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Elmdon Airport

Looking at the pic of a BAC 1-11 I posted in post#323 reminds me of a flight in one to Glasgow in the 1980s when during the climb the cabin would not pressurise which these days would be a reason for a quick return back. In those days the Captain simply negotiated with Air Traffic Control for a flight at 6000ft allowing us to breath easy and see some magnificent views of the Lake District.
 
My first long haul flight started from Elmdon in 1973 ... I was going to Japan.
We flew to Heathrow where we boarded a Japan Airlines 747 jet which were quite new in the early 1970s. A japanese holiday company had booked most seats with only a few british people aboard. In those days flights to Japan went over the North Pole with a stop half way in Alaska. We settled down for the long flight over the Arctic when suddenly there was a very loud explosion and out of the windows we could see one of the engines with bits missing off it. The cabin crew and japanese passengers looked worried so I got an airline map out and could see that we were 2000 miles from the nearest airbase and looked at the ice below and thought what now? We flew on at reduced speed to Anchorage where we saw blue flashing lights of waiting ambulances and fire engines as we circled above the airfield. After a slightly bumpy landing we had to stay in Anchorage overnight waiting for a replacement aircraft from Tokyo.
 
Old Mowhawk, I understand that in those days planes flying over the Arctic carried a stock of fur coats in case they had to land. Wouldn't be PC today.
 
ladywood said:
Hi Mallyb2, At the back of my mind I think the 'Buster Crabb' incident was mentioned in the book 'Spy Catcher'.
I think the MOD or whatever it was called then, was interested in the hull of the cruiser 'Sverdolovsk' which brought Bulganin and Kruschev to Britain.
Crabbe went down to check it out and was found washed up and decapitated some time later.
Unfortunately, so it goes.

ladywood
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Just for the record, that ship was the "Ordzhonikidze". Cheers !
 
I'm in my Flight Sim at Birmingham tonight flying for Ryanair and about to pilot the evening flight to Dublin. Starting push back from Stand, taxi to Echo1, runway 33, take off to the north and climb to 12000ft by Stafford, 18000ft by Wallasey, heading 275 across the Irish Sea. Hoping Irish Air Traffic Control will give me a straight-in descent to runway 28, and hopefully a smooth landing, keeps my old brain cells tuned up ... :D
BHXfltsim).jpg
 
Hi Eric, yes it is Flight Sim X. I bought it earlier this year from the Steam gaming co. I bought a card from a Game shop and downloaded FSX. It is useful because if I mess it up I can easily download a recovery back up.
I downloaded the free BHX scenery from the link below but it is quite difficult to install and I had to use the recovery on two occasions. Needs very careful reading of instructions. They have a large free selection of airport scenery. It has all the latest taxiways, stands and buildings, push back trucks etc. I find the easiest downloads are repaints on existing aircraft.
https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/6878/fsx-birmingham-intl-airport-scenery/
BHX in the daytime and a 737 being pushed back from stand
Screenshot (103).jpg
ps: regarding my night flight to Dublin in post#341, Irish ATC did not give me a 'straight in to rwy 28, the wind in Dublin was from the south and I had to land on rwy 16 ... it's a change from just looking at the internet ...:D
 
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Thanks oldMohawk, not being pc wise I think I will leave things as they are, if you had difficulties I certainly would. Eric
 
New member. Interested in local history and surprised at how many of my searches call up BH Forum articles and photographs. Lots of interesting articles. Often felt on the outside looking in as there are many articles I have wanted to comment on. Consequently I took the step to join.

Re Birmingham Airport

The Hansard article below may be of interest – it concerns a claim for compensation due to a Seafire aircraft crashing on land belonging to Castle hill Farm, Jan 1946. I’ve been meaning to pass it on to an old school friend as his grandparents were tenant farmers at Castle Hill farm - which we used to visit back in the 60’s.

It’s a lengthy piece but interesting as the claimant has difficulty establishing who is responsible for damages / compensation i.e. the RAF or The Admiralty. It also references the decommissioning of the airport, which seems to have been shortly after the crash occurred.
https://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1946/jul/17/crashed-aircraft-damage-bickenhill-claim
 
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Welcome mbenne. Glad you've joined us. And there's plenty more to explore on here ! Viv.
 
mbenne said:
New member. Interested in local history and surprised at how many of my searches call up BH Forum articles and photographs. Lots of interesting articles. Often felt on the outside looking in as there are many articles I have wanted to comment on. Consequently I took the step to join.

Re Birmingham Airport

The Hansard article below may be of interest – it concerns a claim for compensation due to a Seafire aircraft crashing on land belonging to Castle hill Farm, Jan 1946. I’ve been meaning to pass it on to an old school friend as his grandparents were tenant farmers at Castle Hill farm - which we used to visit back in the 60’s.

It’s a lengthy piece but interesting as the claimant has difficulty establishing who is responsible for damages / compensation i.e. the RAF or The Admiralty. It also references the decommissioning of the airport, which seems to have been shortly after the crash occurred.

https://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1946/jul/17/crashed-aircraft-damage-bickenhill-claimn
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Thanks for the information ... your link would not work for me, I had to get it from
https://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1946/jul/17/crashed-aircraft-damage-bickenhill-claim
Interesting to read about the damage the recovery vehicles did to the farm.
oldmohawk
Thanks Oldmohawk. I have corrected link.
Mikejee
 
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When the new control tower, was positioned on top of the old control tower roof in the early 1960s, as shown in the above photo, thanks stitcher, apparently it was glued into position. Seems rather strange, not even bolted.
This info comes from a former Birmingham air traffic controller who worked in it, so must be true.
 
Lovely winter scene at Elmdon, probably an airport Christmas card.
Pre war probably with what appears to be a DH 86 in the foreground, like a large four engine DH Dragon Rapide. The far one appears to be a Dragon Rapide , but not too accurately drawn. Very atmospheric picture though, thanks Stitcher..
 
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