Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1576602
This 1973 TV documentary program just came up on FB, "Red One to London", which details the ATC associated with a flight from Schiphol to Heathrow down airway Red One. This will by a trip down memory lane for some of the older ATC'ers here. One of the commentators is a young Bob Holness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1144&v=0PsgHeNTN6c

Iceman 8)
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By chevvron
#1576608
I remember seeing it on telly. I was no longer working at West Drayton when it was made but I recognised many of the ATC staff.
The Trident flight deck ride from EHAM to EGLL was broadcast live I think. (About 40 mins so nicely filled the programme) and I'd just done a 2 week sim course with BEA so I recognised all the flight deck actions.
By chevvron
#1576732
Talkdownman wrote:
Mike Tango wrote:I’m not that old.

I am. I was on duty at the Centre that afternoon. I was kept out of the way, probably because I was wearing a sports jacket. I know all those blokes, or did... :(

Len Vass was CSC; in the shot of the radar suite you could see him seated on a stool at right wearing a dark grey suit, jacket on.
Len was posted to Boscombe Down about 5 years after this programme was shot replacing Pete Wyre who had the audacity in 1971 to come on duty as CSC and not only remove his jacket but did so to reveal he was wearing a short sleeved shirt, for which he was 'spoken to' by the Watch Manager.
Last edited by chevvron on Mon Dec 11, 2017 1:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1576777
neaton wrote:How times change...

"Two eight left..." :wink:


They even had 05/23 back then (or would it have been 06/24 up until the change of 27 to 28 ?).

Was the QFE given routinely or because it was needed for some reason related to the auto-land ?

Iceman 8)
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By Talkdownman
#1576781
I remember most of the names... :wink:

The non-east/west runways magnetically stayed within their designations.

IIRC QFE petered out late eighties. I think the last company to use it was Air UK. Autoland used RADALT.
By creweite
#1576828
Some nostalgia in that clip for me. Towards the end there is a shot of an aircraft on short final, crossing a road that runs alongside the airport. In the 50's I used to live south of Heathrow and cycle along that road to work at Fairey Aviation at the old Heston airport.
By Mike Tango
#1576834
Talkdownman wrote:I remember most of the names... :wink:

The non-east/west runways magnetically stayed within their designations.

IIRC QFE petered out late eighties. I think the last company to use it was Air UK. Autoland used RADALT.


I recall Aer Lingus using QFE in the early 90s, and the odd biz jet or RAF movement.
By neaton
#1576931
Iceman wrote:
neaton wrote:How times change...

"Two eight left..." :wink:


They even had 05/23 back then (or would it have been 06/24 up until the change of 27 to 28 ?).

Was the QFE given routinely or because it was needed for some reason related to the auto-land ?

Iceman 8)


I did hear the QFE, but I thought: "Nooooo! Not going there...". :lol:
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By SwanFIS
#1576946
The interviewer in the LATCC Ops Room was a nervous wreck. Before he went 'live' he was chain smoking, pacing about going over and over his script. When he went on air he was calm and proffesional for the interview, then lit up another ciggie as soon as he was finished. Very different times.
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By chevvron
#1577415
Talkdownman wrote:
Mike Tango wrote:I’m not that old.

I am. I was on duty at the Centre that afternoon. I was kept out of the way, probably because I was wearing a sports jacket. I know all those blokes, or did... :(

But if you'd kept the jacket on you would be OK. Had you removed it to show the short sleeved pilot's shirt you always wore you would, like Pete Wyre, have received a b0ll0cking and/or posting.
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