SXDFC From United States, joined Dec 2007, 1336 posts, RR: 19 Posted (2 weeks 9 hours 11 minutes ago) and read 4734 times:
I came across this old but facsinating documentary about a group of BA pilots flying a 742 between LHR and BKK. There is 5 parts of this documentary, also note later in the documentary a group of student pilots made fun of the then "brand new" Boeing 747-400.
Beany From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 175 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (2 weeks 9 hours 5 minutes ago) and read 4710 times:
Lynn Barton (the reserve FO) was the Captain of my BA 744 flight from Singapore to Heathrow in May 2006. She was also in charge of the first flight to arrive at Heathrow Terminal 5, commanding a 744 from Hong Kong in March last year.
TUNisia From United States, joined Aug 2004, 1754 posts, RR: 8 Reply 2, posted (2 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 4691 times:
I caught this program on You Tube a while back and enjoyed every second of it. Wish the BBC would produce programming this good again!
Remember the "Airport" series that took place at Heathrow with the guy who worked for Qantas? GOD, I loved those episodes, but they never released it on DVD. Only bits and pieces of episodes are scattered across You Tube.
"Someday the sun is going to shine down on me in some faraway place." - Mahalia Jackson
Kaitak From Ireland, joined Aug 1999, 8552 posts, RR: 34 Reply 3, posted (2 weeks 8 hours 22 minutes ago) and read 4570 times:
I remember that programme; it was particularly good. I have always had a great affection for the old Classics and this is a good old blast from the past.
Many years ago, BA (and before them, BOAC) used to do promotional films of various acft types, including the VC10 and 707; they're a great part of aviation history. Unfortunately, they also show how much flying has changed - and not necessarily for the better.
"What are we going to do tonight, Brain?" "Same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world".
Jfk777 From United States, joined Aug 2006, 3377 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (2 weeks 2 hours 46 minutes ago) and read 4221 times:
Very interesting in the life of 747's before 744 at BA even had the lady Captain who flew the first 744 into teh new terminal 5 when she was a First Officer.
DocLightning From United States, joined Nov 2005, 7129 posts, RR: 44 Reply 5, posted (2 weeks 2 hours 29 minutes ago) and read 4182 times:
"With the recent world-wide expansion in air travel, there's a world-wide shortage of pilots. BA has recently launched a massive recruitment drive. Successful candidates come here to the BA flying college at Prestwick. The school expects to turn out over 100 qualified FO's a year. Many cadets come here at 18, having done A-levels (cut to shot of boy who looks like he hasn't started shaving yet wearing a cadet's uniform). In 70 weeks they're qualified to fly as FO on BA planes and can earn 23,000 pounds a year."
Krisyyz From Canada, joined Nov 2004, 1100 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (2 weeks 2 hours 21 minutes ago) and read 4167 times:
I recently came across this great documentary on youtube. I found it be a nice "blast from the past", it was great seeing BA's B747 classics in action.
However I found the comments made by the Air traffic controller to be somewhat controversial. I still believe that the pilots are ultimately responsible for the control of their aircraft.
Tiger119 From United States, joined Sep 2003, 1754 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (2 weeks 2 hours 6 minutes ago) and read 4143 times:
Quoting TUNisia (Reply 2): Remember the "Airport" series that took place at Heathrow with the guy who worked for Qantas? GOD, I loved those episodes, but they never released it on DVD
- I have always wondered by the BBC has not released that program on DVD. Would it be a money maker or would it not be worth their time?
David
Flying is the second greatest thrill known to mankind, landing is the first!
FLY2HMO From United States, joined Jan 2004, 3896 posts, RR: 4 Reply 9, posted (2 weeks 1 hour 19 minutes ago) and read 4045 times:
Part 2 is very interesting. They talk a lot about pilot fatigue and mention several incidents where pilots just kept flying over their destinations (ring a bell?)
It's been 30 years since these documentaries were made, and yet little has been done to truly help mitigate pilot fatigue
Happiness is just an illusion caused by the temporary absence of reality
413x3 From United States, joined Jul 2008, 1022 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 weeks 1 hour 18 minutes ago) and read 4045 times:
Quoting Krisyyz (Reply 6):
However I found the comments made by the Air traffic controller to be somewhat controversial. I still believe that the pilots are ultimately responsible for the control of their aircraft.
Just another disgruntled "I wish I was a pilot" that goes off about how little pilots do, how overpaid they are, etc.
Tiger119 From United States, joined Sep 2003, 1754 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (1 week 6 days 23 hours 38 minutes ago) and read 3934 times:
Quoting Jfk777 (Reply 4): Very interesting in the life of 747's before 744 at BA even had the lady Captain who flew the first 744 into teh new terminal 5 when she was a First Officer.
EIJFK From Ireland, joined Jul 2008, 77 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (1 week 6 days 15 hours 39 minutes ago) and read 3614 times:
Quoting FLY2HMO (Reply 9): Part 2 is very interesting. They talk a lot about pilot fatigue and mention several incidents where pilots just kept flying over their destinations (ring a bell?)
It's been 30 years since these documentaries were made, and yet little has been done to truly help mitigate pilot fatigue banghead
Same thing I was saying. It might have been me, but the comments seemed very blasé, like it was such a common issue that was easily rectified, and not something most passengers would be horrified to know!
Maddog888 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2007, 94 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (1 week 6 days 14 hours 29 minutes ago) and read 3502 times:
What I found interesting was the cockpit environment when descending. I never realized that pilots had to put up with such condensation problems. Was it a regular occurrence - the way the captain spoke certainly seemed to suggest that - and has it changed on more modern aircraft?
Kaitak From Ireland, joined Aug 1999, 8552 posts, RR: 34 Reply 16, posted (1 week 6 days 13 hours 58 minutes ago) and read 3433 times:
Quoting MIAspotter (Reply 14): Have a look at "Tale of 2 Jumbos" as well, very interesting.
You can find them on the sidebar while watching "Jet Jockeys" and is a 3 part docu.
Yes, I was watching that last night (certainly better than anything on television); it was very well made ... certainly dated too; that livery must be from the late 70s/early 80s. I can't actually remember when it first came out, but I was certainly impressed by the level of detail that went (and no doubt still goes into) maintenance.
One thing that strikes me is that a lot of effort went into making these videos many years ago, but how much effort goes into this now? None. In 50 years' time, there will be something to remember the VC10s, 707s and 747 Classics, but probably very little to remember the (BA) 777s by.
"What are we going to do tonight, Brain?" "Same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world".
Grimey From Ireland, joined Jun 2005, 228 posts, RR: 5 Reply 17, posted (1 week 6 days 12 hours 52 minutes ago) and read 2970 times:
Quoting Kaitak (Reply 16): One thing that strikes me is that a lot of effort went into making these videos many years ago, but how much effort goes into this now? None. In 50 years' time, there will be something to remember the VC10s, 707s and 747 Classics, but probably very little to remember the (BA) 777s by.
I agree, we will however have BBC programmes that try to investigate FR and all it will be is Mick O'Leary going on how many pax his airline is carrying.
There is a good book that I bought last year, From The Flight Deck Boeing 747 LHR-HGK. I think the flight is set in March 2001 but it is a very good insight into a long haul flight.
There is another DVD that I got last year which is about a VS flight LHR-SFO, its about 3 hours long but goes into a lot afo very good detail.
That BBC programme about BA B747-200 is very good, I thought it was funny how the captains wife was saying how it was hard to live half a year without her husband but when it showed him in Bangkok he was in a pub and then down a red light district. The air traffic controller didn't seem too happy with pilots, the crew on a B747 might have gone from 4 to 3 and then to just 2 but in the last 20 years since that was made the B747 crew remains at 2.
On another note RTE did a programme about an EI B747 crossing the atlantic during the 70's / 80's does anyone know where I could get my hands on that one?
Grimey From Ireland, joined Jun 2005, 228 posts, RR: 5 Reply 18, posted (1 week 6 days 12 hours 38 minutes ago) and read 2863 times:
Quoting Grimey (Reply 17): On another note RTE did a programme about an EI B747 crossing the atlantic during the 70's / 80's does anyone know where I could get my hands on that one?
Found it on Youtube (from 1975......oh how things have changed)
Steve7E7 From United Kingdom (England), joined May 2004, 435 posts, RR: 58 Reply 20, posted (1 week 6 days 12 hours 17 minutes ago) and read 2687 times:
Quoting FLY2HMO (Reply 9): It's been 30 years since these documentaries were made, and yet little has been done to truly help mitigate pilot fatigue
Quoting Kaitak (Reply 16): certainly dated too; that livery must be from the late 70s/early 80s. I can't actually remember when it first came out,
The series was first aired in the UK on BBC2 in 1990.
I can still remember watching and recording every part, it was one of the best aviation documentaries around at the time.
Bojangles From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2009, 25 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (1 week 6 days 12 hours 12 minutes ago) and read 2649 times:
i love the bit at 5.00. The two old dears with their tin of sugar dusted, boiled travel sweets!! No glove compartment of a car driven by the over 65's was without one when I was growing up!
Kaitak From Ireland, joined Aug 1999, 8552 posts, RR: 34 Reply 24, posted (1 week 6 days 8 hours 39 minutes ago) and read 1164 times:
Quoting 1stfl94 (Reply 23): Interesting documentary. Never realised that BA flew direct LHR-BKK with the 747-200, I always thought that only started with the -400
The old -200s had fairly long legs, so they could do that; I don't think they could do SIN (at least, not without significant load constraints), but BKK was within limits.
Indeed, I recall that CX used to do LGW-HKG nonstop with its 742s and 743s and I remember that this really stretched them, because of the slightly shorter length of LGW's runway. (This was before CX got its LHR slots.)
"What are we going to do tonight, Brain?" "Same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world".
MIAspotter From Spain, joined Nov 2001, 1035 posts, RR: 21 Reply 25, posted (1 week 6 days 7 hours 53 minutes ago) and read 1032 times:
Quoting Kaitak (Reply 16): but I was certainly impressed by the level of detail that went (and no doubt still goes into) maintenance.
Yes, hard to imagine, even the most tiny screw is as important as the rudder or the engines.
I wish they would make more videos like these for TV, just so that the average traveller could see what goes on behind curtains, I don't know but I think it would make people a little more understanding when there is a delay at the airport, instead of complaining that the airline does not have "spare" aircraft lying around.
Quoting Kaitak (Reply 16): but probably very little to remember the (BA) 777s by.
Hmm, I think there is something that will make us remember (a certain) BA777... not on a good way though.
MIAspotter.
Thank you for flying Swiss!
26 Midcon385: Great documentary, and so is "Tale of Two Jumbos" and the Aer Lingus one. Tim
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