6, Knightwood Close
Reigate, Surrey
RH2 8BE
01737 221814
stephen@wand.fsworld.co.uk
ICARUS NEWSLETTER Spring 2005
Website http://www.icarusba.freeuk.com
Chairman’s Jottings:
Amongst the “Absent Friends” notified in the last two editions of Touchdown
Magazine, and by word-of-mouth, are:
Gerry Brown
Peter Edwards
Long
Randall-Cutler
Norman Todd
John Butcher
Roger Hayes
John Luxton
Ian Rowley
John Cox
Tony Kimmins Brian
Ron Plowman Harry
Jack Tanner
Alan Voak
We will miss them and send condolences to their families. Our meetings will not seem
the same without Brian Long, who was one of our most regular attendees.
Although Ian Harvey’s death was notified in our last newsletter, you may have seen that
his Viking bomb-explosion incident on April 13th 1950 warranted a full-page report in
some of the broadsheet newspapers recently, following the release of the secret papers
from the National Archives, which related to the subsequent MI5 and MI6 inquiries.
Norman Todd, himself a well-decorated pilot, as was Ian Harvey, in both military and
civil operations, will be remembered as the Commander of the first commercial
Concorde flight to Bahrain in 1976.
Another two of our late colleagues who have been in the news recently are Wally
Durward and Stan Kemp who died, together with two ground engineers, when
Viscount G-AOHI crashed on Ben More in the Highlands in January 1973 during an air
test. I well remember the event, having been posted to the Viscount at Glasgow as a new
command about a month earlier! David Whittick, engineer Bob Elrick and Wally’s son
Mike organised, and held, a service at Crianlarach Church on January 19th 2005 to
dedicate an inscribed cairn, which has been installed in the churchyard in memory of the
crew. The service was attended by more than seventy ex-colleagues and family
members, who subsequently retired to the local village hall to exchange some memories
and to enjoy some Scottish largesse. A picture of the memorial will be on view at our
next meeting.
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Gatwick based imbibers at The Three Horseshoes north of the airport will be sorry to
learn of the recent death of the landlord, Brian Ridge, who was himself a pilot. He
started on Vikings with Invicta in the mid 1960s and flew most of Dan-Air’s aircraft
types before ending his flying career on the 737 with GB Airways in 1996, becoming a
full-time publican having run the pub in his spare time for 16 years!
How time flies when one is involved in the busiest occupation of all (aka retirement!).
It seems no time at all since we were contemplating the millennium celebrations and yet,
here we are, already halfway through the subsequent decade. The world has evolved in
many ways, some good, some bad, during that time. Similarly, our Airline has had to
change to remain in business. Thank goodness those ghastly tails have more or less
disappeared and the aircraft now look smart and standardised when lined up at the
terminals following their early morning arrivals from all points of the globe. On the
short-haul side the most obvious change is the move from a predominantly Boeing fleet
to a predominantly Airbus fleet and the flexibility that the A319/320/321 mix allows
must bring benefits, both commercially and operationally, in this cut-throat business. If
you’ve driven past the west side of Heathrow you will have seen that Terminal 5 is
advancing well and will certainly improve the operation if plans to combine all BA
services into the one terminal come to fruition in 2008.
Thanks to all of you that managed to respond to my request for a large turnout at our
meeting in October last. Terry Lakin and Dennis Southgate were appropriately
rewarded for their many years of service with the presentation of a case of wine each,
and it was good to have Peter McKeown in attendance to do the honours.
On the committee we have been fortunate to have enjoyed the services of Ken Byatt but
he has recently been finding the journey from Hythe, on the far side of Southampton
Water, rather tiresome and has asked to step down from the position.
We are therefore looking for a stalwart to replace Ken and look forward to someone
volunteering to take his place. It really only involves assisting with occasional mail
shots and helping out at the members meetings twice per year. It does mean free beer for
the evening, so it is not all bad! If you feel that you could help out please contact me
(contact details above) and you will be made most welcome by the other committee
members.
Ex-Hamble members, don’t forget the reunion on 29th April at BAe social club, Hamble.
If you haven’t already notified your intention to attend to the organiser (Phil Nelson)
just let me know and I’ll pass the information to him on your behalf.
Hopefully we will see many old faces at the next meeting on Thursday April 14th , not
the 15th, which my lack of IT skills inadvertently told “Touchdown”!
Steve Wand
On behalf of the Icarus Committee
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People News compiled by Keith Lakin
One of the first e-mails we received following the last Newsletter was from Pat Russell
who, like many others, wanted to add his thanks to Terry and Dennis for the sterling job
they have done over the years. He also confirmed the story regarding his old friend
Ian Bashall’s repeated exits from crashed Argosies, adding that yes he really did say
after one such incident, “Follow me chaps, I know the way!”
Pat was setting off on a ‘World Tour’ with plans to visit relatives and friends along the
way. After touring the Caribbean, the US and Hawaii he hoped to visit NZ and then,
over the Christmas period, share a glass or two of champers with Mike Taylor (Crew
Admin Supt BHX) and his family in Australia. Equipped only with an amazing ‘dongle’
(you were always a man to be envied Pat!) which is a USB Flash Drive gizmo the size
of a cigarette lighter, he can keep in email contact with friends on patrkrussell@beeb.net
Recently returned, Pat tells us that in fact hurricane Ivan had caused a little
rescheduling!
Also last autumn, we heard from Stan Sickelmore, who finds the Newsletter interesting
but often sad when he reads of the loss of dear friends like Ross Pleasance, who with
Tony Allenby helped him run Gibraltar Airways, during the time the new runway at
Tangiers was being built. They were chosen because they still had valid Dakota
endorsements on their licences. He mentioned that he attended Johnnie John’s funeral
with Tony Angus, Tommy Quirke, Sammy Baker and Frank Warren.
On a more cheerful note he reports that in his 83rd year he is quite well (apart from a bit
of arthritis) and spends quite a lot of time in Australia with his son and family and NZ
with his grandson and great grandson. Stan used to stop off in Sydney to visit his
wartime Wop/Ag. who was with his crew throughout his operations with 138 Squadron
during 1944. Sadly he has now died, but he still visits his Rear Gunner who lives near
his son in Queensland. He was hoping to see his old Navigator, Bomb Aimer and
Engineer, for their annual weekend get together, near their old base at Tempsford
Airfield, and feel the strong bond they formed all those years ago.
As a member of the British Airlift Association (226 flights from Wunsdorf to Gatow
and back in 1948/9) he and was invited to join No. 10 Squadron on a flight refuelling
exercise. This is usually a 4 hour trip with the chance to take photos and admire the
precision flying while refuelling Jaguars and Tornados. Yes, he’s been several times
before! Stan would be happy to hear from old colleagues who can email him at
sickelmore@onetel.com
Terry Buckland who retired from the B777 in July ‘04 e-mailed to say that after two
weeks he had joined the CAA as a Flight Ops Inspector. Being a trainee aged 55 aint
easy he reckons but after a 13 week course and then an A320 conversion he found it
‘good stuff’. He now just needs to get used to the joys of shorthaul!
Colin Wright, like several others, wrote to say that the last Icarus meeting had clashed
with the GAPAN Awards dinner at the Guildhall. (Yes Colin, the Guild is hoping that it
can be avoided in future as it reduces their numbers! Too! Ed.) Colin not only finds the
Newsletter of interest, but is amazed to see that so many of the old hands are still
alive… including him!
Keen sailor Ian Hannay e-mailed to say that over the last 3½ years he has done 20,000
miles in his 40’ schooner Melina. Starting up the west coast of Scotland then down the
Irish west coast to Cornwall, before crossing to Brittany and south to Spain, Portugal
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and Gib. From there down to Morocco, the Canaries and on to Senegal and the Gambia
before sailing to the Caribbean with stops at Porto Rico and Cuba. After the intercostal
waterway to Maine via Norfolk and Long Island they returned to the Virgin Islands. In
Anguilla he found Charm III, a schooner that he had owned with his brother Alastair,
years before and which is now one of the leading yachts at the annual Antigua Classic
Regatta. He sailed on her in the races, 40 years after last sailing her over to Norway.
Last May they set off back across the Atlantic, calling at Bermuda the Azores and
Brittany, and is now back on the Hamble for a refit, before more adventures.
Alan Bailey was sorry to miss the last meeting as he was at his apartment in Arosa,
Switzerland, where he spends much of the skiing season. Although he recently flew a
Super Cub he has decided to give up light aircraft flying and has sold his share in a
Tiger Moth. He hopes to join us in April.
Steve received a message from Brian Weaver who he’s known since they flew the
Comet together… some time ago. Brian left BA in 1982 and went to Theological
College, followed by 3 years Curacy at Nailsea and 10 years as Rector of Nettlebed, Bix,
Highmoor and Pishill. Several pilots have been part of his ‘flock’ and while at Nettlebed
he saw a few BA folk who came to die at the Terminal Cancer Home. He also buried
Capt Nick Carter of Vanguard fame. He is now happily retired in Warfield where he
helps out at the local church, and where he conducted the funeral of Jimmy Thain’s wife
Ruby. It took him back to Feb 1958 and the Munich disaster.
Brian enjoys his golf and can be seen at The Berkshire, where, being a Clergyman, he
has membership. Just one of the perks of wearing a dog collar! He sends his blessings.
Pat Bryant sent news of his sailing exploits. In 2001 he sailed across the Atlantic in his
Prout 38 catamaran Catspaw but was forbidden by his wife Liz, to go through the
Panama Canal! They now spend about 7 months on the boat each year, ranging the east
coast of the US and Canada with forays to the southern tip of the Bahamas. On a recent
trip, they left their chilly Beaufort NC berth and hurried south to Florida, where Steve
and Maggie White joined them for a month, before ‘jumping ship’ in the Bahamas.
They continued south to the Jumentos, which apart from Duncan Town, 60 miles north
of Cuba, are uninhabited and offer idyllic and deserted anchorages. Sadly they had to
head back to Marsh Harbour in the Abacos where various family members for some
unknown reason wanted to join them for the ‘holidays’. While there, they bumped into
Jim and Joyce Munro on their cat. ‘Flying Fortress’. Jim is well and when not sailing
plays tennis and organises gigs at the local watering hole, singing and playing his
ukulele!
The hurricane season then forced them north and into the heart of Washington DC
anchoring for free on the Potomac, just 30 mins walk from the White House.
He recommends the new (& free!) Smithsonian Aerospace Museum at Dulles.
Since then these lucky adventurers have spent October camping in Southern Africa.
Olly Pickmere, who left BA in ‘81 after flying Vanguards & Tridents as a copilot and
then Viscounts & 1-11s as a captain, recently updated us on his post BA career. He
initially joined British Air Ferries flying surplus BA Viscounts out of Ghardaya, a large
oasis in the Algerian Sahara. After an interesting year improving his French while flying
around the oases he tired of the low safety margins and joined Air Malawi on 1-11s.
Based in Blantyre, the good country and enjoyable flying made up for the poor pay, but
he had to leave when all European and S African pilots were replaced with local people.
Back in the UK he started up a Courier Company and joined Air Bridge Carriers on
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Argosies, at East Midlands, flying from there to Shannon and Cologne. That became
rather tiring so after 9 months he went to Air Cymru and back on the 1-11 for the
summer of ’86, flying charters and helping out B Midland between Leeds & London.
Thinking that his flying days were over he was surprised to be asked by a friend, to be
the personal pilot of the 5th richest man in the world, a Kuwatii on his 1-11 300. This
was good fun, except Kuwait was rather dull and ‘dry’! He was employed by Aravco, a
small outfit at LHR south side and they converted him onto the HS125, which he can
recommend to anyone. He also carried members of the Saudi Arabian Royal Family. His
Arab customers may have kept them waiting for hours (there were no FTL’s!) but after a
win at the Casinos, they would come into the flight deck and give them $1000.
Despite this, when the opportunity arrived, to join Aer Lingus as a First Officer on
1-11 200s he jumped at it and had 2 happy years (89-91) with them, living in a seaside
suburb of Dublin. The Irish, he recalls, had funny ways. Instrument Ratings were done
on the a/c under the hood, and on one occasion flying his manual let down into
Amsterdam, the Check Captain said why don’t you put the autopilot in. After asking if
that was allowed, he was told, ‘Of course, many people have failed using the autopilot’!
He finally retired in his 65th year and has learned not only to speak Thai but also to read
and write the language to keep his brain active! He’s looking forward to seeing everyone
on April 14th. Likewise Olly. (My 4 a/c & 1 outfit career now seems quite ordinary! Ed.)
We had a brief ‘where are they now’ update from John Richards, who tells us that he
has now retired from Korean Air and is ‘enjoying the fruits of his labours’! He
mentioned that a 1/36 scale, die cast model of a Hamble Chipmunk is about to be made,
in fine detail. It will be based on G-ARMG, about which he has commented before!
We seldom have ads. in the Newsletter, but we understand that Keith Godfrey has not
only written about people’s fear of flying, but he also has a very interesting website at:
www.scaredofflying.com. Another website you may be interested in is one which caters
for airline folk looking for holiday accommodation from Anguilla to Zimbabwe. Owned
by two ex BA staff and one BA wife, it can provide direct contact to the properties and
offers discounts to retired staff. It can be found on www.just4airlines.com
From websites to our own web master Alan Marshall, who would like to suggest to any
of you who receive a Newsletter unexpectedly by post, that it is probably because you
have not updated us with your new e-mail address. Yet.
We have had an amusing e-mail from Bernard Taylor recalling an incident from his
first year in BEA when, as a Pionair (DC3) co-pilot, he was flying with Capt Noel
Clark, on a 6 day ‘Irish Sea Tour’. This involved 4 to 6 sector days, flying between
Belfast,
The Isle of Man, Liverpool and Glasgow before returning to London. The airport at
Belfast in those days was Nutts Corner and their schedule called for them to take lunch
there. The woman who ran the bookstall near the ‘dining area’ used to let crews borrow
magazines to read while they waited for their meals.
On this occasion, Bernard’s magazine happened to have on the back cover, an
advertisement featuring ‘Noddy’, the character in the series of children’s stories.
Noel saw this and remarked that he really must buy some new Noddy books for his
young son because not only did his son know all the books by heart… but so did he!
Accepting a challenge to prove it, Noel started on the story about Noddy, Big Ears and
Mr Wobble where a bad fairy put a spell on Noddy’s little red car, which then squeaked
so much that no one would ride with him… Half way through this sad tale, they looked
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up to see a stunned waitress with a tray of food, looking down at a BEA Captain telling
his attentive crew a Noddy story…
Finally for those of you who have happy memories of flying Harvards in days gone by,
or indeed for anyone who would like to get their hands on one, I bring good news.
While visiting Peter and Sue Bayfield recently at their home near Cape Town, Peter
and your editor pitched up at Stellenbosch Airfield. Peter, who keeps himself super fit
with his interest in cycling and sculling, (& a little wine tasting!) hopes to renew his
PPL. We were later made very welcome by a bunch of friendly pilots who were
members of the Harvard Club of South Africa. Among other aircraft they have two
Harvards dating from 1941/2 which retired from the SAAF in ‘94. After asking if it was
possible to arrange to have a ride in one, they immediately said “Well why not two… we
could do a bit of formation flying if you like”… If we liked!
Two days later, with club pilots Kevin and ‘Space’ sitting in front, we did a stream take
off into a gin clear sky and had simply the best fun it’s possible to have… in an aircraft.
After the tight ‘formo’ we split up for ‘aeros’ and general handling, much of which we
flew ourselves, over spectacular mountain scenery. The club welcomes visitors and all
money raised goes to the restoration and maintenance of these splendid aircraft.
Rates (£112/30min) may change, but we can say that it was worth every single rand!
Check out www.stelfly.co.za and click on Harvard Club or contact Gideon Langeveld,
a Harvard Club member and SAA Training Captain on floats@wol.co.za
Our Guests at the April Meeting
Captain Richard Dukoff-Gordon B777 LHR
Captain Alex Fisher O.B.E.
Captain Chris Leigh B744 LHR
Captain Steve Leniston B777 LHR
Captain Robin Morgan B744 LHR
Captain Roy Proctor B744 LHR
Captain Robert Ryan B744 LHR
Captain Stewart Stevenson B744 LHR
Thanks to all of you who have sent contributions to this edition of the Newsletter, as
without them the Newsletter just wouldn’t be… well …a newsletter. Please keep those
stories, updates and reminiscences coming.
We look forward to seeing you all at the meeting at the Pavilion Suite,
Concorde Centre
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Thursday April 14th 2005 at 7.30 pm
The Icarus Team
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