Leeds Bradford: Aviation Nostalgia Thread

[oldendays]

Kaz Ale is quite a distinctive name.

 

[White Heather]

I remember seeing and reading Rotate, but can't recall if I was a member, or just got them second hand off someone. Seems a long long LONG time ago now.

 

[oldendays]

It was a long time. Nearly 37 years in my instance!

 

[blotbuc1]

I remember seeing and reading Rotate, but can't recall if I was a member, or just got them second hand off someone. Seems a long long LONG time ago now.

Ditto!

 

[SNOWMAN]

oldendays
i was also a member of b.i.a.s. good trips out,and some very good speakers at the meetings,where as the gone.
sm

 

[northsouth]

I remember meeting at the Yorkshire aeroplane club (now multiflight ) on a Monday night to pack the monthly rotate in envelopes and sticking the stamp and address labels on to each subscribing member, i also noted at the time a certain member was Gordon Dennison

 

[White Heather]

I remember meeting at the Yorkshire aeroplane club (now multiflight ) on a Monday night to pack the monthly rotate in envelopes and sticking the stamp and address labels on to each subscribing member, i also noted at the time a certain member was Gordon Dennison

Smashing chap was Gordon. Ran a tight ship and stood up to the anti airport Council of that time. It was Gordon that invited the Support Group to participate in the Airport Consultative Committee, and he really valued that support, and showed it. Not like today.

 

[oldendays]

I never did any of the trips. We certainly had some good speakers; Captain John Murray from Britannia Airways, a chap from Aer Lingus, two Blackbird crewmen, Malcolm Atack from Luton ATC, Dave Edmondson from LBA ATC (two appearances by popular demand!) and Adrian Thompson from Capital Airlines. There was also the annual quiz; I won the junior prize in 1987! I was 16 at the time so just qualified. My name was engraved upon a wood and metal shield. Jonathan Hinkles (yes, that one) swiped my title the following year.

I wonder what became of that shield 🤔?

 

[White Heather]

I never did any of the trips. We certainly had some good speakers; Captain John Murray from Britannia Airways, a chap from Aer Lingus, two Blackbird crewmen, Malcolm Atack from Luton ATC, Dave Edmondson from LBA ATC (two appearances by popular demand!) and Adrian Thompson from Capital Airlines. There was also the annual quiz; I won the junior prize in 1987! I was 16 at the time so just qualified. My name was engraved upon a wood and metal shield. Jonathan Hinkles (yes, that one) swiped my title the following year.

I wonder what became of that shield 🤔?

Some if those are ringing huge bells, so I must have been a member. I certainly had lots of long chats with LBAs no 1 fan, Jonathan Hinkles. Shame he isn't a fan any more!!

 

[scottrhino]

I was a member in circa 1985-88 ish maybe longer. I used to be get Rotate but I think I collected it from Air Supply on the high street.

I used to do the trips. Heathrow was my first with plenty of 727’s, 707’s etc. There was also a Luton visit on the way home.

I seem to recall a visit to Coventry via Wellsbourne, Bristol in the poring rain and one to Stansted where we had a tour of the hangars which had one exotic 707’s/DC8’s from Africa. These were on a minibus not the coach though.

Hopefully my memory isn’t fading and these were trips organised as some of the others were air shows I attended which were excellent compared to todays health and safety requirements.

 

[oldendays]

I also won an ATC quiz in 1988, chaired by Mike Dixon and Andy Rackham, who were both LBA controllers at the time. My prize was an afternoon in the Tower as Mike Dixon's guest. I'll never forget that🙂.

 

[Aviador]

I also won an ATC quiz in 1988, chaired by Mike Dixon and Andy Rackham, who were both LBA controllers at the time. My prize was an afternoon in the Tower as Mike Dixon's guest. I'll never forget that🙂.

I think Mike used to be a member of the forum, not sure if he still is. He left LBA to work at EMA I guess he may have retired now?

 

[oldendays]

He was certainly on here briefly a year or two ago. Likely approaching retirement age, if he hasn't already called it a day. A gentleman.

 

[The Pole]

I also won an ATC quiz in 1988, chaired by Mike Dixon and Andy Rackham, who were both LBA controllers at the time. My prize was an afternoon in the Tower as Mike Dixon's guest. I'll never forget that🙂.

I wrote to Gordon Dennison in early 80s as wanted to be a pilot or ATC to see if i could spend a few hours in the tower. I even asked if I needed a parent which he said wasn't necessary but took my grandad.
Andy Rackham s name rings a bell.

 

[Aviador]

Where did Andy end up?

 

[oldendays]

Andy Rackham went into airport management. I'm fairly certain he was involved with Shearwater ATC with Leo Marriott and had some role at Swansea Airport and also with Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Then he was self-employed as a civil aviation consultant, during which time he took temporary charge of ATC at Leeds Bradford. Now retired.

 

[SNOWMAN]

hi all
this has stirred up old memories, i still see some of the lads from the days of B.I.A.S.but we are not young any more,in my case 78 years young,one of my favourite speakers was capt dave henry of uk leisure,i was lucky to have a jump seat 14 landing on return from malaga.
happy days
regards
sm

 

[Finger66]

Having had the pleasure of working for Capital Airlines did have a fair amount of contact with Adrian Thompson. Anyone know what he is up to these days? Oh how they are missed as an airline. There was a 20 year reunion held in 2010 and we did manage to track down quite a few ex employees so it was well attended. Did intend to do a 30 year one too in 2020 but there was kind of something that got in the way of that!!!!!

 

[oldendays]

I think David Henry was based at LBA on the F27 before Air UK Leisure was founded.

 

[lbaspotter]

Having had the pleasure of working for Capital Airlines did have a fair amount of contact with Adrian Thompson. Anyone know what he is up to these days?

Last I heard Adrian Thompson was the owner of a flying school based in Orlando (USA).