BOAC AIRLINE PILOT TRAINING DOCUMENTARY FILM 40790

[@minormajor1]

Brings tears to my eyes! I was on 724c, 3 hours Chipmunk, spinning and basic aeros, 152 hours Cherokee, 45 hours link trainer (ever heard of those?), 58 on the Comet sim, 70 on the Baron (everyone loved the Baron). I recognise many of the flight, sim and ground instructors. Strange to know that you have played snooker and squash in these actual places, drank in the bar (club), flown these actual aircraft, links, sims, and so on. I did BEA (shorthaul aka daylight division), Vanguards and then Tridents. So similar to what you see in this film. I joined CX in 1984, and was told just before my B747 command course in mid 1987 that my "British Airways training will stand you in good stead". It did.

[@caspiannoe4338]

I realize Im pretty randomly asking but do anybody know a good place to watch newly released tv shows online?

[@salvadorhenry3524]

@Caspian Noe i use FlixZone. You can find it by googling =)

[@coreyking1182]

@Salvador Henry yup, been watching on Flixzone for months myself :D

[@caspiannoe4338]

@Salvador Henry Thank you, signed up and it seems to work :) Appreciate it!

[@salvadorhenry3524]

@Caspian Noe Happy to help :)

[@andrewsmactips]

The most beautiful airliner, and in that paint scheme!

[@stevenwatt7561]

My late father was a senior first officer on the BOAC VC10 so it was good to see this movie.

[@lynnedouglas5576]

My father was the Hamble flying instructor in the first part of this film .... he passed away 10 years ago and seeing this now brought tears to my eyes ... so thank you, Big Sis, for finding this. Awesome.

[@ameendfbudagher3228]

Lynne Douglas , hi I was in Hamble from 1976 to 1977 . Greatest time of my life.

[@ameendfbudagher3228]

Best Regards Captain Ameen Budagher

[@tenientef2]

I salute you, Lynne Douglas. I'm into my process to become an airline pilot (how difference about our days and old days!) and everytime i feel lack of energy or i need extra motivation i just see this film and really fulls me of motivational energy. The part i liked the most is just when your father (RIP) teach him how to fly the chippie. I promissed myself i will go to Hamble the day right after i ger my studies done, just take a seat close to that place, and just let my mind bring me to those old days. Warm regards, Lynne Douglas.

[@Kathikas1]

Lynn, I remember your father well. We tended to address instructors as Sir or Captain so I don’t recall his first name - his initials were O.C I think?

[@diananewson1248]

@@Kathikas1 Hi Tony, yes O.C., but known to friends and family as Joe. Sadly his last years were not good as he had Parkinsons and first had to give up his beloved golf, then ended up in a nursing home. He died from pneumonia in 2007.

[@ianjohnson1920]

One of the best little films I think I've ever seen. Beautifully superb VC10 as well.

[@johnpini3000]

The BOAC training captain was Tony Butler Stoney OBE, DFC. He flew the first Comet commercial flight from Idlewild to London, delivered the first BOAC 707 to London and flew Princess Elizabeth back from Kenya in an Argonaut after the death of George VI. At Shannon airport when he introduced himself I thought he said 'my name's Tony' - it was 'my name's Stoney'. He died in 1992.

[@xetalq]

Thanks for this, I've been looking for this film for ages. I first saw it when I was a 15 year old at school, in England, and I determined to become an airline pilot myself (which I did). Sadly, I believe that the young Second Officer in this 1970 movie (Steve Radcliffe) died in a car accident in Spain only a year later in 1971. He was apparently the youngest cadet ever to join BOAC. All the other cadets in this movie retired from British Airways (the successor airline to BOAC) in about 2005.

[@fordlandau]

This is a magnificent piece of film. Brilliant! The music. The dialogue. The camerawork. You really feel what this young pilot must have felt. Thanks 🙏

[@ClivePattle]

I was a pupil at Hamble County Secondary School from 66-70. That school was situated on the northeast side of the Hamble airfield, only separated by the B.R. Southern Region Southampton to Portsmouth railway line. Every day there was a constant stream of aircraft landing or taking off over the school. I took an interest and found out that they were Chipmunks, Apaches, Cherokees and later Barons. I remember the cherokees arriving, brand new. Nice and shiny, a vast contrast to the chippies, most of which were bore their former RAF colour schemes with added College of Air Training logos. Living locally I endured the frequent night flying by the Apaches and Barons doing endless circuits. It was a great time of my life and put me on course to become an aviation enthusiast for life. Thanks for posting.

[@fireflyrobert]

I was at Hamble on course 692 during 1969/70 - really pleased to see this film has been uploaded

[@allancerf9038]

one of the best things i've ever seen of any kind.

[@lenkapenka6976]

VC-10 instructor was a WWII hero...

[@tenientef2]

can you go further with it? thanks

[@lenkapenka6976]

@@tenientef2 Tom Stoney D.F.C. - ex RAF Bomber Command and BOAC Comet fleet.

[@tenientef2]

@@lenkapenka6976 wow. Thanks!!

[@Paulw-bu2ji]

This film brings back so many childhood memories growing up in Hamble during the late 60's and 70's. I remember the Cherokees and Barons continually flying the circuit over my home, sometimes well into the night with the runways illuminated with paraffin flares deposited by a yellow mini pick-up truck.

[@arkansaswookie]

In the mid 70's I sat next to a man and his wife on a flight from San Francisco to Chicago that was a 747 captain for British Airways that had flown Lancasters and a Mosquito. Two incredible aircraft of the RAF during WW2. As a then 12 year old I had models of both planes hanging from my ceiling in my bedroom and thought that it was the coolest thing in the world to actually meet a guy that had flown them both during WW2. He was surprised that I knew exactly what the planes were, which made me less of a nuisance to him during the flight as he patiently answered all of my questions.

[@minormajor1]

The star trainee pilot was Steve Radcliffe. Sadly, he died in an accident in Spain in 1971.

[@CarePeers]

This is the good old day of aviation.

[@skylongskylong1982]

The good old days when you used to wear your smartest cloths when flying as a passenger. BOAC and BEA fondly remembered Today B.A. known by many as Best Avoided !

[@Shamrock100]

The circuit training was conducted at Shannon in Ireland. BOAC and many other airlines used the airport for that purpose as it had a long runway and light traffic.

[@109-w7v]

My dad was on the team that made this film.

[@briancarno8837]

I remeber as a teenager working in Prestwick for afew days and being amazed how busy it was with BOAC 707s passing over every few minutes;.. It took me days to realise it was actually the same plane doing touch and goes over and over again

[@davidshrimpton1791]

I think the term was actually 'Circuits and Bumps'

[@briancarno8837]

@@davidshrimpton1791 Thats funny I was listening to ATC at my local airport (Glasgow) which you can do on youtube and the raf C130 distinctly requeted a touch and go on runway 23 with a left hand turn out

[@davidshrimpton1791]

@@briancarno8837 Thanks for your response Brian. It may well be that ‘circuits and bumps’ is an old expression and was used by the RAF as well. But I’m talking about the 1950s, so I’m probably out of date!!

[@briancarno8837]

@@davidshrimpton1791 HA HA Im an old geezer also...I can remember watching Britanias and vanguards landing. Just missed the end of piston planes.. Would luv to have seen a constellation

[@schlutorflyer]

So much different about airline training back then, yet a lot similar as well. These kids were basically direct entry airline pilots, like they do now in Europe, and Asia. Teach an accelerated syllabus to CPL and IR, then do a type endorsement on a passenger jet and bang, you're an airline pilot. However I imagine those young men didn't end up with $150,000 debts following them around like today. Interesting as well having a VC-10 for a week of circuit training! Yep those were the days alright.

[@haywardvermaak4183]

This is a wonderful program. I currently hold a microlight pilot license and a Light Sport Aircraft fixed wing license (recreational aviation). soon I will be starting to do my Private Pilot License training, and later Commercial Pilot training. I find this very inspirational: Onwards and upwards. To quote Leonardo Da Vinci: "For once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards. For there you have been, and there you will long to return."

[@JDAbelRN]

Fascinating film.

[@747heavyboeing3]

Excellent instruction!

[@urumqi1]

I really thing the BTC (Base Training Captain) is awesome here. Totally cool and utter gentleman. Very different from my own base training 30 odd years later in a A330 with the usual narcissistic Australian BTC at Cathay Pacific.

[@fordlandau]

urumqi1 yes the BTC seems absolutely professional but gentlemanly as well.

[@Kathikas1]

You got off lightly, should have seen some of the ones who left before you arrived

[@BimmieJames]

Is this the BOAC training film that contains a 3 second clip of the 8mm film on board Speedbird 911?

[@davidwratten7728]

Great plane,, flew to SA in the early 70s to Durban. Joined the Treevalor Hain Norse line, what a trio that was

[@fireflyrobert]

It was 150 hours on the Chippie and then onto the Baron. Later they replaced the Chippies with the PA28 - 180 (Cherokee) so during the changeover period some students flew both (me also!). Also before you went on the Baron you'd done 50 hours in D4 Link Trainers learning IFR procedures and when on the Baron we did circa 50 hours on a basic Comet simulator

[@clemalford9768]

I remember the old BOAC logo. Certain charm about that period of airline history.

[@ELPaso1990TX]

It's amazing how aviation technology has changed.

[@theart8039]

I found my Grandads BOAC Junior Jet Club log book in the attic..Flights, Dates, Captains signatures, destinations..he used to fly all over the World, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, S.A Aus N.Z and actually used to go on the flight deck to be given a tour by the Captain, Engineer etc. Fun fact..he said that he was on a VC10 going to Hong Kong to Heathrow and sat behind the Cpt, who pushed his seat back and his big toe got stuck in the runner..He tells me that no amount of pain stopped him from enjoying every moment. He said the Captains name was Nelson so he felt safe because Admiral Nelson was a hero of his as a boy..they sound like amazing days. Never to be repeated I guess

[@peterw3359]

Got the same book, but from QANTAS, and every flight since 1965 to the present have been entered and signed - hundreds of flights now.

[@70CarStall]

His first take off @ 30:58 he had the "ok dont mess up" dry mouth going on.

[@oldmovieboomer]

RIP to the young pilot who died so young.

[@fireflyrobert]

Hamble was set up to select and train future aircraft Captains so expense was not an issue - in fact when you look how well the graduates did in their careers it was very cost effective. Even now trainee pilots have to do a few circuits in the actual aircraft as part of the type rating. In those days simulators were not as good as they are now with full wrap around visual etc.

[@angeltransportpjects]

A bygone era caught on camera very well. Interesting to see what training & development was like compared with today's era of Full Motion Simulators, Crew Resource Management ... But still including your 'First Solo' and the landmark that it still is to every flying career. Thanks again for posting on here.

[@mapp47]

hi, sorry to hear about the death of the young man in the film,but I did enjoy seeing the film.thanks

[@christopherlewry7510]

My Dad David Lewry was a flying instructor then CFI from 1965 until the college closed. Sadly he died this May 2021.

[@Kathikas1]

Your father, Dave Lewry was my instructor on Chipmunk and Apache. I caught up with him on email shortly before he passed - quite strange two retirees, one the instructor who passed on so much to the other …

[@luisalvarofierroaguirre4060]

Grandes recuerdos. Este video indujo a que estudiara Aviacion. VC10 un strato en Aeronautica.

[@mekydro]

I well remember the COAT Barons, as they flew them from Hurn and they did endless circuits-and-bumps that used to fly over my school. They were noisy aircraft!

[@ProducerCliff]

Brings back good memories (no, not 1970, I'm not that old). I did my commercial license on rotary wing (helicopters) but as part of the course we also did a PPL on fixed wing. I learnt on a Piper Archer and a Tobago. I liked the way they spent a week doing circuits in an actual VC10! I guess they don't do that nowadays with the advent of realistic simulators. I know a lot of experienced helicopter pilots often become airline pilots, the pay is better and only 2% of the stress!

[@joebatters6508]

I remember having to do touch and go' back in the 80s. After we finished with all the sims and prior to OE, we would do the "bounces" at an overnight station, usually at night. The fidelity and visuals of today's simulators is such that on my last time coming to a different airplane, once I was done with the sim sessions, I went straight to OE and the first time I flew the real plane was with real passengers. The bean counters want to get you out and be productive as quick as possible.

[@rjclark2736]

+sasha blaine Circuits and bumps are still alive and well! We did our base training on the A320 about a year ago, on a lovely calm day at Shannon. Interesting to see how little has changed with the structure of the training course. I chatted to a friend's dad about this, too, who had trained at Hamble, although he started with BEA rather than BOAC. The training later changed to schools at either Oxford or Prestwick. Nowadays, training for BA cadets is done in either Oxford, Southampton or Jerez (the Prestwick training college was relocated there in the early 00s). The new simulators are really very, very good, although if it's your first airliner rating you need to do base training in the aircraft. I think with most subsequent conversions it can be done as ZFT (zero flight time) in the simulator, but only if you've got relevant experience in aircraft over a certain size.

[@paulmurphy42]

Can you tell me - was the sequence just Chipmunk then Baron, or was there another aircraft inbetween the Chipmunk and Baron? And how many hours on each? Thanks.

[@mysirena1]

Piper Cherokees were used in between the Chipmunk and the Baron.

[@briancarno8837]

Great film... I suppose with BEA they could start on viscounts and work up from there... but BOAC.. your in at the deep end

[@semsemeini7905]

When BEA had the Viscounts BOAC had the Bristol Britania's. By the early 70s' BEA had Vickers Vanguards and Tridents mostly. Viscounts were more common in the 50s' and 60s'. Flew on many.

[@Kathikas1]

I started at the deep end in a BEA Trident - great times

[@christoohunders5316]

Nice film, would need to be restored and scanned in hd tho.

[@PeriscopeFilm]

We scanned it in 4k and 24p HD already.

[@christoohunders5316]

@@PeriscopeFilm It doesn't show !

[@captaintimba]

PeriscopeFilm There is an annoying background hum plus the elapsed time at the bottom of the screen is equally annoying.

[@christoohunders5316]

@@captaintimba It's done on purpose to avoid commercial copies on other media.

[@Kathikas1]

Shared a flat with Steve in Hurst Park - wet himself laughing when the china ducks fell off the wall ..... RIP

[@semsemeini7905]

Flew on a BOAC VC-10 from New York to London in the early 70s'.

[@peterw3359]

December, 71 for me.

[@SimElectronics101]

The pilot-cadet looks like Martin Crieff.

[@rogerjoram2341]

Great to see CAT Hamble in its heydays, also when my Father Capt DJ Oram was Chief of Selection

[@MiftahulJannah-zb4pd]

This video make me want to be a pilot.. Jet fighter pilot

[@halisfansuri]

today, they are captain or retired already i think

[@Tridentman121]

the word used quite often is T.P.I.(Tailplane Incidence),i have this film myself.

[@tu134pilot]

What a great video. It would sure be interesting to see where this fellow ended up...I guess he would just about be retired now...my guess as a senior BA A380 or 747 Captain.

[@richardbuxton3546]

+Scott Cooper From PPRuNe... _Steve was a very good friend and I shared a flat with him and two other pilots for a couple of years. Sadly he died in an accident in Spain in 1971 (not aviation related)._

[@tu134pilot]

Thank you for the update, Richard. I am sorry to learn of his passing. I am pleased that his memory lives on with this video to motivate and inspire the next generation of pilots.

[@richardbuxton3546]

***** No - I have no connection with BOAC or with aviation. I know of only two Nelsons - one in the Simpsons and the other the victor at Trafalgar.

[@gabrielcox3167]

What about Mandela?

[@semsemeini7905]

@@richardbuxton3546 How awful. Tragic. He seems like such a nice bloke. Life aint fair. Destiny.

[@pete5668]

That's the funniest-looking DC-10 I ever did see. :) Oh, a VC-10. My bad...

[@luckilj]

Yikes! We had identical baggage tags up until just a year ago or so! ! !

[@luckilj]

I just have WW PSR now LOL! Or Silver Exec one ;)

[@af757]

Awfully nice chaps those pilot chappies.....

[@graemewilliams1308]

Ahhhh Captain Bristow I presume, damn fine machinery. "Applause from stewardess" ? Yes mostly, but sometimes they would come in with a jug of water & say: Now that you planted it, might as well water it. And, we were NOT allowed to take our uniform jackets off in the tropics, my airline was pedantic about that. And they say the most dangerous part of flying is the trip to the airport. Too true. One of our Flight Engineers was killed in a Hong Kong taxi accident. Another crew were hospitalized in Adelaide for the same reason.

[@johnpini3000]

Sorry, Tom Butler Stoney!

[@Apricotham]

so much easier back then to get into airlines

[@MrAlwaysBlue]

They have to pay for all that training themselves now.

[@MiftahulJannah-zb4pd]

The pilot is like luftwaffe pilot

[@allancerf9038]

BOAC is alive and well as BA. Hope that was a joke (good one!) that it was 'easier' to get into airlines then. not at this level!

[@fordlandau]

Magnificent film in all ways. Watch the young pilots face in his first VC 10 take off. He's terrified!

[@lucaviggiani2189]

But fear not, in fifty years time, pilots like yourself will be treated like lepers by companies that no longer regard skill and professionalism as positive traits and only care about their bottom line.

[@craigmorris299]

Welcome to the 21st Century...sucks doesn't it?

[@Apricotham]

he practically learned how to do circuits in a vc 10 ffs

[@ShakespeareCafe]

So you want to be a jet jockey

[@Stoic-of-Rome]

Ridiculous over controlling shots on that chipmunk, clearly instructor hamming it up as the camera crew requested. I never had a student ever over control like that! When I did my Base training it was a choice between Malta or Shannon, captain chose Shannon :-, Airspace was pretty empty most the time at least.

[@diananewson1248]

The instructor "hamming it up" was my father and he really was that meticulous. He even helped struggling students in his own time at our house!

[@glennspeirs512]

Also known as better on a camel

[@barbaraannecortina7899]

a good film...RUINED by the deep whine throughout.

[@PeriscopeFilm]

I think it is you who are whining.

[@sikhpilot.]

Personally I think it adds character to the film, and makes you feel as if you’re back there in the 70s itself. What a gem of a documentary.