242 OMC Henlow 1970/71
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Ex-EUROCONTROL land
Age: 74
Posts: 95
242 OMC Henlow 1970/71
Hello, Forumites
50 years ago we were in the thick of the OCTU experience. Anybody from the Course on this Board? How did their Service life “pan out”? I got “the chop” at the end of the Course....
Went in to civil air traffic, first at Gatwick, secondly at LATCC and finally became a Supervisor within the CFMU/Eurocontrol, based outside Paris.
50 years ago we were in the thick of the OCTU experience. Anybody from the Course on this Board? How did their Service life “pan out”? I got “the chop” at the end of the Course....
Went in to civil air traffic, first at Gatwick, secondly at LATCC and finally became a Supervisor within the CFMU/Eurocontrol, based outside Paris.
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Ceredigion
Posts: 1
Green / Brown squadron 242 Main Course 4 March 1971
Originally Posted by IFPS man
Hello, Forumites
50 years ago we were in the thick of the OCTU experience. Anybody from the Course on this Board? How did their Service life “pan out”? I got “the chop” at the end of the Course....
Went in to civil air traffic, first at Gatwick, secondly at LATCC and finally became a Supervisor within the CFMU/Eurocontrol, based outside Paris.
50 years ago we were in the thick of the OCTU experience. Anybody from the Course on this Board? How did their Service life “pan out”? I got “the chop” at the end of the Course....
Went in to civil air traffic, first at Gatwick, secondly at LATCC and finally became a Supervisor within the CFMU/Eurocontrol, based outside Paris.
We graduated in March 1971, I remember it well, but not so much the day after. Monumental hangover !
My RAF career didn't last too long.
Chopped from pilot training at Church Fenton, then recoursed (via Biggin Hill) to Finningley to try to be a Navigator. Totally fed up with everything, I was dropped again (this time a completely self-inflicted event) and left the RAF.
I eventually went in for technology, computing, and never looked back. I became a payments expert (though some would argue about 'expert') and did more flying around the world than the RAF could ever have given me. But not as the driver, just one of the oiks in steerage - most of the time.
Now happily retired.
My time at Henlow still means a lot to me, I learned more about myself and my abilities in the time there than I realised at the time. But I used what i learned to good effect and now live a quiet, unexciting llife in retirement.
FatFlyHalf
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 0
Heavily involved in selection & training I am pleased to note that many "chopped" millbods did very well anyway. It always seemed wasteful, to me, to see people who 'passed' Officer & Aircrew Selection but then fail at an early stage of training. The whole idea of selection was to predict likelihood of success. Perhaps the Church Fenton grading should have taken place ahead of Officer Training. CAT Hamble, for example, included 10 hrs flight grading as part of the selection procedure. Last bit, of course.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 235
Originally Posted by Landflap
Heavily involved in selection & training I am pleased to note that many "chopped" millbods did very well anyway. It always seemed wasteful, to me, to see people who 'passed' Officer & Aircrew Selection but then fail at an early stage of training. The whole idea of selection was to predict likelihood of success. Perhaps the Church Fenton grading should have taken place ahead of Officer Training. CAT Hamble, for example, included 10 hrs flight grading as part of the selection procedure. Last bit, of course.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: EGDL
Posts: 274
Originally Posted by IFPS man
Hello, Forumites
50 years ago we were in the thick of the OCTU experience. Anybody from the Course on this Board? How did their Service life “pan out”? I got “the chop” at the end of the Course....
Went in to civil air traffic, first at Gatwick, secondly at LATCC and finally became a Supervisor within the CFMU/Eurocontrol, based outside Paris.
50 years ago we were in the thick of the OCTU experience. Anybody from the Course on this Board? How did their Service life “pan out”? I got “the chop” at the end of the Course....
Went in to civil air traffic, first at Gatwick, secondly at LATCC and finally became a Supervisor within the CFMU/Eurocontrol, based outside Paris.
My graduation Course members.
was re coursed and graduated later in 1971--here is the photo. I went on to Hercs, Chinooks and exchange with Navy briefly at Culdrose. Now still doing a bit as a CAA CRM Instructor.
