Interview with John Hutchinson on the Boeing 747

John Hutchinson chats about his time flying the 707, VC-10 and 747. It also includes a nice flight deck tour of the VC-10 we filmed at (Duxford Aviation Society) Duxford.
The Wind Beneath My Wings: John Hutchinson Concorde Pilot - amzn.to/2jJINhU
Thanks to Steve Gifford who is one of our Patrons who was not mentioned in the credits.
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[@saffron343]

I had the pleasure to fly as Cabin Crew with John over many years as our careers were a close match, 707/VC10/ 747 and finally the magnificent Concorde, no pilot loved that aircraft more than John, he was a great Ambassador for BA and Concorde. Despite rising to the dizzy heights that he did he was so very approachable and all round great guy much loved and respected by all my colleagues in the cabin, probably my favourite captain in my 39 year flying career. Great to spend time over a few beers with him and listening to his anecdotes. His biography is wonderful reflecting a incredible life. Thanks for the memories John. Jack Stevenson.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

What a nice comment!

[@peter-e2q]

Awesome!!

[@DashDriver-z1r]

He always comes across as a traditional British gentlemen, love hearing him talk, always has great knowledge and stories!

[@hughesja1975]

Quality..He's just sheer class. Like a Sir Attenborough of the airways!

[@torrarosa7064]

Attenborough is a fraud.. Created by BBC, for BBC as a BBC mouthpiece.. JH is real, as real as it gets..

[@georgeturner2877]

hughesja1975 A22k

[@thirstybonsai1888]

You're actually so gay lol

[@donaldknowles9640]

Yup true gentleman and a great pilot

[@peterbrown6224]

You can never have too much John Hutchinson. Thank you both for this excellent documentary.

[@oldmanc2]

Yes. Wonderful to hear this master speak

[@AirlinersHD]

True gentleman and great airman.

[@marlenebrewington19]

@@oldmanc2 ⁷

[@redwingdetroit9671]

The epitomy of proffesionalism

[@MrGyngve]

His passion bleeds through! He barely flew the VC10 as a captain before transferring to the Concorde, yet remembers so much about it. Astonishing is what it is!

[@MrGyngve]

..and funny as heck he is too!

[@scottgraham4683]

What a thoroughly delightful man John Hutchinson is. I could listen to him all day.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks for all the great comments so far! I’m sure John will appreciate them.

[@astorsimovitchlaw]

Absolutely love listening to John Hutchinson, they don't make pilots like him any more. Great interview, as was the one with John and Concorde.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Great to hear you enjoyed it, Mark.

[@bensmith7536]

Would love to spend an afternoon over a few pints listening to his flight experience stories.

[@lucienberton4538]

What a wonderful gentleman. A class act through and through. L.

[@thefrecklepuny]

I guess if you are a passenger in a plane which is having issues, this is the type of voice you need over the tannoy to reassure you!

[@ABrit-bt6ce]

Yorkshire Airlines, (Fred Dibnah voice) Did you like that !

[@robertp.wainman4094]

Exactly what I thought when watching his Concorde video

[@bradleyclutton4564]

I have very little interest in Aircraft but I could listen to this fella all day long.

[@robertoalvarez3533]

This man is a jewel.

[@AaronStuartHall]

I don't think I have ever seen a bad interview on your channel yet. He was wonderful.

[@Grudeman408]

I could listen to john all day long! The 747 was always my favourite plane and a life dream too fly on one, in 2015 i finally got on a virgin 747 to las Vegas, what an experience!

[@AMStationEngineer]

I can guarantee that many current and former Boeing employees, including myself, will view this video. Pleasantly and thoughtfully produced; thanks for sharing this 'almost spiritual' experience with us!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much!

[@berthayling1032]

BOAC 707s were routinely run on the Heathrow > Bermuda > Nassau > Kingston and return routes in the 1960s and 1970s, and my family made quite a few summer vacation trips back and forth from Nassau to the UK on the BOAC/BA 707s (and in one instance, a QANTAS 707, VH-EAH, subbing for the BOAC aircraft). They were always, always nonstop from Heathrow > Bermuda / Bermuda > Heathrow, though in all probability took on fuel in Bermuda. The planes running the route in the 1970s -- G-AWHU, G-AXXY being two we flew on -- were the JT3D-engined version. As to ETOPS certification -- when was that ever a factor with the four-engined 707 and similarly-sized and -engined aircraft?

[@victorbrobson7027]

Captain Hutchinson interesting fantastic chap to listen to

[@craigdoran6811]

Whenever theres a documetary on concorde this guy is one of the goto comentators. His passion for concorde is so aparent, he'd be great to have a drink with!

[@alexgordon4672]

John Hutchinson is a legend ! what a gentleman

[@martentrudeau6948]

Captain Hutchinson is always a pleasure to listen to.

[@peter-e2q]

50,000 rivets flying in loose formation Love it!! Never heard that before. I could listen to John for hours and… WHAT a career!!!

[@ronaldanane5451]

It’s the British language…so classy by all measures

[@mattthrun-nowicki8641]

I’m less than half his age, but I’d love to have many a beers with John. Long May He Run!

[@jasonwatkins7701]

What a tremendously educated Pilot - 100% respect and lovely to listen too - must be wonderful to thoroughly enjoy your career - it’s not like a job !!

[@BorisZech]

It is lovely to listen to this "old boy" (as he calls himself). :-)

[@u.s.patriot3415]

Living Aviation Legend.

[@avoidingtrees6692]

As a Frenchman, I have to say that I spent most of my carreer flying for British airlines. The day I stopped flying cargo On the 747-8 for BA in 2014 , I new that I will never ever fly with gentlemen anymore. I missed flying with my English Scottish Irish mates. I miss them dearly till today. I really do. I never met pilots as professional yet gentle and easy going and professional as them. God save the keen my dear British friends. You made my life a dream. Cheers from the French alps mates.

[@Doones51]

I remember seeing 747's landing in Denver in 1971 when i moved there. Seeing that huge airplane fly over the city on approach to the airport, it was amazing to me that it could fly that slow and not fall out of the sky. In the mid 1990's i watched a Concorde landing in Barbados from the docks in Bridgetown. It sounded and looked like a spaceship as it was gliding down to the airport from altitude. It had it's own distinctive whoosh. Who knows, it might have been John Hutchinson at the controls.

[@stamfordplace5]

Wonderful interesting bloke - great interview

[@wagaf]

Fascinating interview with one of the masters of Concorde. You can see that John is still passionate about aircraft today than when he first joined the RAF.

[@ariel340]

The dog story also shocked me. Very sad story.

[@airliner791]

I love the way he expressed his feelings about Flight Engineers. I was a co pilot on the B747 classes with PIA once & most certainly loved the company of the FEs. As john said, they are really a different breed of people. True that! Lovely interview. I had to create a playlist podcast for all his interviews. Going to hear him one by one. I love this channel. And love john ! Thank you for being a part of aviation ! Best wishes, Imran.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Many thanks! I hope you enjoy them as John is a true gent.

[@englishelectric]

What a great guy. It's hard to imagine his type still existing in the future. Let's hope so. As others have said, you could never get bored of listening to him. A lovely mix of understated enthusiasm.

[@captainzeppos]

For some reason I tend to give a thumbs up for any video that features Mr. Hutchinson before I even watch that video. So far I have never been disappointed or changed my mind.

[@juliangriffiths7298]

What a wonderfully engaging man; what a wealth of experience, and what a gift to an interviewer. Brilliant video.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers

[@garypardoe2364]

What an absolutely enthralling interview, thank you so much Mr Hutchinson.. you are a true legend Sir.

[@alexmccabe1948]

I could listen to John talk forever

[@schillaci5590]

11:20 - Know the feeling John. About to get command on the 747 🙂

[@wongmunyong4197]

It was a very interesting interview to watch - being a " retired " flight engineer - his comments about the Flight Engineer is very appreciated .

[@richardshiggins704]

Marvellous interview ! Thanks John for sharing your memories . One of my biggest aviation regrets is that I never flew the VC10 or Concorde as a pax . At the time BA was offering day trips to Cairo on Concorde (charters) which were quite affordable .

[@davidcameron-mackintosh9196]

Very interesting hearing John Hutchinson again. Class.

[@rwmchenry5362]

"Cant remember what that's for" , I love listening to him.

[@vstol]

Thank you Sir for this and your other documentaries. (Wish you could have been my JP instructor in 1972.) To have had your name in my log book, would have been a privilege.

[@FLpatriotLady]

I love Captain Hutchinson!! I found his theory on the Corcorde crash the most honest and reasonable.

[@MrSango123]

my first flight in a jumbo in 1971 on b a from hong kong to sydney v ia darwin i looked back before boarding and saw what looked like a football crowd and wondered if we would ever get into the air

[@ells-aviation]

I would love to spend hours listening to him he is a national treasure long may he live on

[@ParsParsandMorePars]

John, you are a star. I just love the precise knowledge of your flying experiences.

[@andapen]

Fantastic. And John, If you read this, your a pleasure to listen to and full of stories we love to hear. Keep up these interviews.

[@Rupertbear27]

Wonderful---I flew on that very aircraft--G-ASGC-from Freeport (Grand Bahama Island) via Bermuda to London Heathrow in January 1974--through the night--didn't sleep at all as wanted to savour every minute on that aircraft !!

[@robertp.wainman4094]

The favourite plane of BOAC passengers.

[@eclat1970]

Great interview with captain John Hutchinson hope there will be more with him

[@jeffpetrik8713]

This man is my hero, we need more John Hutchinson, pure skill and class!

[@michaeleidenberg9823]

Two thumbs up for Capt. Hutchinson truly an amazing gentleman I would’ve loved to of worked on his crew

[@dirtydave2691]

This gentleman is an absolute treasure. I love listening to him.

[@matteofederighi5507]

Thank you very much for this. I really wanted to see and hear john again, such a lovely gentleman. I recently got his book, it is a masterpiece and a must for any aviation guy

[@kevincallaghan3212]

He talks about the cockpit in vc.10 like its making a cup of english tea .the amout of control panal switches lol john pure legend lol

[@BewilderedBird]

This man is like a living encyclopedia of aviation.

[@barrysheridan9186]

Thanks for sharing these memories Mr Hutchinson, always interesting to listen to these old pilots about their experiences.

[@IrishManJT]

Another fantastic interview Mike. Very interesting indeed. I am Irish, so I would have loved to have been standing on the cliffs of Moher when John and his 617 SQ PIC flew overhead in their 747.

[@simonwootten5821]

I love to see John on the box. An absolute delight. I know that when I've finished, I have not only learned something new, but also had a jolly good time in the process. Well done and many thanks

[@TheGooj]

Hats off to this legend o/

[@mogsyman]

What a gent and what a great interview. I flew in VC10’s and 707’s London to Teheran from 1974 to 1978 going home to my ex-pat parents from school and the VC10 was light years ahead of the 707 from memory. I wonder if John was at the controls on any of my flights, I hope so!

[@mogsyman]

I seem to remember pretty much right up until we left Teheran during the revolution the VC10 was the primary aircraft to and from Heathrow. I flew a return flight three times a year for school holidays and on a slightly different note I had a great time in Iran - the people were wonderful and as a teenager we were pretty much allowed to do what we wanted. We would go skiing, to the Embassy for discos and all sorts of other activities. I have so many stories I wouldn’t know where to begin! As it happens I left the city in January 1978 leaving my parent behind to cope with martial law and the curfew, this was once the Shah had been deposed and we left Iran in a BA 707. Just as we were about to leave the ground there was a very loud bang and the entire aircraft shook quite violently. We immediately diverted and landed in Kuwait and were from memory grounded for many hours, the first few sitting on an aircraft with no air conditioning getting hotter and hotter in the baking sun before we were allowed in the terminal building. We were certainly on the ground well over 12 and possibly nearer 24 hours (it was a long time ago!) and as we eventually taxied along to take off to Heathrow the Captain spoke over the tannoy apologising for the delay and mentioning that when we left Iran the 707 wasn’t airworthy but he wasn’t going to stop bearing in mind there was a revolution happening at the time with who knows what about to happen! I’m sure it was nothing more than a blown tyre or similar and I never did find out what the problem was.

[@tyqwdybijo]

@@mogsyman GreaT story !

[@curbowman]

As an aircraft mechanic, I remember the 747 was so easy to service. You'd think such a mammoth of an airplane would be a drag to work with, but it's the complete opposite: very reliable, almost intuitive to repair. I don't know anyone who has a bad memory of the Jumbo Jet.

[@DanielRowe]

Your interviews with this guy are very enjoyable.

[@astrafalustre8259]

Informative, brilliant, funny... Captain Hutchinson is such a passionate gentleman. Thrilling interview.

[@simaviation]

Excellent interview MIke, great questions and John, well a class of his own and a fabulous career

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks Shaun.

[@almorkans3171]

A statesman of the air. A marvellous raconteur. Thank you.

[@AnarchyEnsues]

A great bloke.

[@jeffpetrik8713]

Mr. Hutchinson, you are truly a hero and a national treasure! Good luck to you sir... ;)

[@Nevada_Dan]

What an outstanding interview; I wouldn't have minded in the least if it were 30 minutes more or longer!

[@ChrisCardenDrums]

flew a vc10 for 18 months over 40 years ago, still remembers most of the cockpit layout. John is a gem.

[@grahamlong6870]

This is a heartfelt comment about two very different men, each of whom are knowledgeable, interesting, modest, extremely good at what they did for a living, and can communicate their passion in a special way. I could listen to them for hours. I refer to John, and to the late Fred Dibnah, the guru of the steam world. Gentlemen both, and infinitely fascinating!

[@AVCTripReports]

What a legend. I’d love to have a pint with this man.

[@MattThornton87]

Watched this 3 times now. Wonderful wonderful man!! Superb, great interview

[@super_slav91]

VC10 is a beautiful aircraft, love it.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

As a boy I had an uncle who travelled the globe with his work - I was always enthralled by his stories and well remember that the VC10 was his favourite plane.

[@super_slav91]

@@robertp.wainman4094 Love the design of the VC-10 and IL-62, so unique and elegant.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

@@super_slav91 I agree!

[@musashuaibukarshi3875]

What an astonishing, interesting, educative and informative interview with Hutchinson! He proves to be an excellent & thorough pilot in his days. Thank you BBC for this documentary. It raises my interest in aviation as a whole!!!

[@agentprovocateur5157]

Nairobi is my home have some photos of the vc 10 with the BOAC livery then later on the East African Airlines livery

[@jimbrown5268]

Thanks for this Mike. Capt Hutchinson is simply first class.

[@hive71recordinz89]

Such a wonderful man, and a pleasure to listen too

[@brianfearn4246]

As John Hutchinson said the VC10 was a fabulous airplane. I remember flying on the RAF version frome Brize Norton to Cyprus many years ago and if I remember the seats where facing rearward and it was very quiet and comfortable. An airplane that was a pleasure to fly in ..

[@simonhellier7281]

Wonderful to listen to John, good interview from Mike.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers Simon

[@almorkans3171]

A wonderful story teller and gentleman

[@martin.B777]

Fantastic interview, thanks! Astro navigation is so intriguing that I’d like to hear more details about it ;)

[@TonyKitchen471]

An absolute gem of an interview.

[@n7565j]

I could listen to his stories all day and never get bored :-) You do an excellent job interviewing your subjects, you prompt them, then get out of their way and let them speak. Thank you sir!!! I was at the Cliffs of Moher in early 2017 and would have LOVED seeing a 747 headed my way with an unrestricted climb as an exclamation point ;-) Wish I had known about the Spitfire flights as well, would give anything to have a ride in that beautiful machine :-) Again, thank you for this timeless interview!!!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks Brian.

[@kevinmic6740]

A delight to listen to this great man on his experience of flying different aeroplane through out his life, a time of big changes and progress, he reminds me of joe sutter of boeing, Wishing him all the best in retirement.

[@mkmdexplorationparanormal5610]

A very fascinating man, love hearing his stories and his passion for aviation, he's a legend ☺ awesome questions and interview Mike

[@ollyalme]

Proper gentleman. Just a proper gentleman.

[@maz7726]

Something i never got used to...........flying backwards on VC-10s, a very strange experience

[@r32crazy1]

Awesome video, John is a true gentleman.

[@mal2178]

A pleasure to watch and shared on our page at Airspotters

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thank you.

[@prabhakarkmv4135]

Hi John, welcome!

[@PCEngineer2007uk]

Lovely guy! I could listen to John all day long :)

[@thefrecklepuny]

Looking good!

[@emmanuelofori6521]

Yes he forgot certain functions on the VC 10 but it's clear the queen of the skies VC 10 made such an impression on him and one thing worthy of note and he is not the only one to confirm this,other VC 10 pilots did .The VC 10 actual topspeed is not known because i heard some pilots who claim they did mach 1 and more but at the expense of fuel usage.I love the 747 and for the likes of me i think the 747 should still have four engines, its reassuring to fly with four engines.VC 10 must also come back a little bigger and better.However this is one nice gentleman i can afford to sleep soundly even if he is at the controls of a plane he never flew.

[@manxpuss]

Old school professional. The guy is sheer class.

[@briangreen6602]

Yep, a class act is John.

[@stracepipe]

My Dad flew Harvards, Glostor Meteors, Vampires, Venoms, Lincolns and Hastings in the RAF. Then Bristol Freighters, Carvairs, Britannias, DC-9s, 707s and TriStars as an airline pilot.

[@richtalk34]

I really enjoy these: knowledgeable and respectful questioning and a fascinating, highly informative subject. Thank you.

[@RC3Dflownwithpassion]

John is great and love all the Concorde videos!!

[@jaromir1942]

I don´t know if you know,that Mr. Hutkinson flown with first Comets.J.H.

[@kikufutaba1194]

When I was at university in the United States I went to the Pima Air and Space Museum they had a Shackelton aircraft, it was odd with the counter-rotating props but really interesting looking. Thank you once again for the presentation and thank you, Captain Hutchinson, for your wonderful stories.

[@carlmaster9690]

I'd like to follow in this guys footsteps. Really great guy. Lots of respect for him.

[@sneekapeek707]

absolutely fascinating, thanks for uploading

[@danfonseca563]

What a great video and totally raw interview well done.This gentleman is a real legend very interesting stories i wanted more!