Archive (237 life histories found)
'We mostly used the HF radio in the aircraft to call Berna Radio in Switzerland and they could patch a phone call to anywhere in the world'
For the two weeks we were flying in Nigeria contact to home was difficult as the phones never worked in the hotel . You could go to the post office and book an overseas call but had to wait hours for a connection also pay in advance for the…
Tags: navigation radios, Nigeria, phones
'Where else could you take off from a remote airport and fly at low level over the countryside dodging hillocks and trees in a Boeing 737 at 300 knots! '
Although we had very dangerous flying conditions it was fun . Where else could you take off from a remote airport and fly at low level over the countryside dodging hillocks and trees in a Boeing 737 at 300 knots! If any passenger queried this we…
'There was really no such thing as weather forecasting as none of the airports had communication with each other '
Flying conditions in Nigeria were appalling. We had all sorts of weather conditions to deal with. During the 'Harmattan' sand storms were blown down from the Sahara reducing visibility to nil. And then came the rainy season and hugh squall lines…
Tags: communication, draughts, navigation, Nigeria, thunderstroms
'Going back to Nigeria I take my brain out and leave it in the freezer'
One of the most interesting and amusing periods of my life were the years I spent flying in Nigeria. I was employed by Guinness Peat Aviation in Shannon and they had a contract with Nigeria Airways. This was a 'wet' lease i. e. supplied aircraft…
Tags: dead bodies, Electricity, Lagos, Nigeria, piloting, Water
''But, nobody leaves this Company, it's not the done thing. Not cricket old boy.' '
The course was a series of lectures and demonstrations on how to be a successful salesman. We had the dubious pleasure of meeting one of these rare British specimens one afternoon. We were informed that he had just returned from a sales mission…
Tags: Cricket, piloting, resignation, salesman training
'I had known the English were extremely class conscious but nothing quite prepared me for the canteen'
The factory was a short walk away and included the sales training centre. I had known the English were extremely class conscious but nothing quite prepared me for the canteen ,or greasy spoon as it was called. It was divided into three sections;…
'Breakfast was a solemn affair. The landlady ran the place on strict military lines, it was even rumoured that she had been thrown out of the SS for cruelty '
I once took a job with an English company as a trainee salesman dealing in office equipment. Their factory was located in one of the seedier parts of the East end of London. We were accommodated in a local boarding house and each issued with an…
'When I inquired if there were any pilot jobs I was greeted by hoots of laughter. 'No' one of them replied. 'Not unless you want your butt shot off'
I had been working as a trainee salesman for an office suppliers company in the east end of London. I was not very excited with the prospect of spending the rest of my life selling paper, ink and copy machines. I had a CPL (Civil Pilots license )…
'He would spend the entire flight flogging duty free booze, cigarettes, perfume, watches and anything else he could acquire cheaply to the passengers '
Just after getting my Commercial Pilots Licence I managed to get a job in Amsterdam. The company employed contract workers around Europe who needed to travel to different locations and to do this as cheaply as possible they procured a few clapped…
Tags: Amsterdam, Aviation Authority, Captian, Customs
'The control surfaces were 'free floating ' and in icing conditions froze up solid and became immovable '
We were all excited when the managing director told us that we were getting a new fleet of aircraft, but less so when they arrived. They were the Bristol Britannias, the first four engined turbo - prop aircraft built by the Brits. They were in…