Classic British Flight Sim

Blimey Ian, thats amazing. Mine wont be that good. I wonder how he gets all the photos to create that. You'd have to patiently drive round (assuming you had an airside pass and relevant permission - you need special dispensation to take a camera airside at LHR so I am very recently reliably informed)!

However, it wont be too rubbish either. It will also be more appropriate for VC10s and the like (although equally Gary's is much more the mark to fit with your A340 although quite how you managed to dock it at that particular gate I dont know ).

speedbird591 wrote: The cul-de-sac between the two piers at Terminal 2 was designated Q Quebec. The one to the north of the northern pier towards Terminal 1 is P Papa. So I would assume that the H cul-de-sac was further round on the north side of T1 and the LGW helicopter shuttle idea was a red herring!

Hi Ian,
It looks like re-numbering/naming stands and cul-de-sacs was a favourite pastime at Heathrow! I don't know when your info is dated but according to the 1974 map, the 'Quebec' cul-de-sac you mention was 'Foxtrot' in those days. I remember that cul-de-sac well as there was a staff canteen/coffee lounge at the back of the Europa terminal (later Terminal 2) which overlooked it. After a few hours in the tower watching aircraft move around the airport it was great to relax there with a cuppa and.... well, watch aircraft move around the airport!

You're right about the helicopter shuttle using the 'Hotel' stands, though. In 1974, the high 'Hotels' (30 - 38) were a series of remote self-manoeuvring stands to the south-east of Terminal 3. H38, which the S61 used, was the one at the end nearest 10R/28L which suited its operation well. According to the book I mentioned earlier, it would air taxi across the field to Block 96 where it would touch down and ground taxi to Block 90 to await clearance to cross 10R/28L. Once across, it went straight onto its stand at H38. I never saw it in action but I'm told it was a very slick operation.

I did see the earlier Westward Islander shuttle throughout all of its short life and that really was a slick operation. We had no wake turbulence spacing rules in those days so, landing on westerlies, it positioned visually behind a nominated aircraft, fitting into the established landing stream with no extra space being provided. The only proviso was that it had to have vacated the runway before or at the same time as the one it was following! departures were even better - if there was a southerly component to the wind, it would take off across the runway at Block 89. Imagine being allowed to do those sort of things in this day and age.

Pete

TobyV wrote: ... more the mark to fit with your A340 although quite how you managed to dock it at that particular gate I dont know ).

Nothing to do with me, Toby I wouldn't tackle one of they things! She's AI, she is

PeteP wrote:I don't know when your info is dated

Nothing definitive, Pete. I found this forum thread (Airliners.net) dated 2003 to say that they had just changed. The cul-de-sac lettering I assumed from the letters in the scenery package! I couldn't find anything more accurate.

Interesting that you say the Gatwick Airlink stand was SE of T3 because that's where I remember seeing the S61 which was a common sight when it was operating and why I thought it might have something to do with Toby's question. A lot of the Surrey domiciled crews used it for commuting to and from work although I used to drive (before the M25) and a 40 minute journey now could take 3 hours then. Mind you, even with the M25 a 40 minute journey can still take 3 hours btw there's a pic of the Islander in the site that I posted a link to earlier.

Your tale of slotting it into the regular traffic and utilising the cross wind is fascinating. It sounds perfectly sensible but in the light of today's regulations it seems incredible. How the world has changed in respect of safety regulation - but on the other hand accidents due to mistakes or incompetence are far less common so it must be a good thing. Right?

Ian

speedbird591 wrote:... btw there's a pic of the Islander in the site that I posted a link to earlier.

...and here's one I took with my own fair hand at Gatwick in 1969.



Pete

Sorry for the thread creep, Toby.
PP

Whoa! Never mind the Islander - check out the car park! Reliant Robin, Austin A40, Bedford CA - they're all there!

Sorry, Toby. You'll have to start a new thread

Ian

PP

Isn't that just the way with old photos (well 60s, 70s and 80s) - forget the supposed topic of the photo and look to see what is interesting in the background.

speedbird591 wrote:Whoa! Never mind the Islander - check out the car park! Reliant Robin, Austin A40, Bedford CA - they're all there!

Sorry, Toby. You'll have to start a new thread

Ian

Not at all Ian, if you (or anyone else!) have some decent pics of a Bedford CA, I'd be keen to see them - particularly oblique front, side and rear views. Seems the standard dispatcher's transport at LHR in the sixties was this type of van with an elevated roof as in this photo:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/KLM---Ro ... 0226341/L/

...so its on my to-do list!

TobyV wrote: if you (or anyone else!) have some decent pics of a Bedford CA, I'd be keen to see them - particularly oblique front, side and rear views. Seems the standard dispatcher's transport at LHR in the sixties was this type of van with an elevated roof as in this photo:

Well, if DaveB's at Brooklands tomorrow, I'm sure he could get all the photos you want of this little beauty!!!!
Elevated roofs were just for the Flat Earth Society, obviously



Ian

Ian - I have a few pics of that (although all are 3/4 views) from someone who works at BA and I believe had some involvement in the BA Classic Vehicle Association, do you remember if those vans made it into the later livery?