he changed his name.
Dan also isn't a bad bloke - bit of attitude is a good thing in a fast jet jockey. But Dan, all the girls don't love you
Is that a new Lotus . . .Mike - pretty good career at BA and the re-intro of the rocket was a good job - give the guy a break.
I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Tom, but doesn't affect his piloting skills. Nor Alan - but same again.
Paul Douglas is just slightly misaligned, but again not a fundementally bad guy.
Mike - I've never met you, but anybody who admits to failure and learns from it is on the right lines.
I take exception to Richard Hill - skilled aviator who knows, but nice guy he'll never be. My experiences of Richard leave a sour taste. BMI could be a better airline, were it not for him.
Paul & Craig have played with some good toys so I'm envyous - but good luck to them.
If I betray my background then so be it, but Pandora, just remember how lucky you've been. And so have I for that matter .. .
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All fine gentlemen I'm sure but I would be very wary of any attempt to create a league of merit in this business;pilots arent actors,you cant have an Academy Awards in our line of work.If you wanted to try,I wouldnt necessarily equate status and seniority with it either.The only way a pilots merit is ever truly tested is in situations which all of us hope we never encounter.
Without a doubt the greatest British pilots were those who fought in the Battle of Britain.Every one of them.The rest just stand in their collective shadow I'm afraid.
Without a doubt the greatest British pilots were those who fought in the Battle of Britain.Every one of them.The rest just stand in their collective shadow I'm afraid.
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Well what about our beloved Capt. PPRuNe - surely he too must fit the bill, after all which of those ten pilots named in the list has done so much to promote worldwide freedom of access to aeronautical information and knowledge, e.g. as proved by the very fact that you're reading this now.
Indeed I'll bet that more pages are read on PPRuNe everyday, than the previously named 'ten' have ever published in their whole lives, e.g. it's presently approaching 1/2 million per day -
- and growing !
British Pilots aside - just who has had the most impact on aviation ?! My list might read: The Wright brothers ( sort of started it all, well, maybe ), Frank Whittle ( the world's been a different place since the advent of the jet engine ), the crews of Apollo's 11 ( first on to the Moon ) & 13 ( for the unforgetable, Swigert: "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here." ), and Danny ( for PPRuNe ).
Indeed I'll bet that more pages are read on PPRuNe everyday, than the previously named 'ten' have ever published in their whole lives, e.g. it's presently approaching 1/2 million per day -
- and growing !British Pilots aside - just who has had the most impact on aviation ?! My list might read: The Wright brothers ( sort of started it all, well, maybe ), Frank Whittle ( the world's been a different place since the advent of the jet engine ), the crews of Apollo's 11 ( first on to the Moon ) & 13 ( for the unforgetable, Swigert: "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here." ), and Danny ( for PPRuNe ).
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The only guy I know of on there is Craig Penrice - he has a reputation for being seriously capable and is very definitely 'top drawer' material. If you had to choose anyone for a list such as this then he would be right up there with the best of them. There are not many military pilots who can include on their CVs such varied flying tours as Lightnings with the RAF, F15s with the USAF and then end up as a Eurofighter test pilot. Sounds pretty good to me.
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You lot are evidently mere children when it comes to this flying game. Your lack of awareness of the true aviation greats is quite disturbing. Sod those w@ankers at Big Airways etc.
The top neddy is, without question, one Major James Bigglesworth. Algernon Montgomery Lacey and Airman Hebblethwaite should also deserve mention.
The top neddy is, without question, one Major James Bigglesworth. Algernon Montgomery Lacey and Airman Hebblethwaite should also deserve mention.
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Top 10 Britsh Pilots
Hey u guys
how ya all doing...
The people who wrote these statements are suffereing from inferiority complex....so why don't we just say " ok baby" U are the man...
u never know...
they might be using the these statements on PPrune as a proof of their quality and high flying standard...to get them a raise....
but we can just wish them all the best......
how ya all doing...
The people who wrote these statements are suffereing from inferiority complex....so why don't we just say " ok baby" U are the man...
u never know...
they might be using the these statements on PPrune as a proof of their quality and high flying standard...to get them a raise....
but we can just wish them all the best......
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There appears to have been a printing mistake. When I voted for Lloyd Griffiths, Mike Bannister and Paul Douglas, the wording said "top ten piloks". I asmed this to be a spelling mistake rather than a typographical error.
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Couldn't be too sure about anyone who needed to magnify his importance by constantly reminding everyone that he's descended from some politician fellow many generations back...
..perhaps some of these names are among the top ten aviators, in their own opinion, anyway.
..perhaps some of these names are among the top ten aviators, in their own opinion, anyway.
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Can we question the sanity of the list compiler? What a load of tripe! Good pilots are not flying desks most days of the month. Funny when the Royalty go on flights, the desk drivers are the ones to do it!
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Exactly what I was trying to say, Notso, before Mini Mums came down on my head like a ton of bricks. There is (usually) nothing wrong with a manager managing and a pilot flying, but please don't get the two confused.
The one time I met Lloyd he spoke to me like I was 6 years old. Even the captain I was with at the time couldn't believe it. If the only thing he has to talk to his pilots about is how nice and shiny their buttons are, he needs to get near a flight deck more often.
As for Paul. Misaligned is a mild word. Totally off the tracks is more like it. This man also has a habit of telling every pilot he comes across how lucky they are that BA gave them a job. (Mini Mums, you're not Paul are you?) Now I thank my lucky stars every day that I am healthy and have an average brain in my head. But the rest is all sheer hard work. When I was at Oxford he regularly used to come along for his meet the cadets evenings, and would count us all to make sure no one was having fun in their own time. Then he would ask us if we had any problems, we would tell him and then he would sternly tell us we were all ungrateful and didn't we know how lucky we were. If he had his way we wouldn't have said a peep about inadequte health care, unsafe aircraft and instructors who couldn't give a damn about us (the US ones, not the OATS ones.)
All this reminiscing about OATS reminds me of another pilot I would have on my list - Tom Lecky-Thompson.
The one time I met Lloyd he spoke to me like I was 6 years old. Even the captain I was with at the time couldn't believe it. If the only thing he has to talk to his pilots about is how nice and shiny their buttons are, he needs to get near a flight deck more often.
As for Paul. Misaligned is a mild word. Totally off the tracks is more like it. This man also has a habit of telling every pilot he comes across how lucky they are that BA gave them a job. (Mini Mums, you're not Paul are you?) Now I thank my lucky stars every day that I am healthy and have an average brain in my head. But the rest is all sheer hard work. When I was at Oxford he regularly used to come along for his meet the cadets evenings, and would count us all to make sure no one was having fun in their own time. Then he would ask us if we had any problems, we would tell him and then he would sternly tell us we were all ungrateful and didn't we know how lucky we were. If he had his way we wouldn't have said a peep about inadequte health care, unsafe aircraft and instructors who couldn't give a damn about us (the US ones, not the OATS ones.)
All this reminiscing about OATS reminds me of another pilot I would have on my list - Tom Lecky-Thompson.
Terrier
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Captain Paul Douglas,
Number ONE for no people skills whatsoever. Rude and possibly ignorant towards people too at times.
So I have heard....allegedly....etc etc (avoiding being sued...)
Number ONE for no people skills whatsoever. Rude and possibly ignorant towards people too at times.
So I have heard....allegedly....etc etc (avoiding being sued...)
Not in my book they aren't!
Whilst I couldn't possibly comment about the others - the three BA pilots mentioned are simply individuals who have risen to the top of the greasy pole in a major airline. That in itself doesn't disbar them from such a list, however the majority of Pilots in the UK will never even have heard of them and most BA crews would be able to name many other worthy candidates.
Another typically poor piece of journalism.......
Another typically poor piece of journalism.......
Uncle Pete
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Perhaps the Awards and Trophies committee at the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators should have been asked?
Should a top ten list reflect managerial skills or the ability to fly and operate an aircraft?
MP
Should a top ten list reflect managerial skills or the ability to fly and operate an aircraft?
MP
THUNDERTAILED
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ho ho ho
you're only as good as your last flight
what do you guys reckon is the single most important aptitude for a good pilot? smooth flying, confidence, good landings, good CRM, good planning, coolness in the face of drama?
my choice would be good at anticipation
what do you guys reckon is the single most important aptitude for a good pilot? smooth flying, confidence, good landings, good CRM, good planning, coolness in the face of drama?
my choice would be good at anticipation