Anyone here ever fly on a Dan-Air Comet?

I flew in a Dan-Air Comet G-BDIU c/n 6468, on the last departure from Bournemouth(Hurn as it was then!!), only flew to Gatwick but it was well worth it. The trip was organised by Bath Travel who used the aircraft for many years from the airport, if i remember the cost was approximatly GBP13 which included the coach return!!!!.
The highlight of the flight for me was doing a 360 about a mile and a half from touchdown on 08 at Gatwick!!!.

The Saint.

Seems like an opportune moment to resurrect this thread…

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=41536&highlight=EAst+Fortune

MAN/IBZ/MAN G-APMG/G-BDIW

The F/O let me sit in the right hand seat for 30 minutes on the inbound sector. What a machine !

Years later I worked for Dan’s……for 7 weeks in total.

There lies another story……

Flew to Malta and back sometime in the 70’s. Superb flight and equally superb aircraft apart from one thing. Whoever decided that access to the four holds in the main belly would be from directly underneth the aircraft need their head examined!.

Malta and back when I was 6 in 1972. Good old Dan Dare.

It was my first flight and started an entusiasm that has lasted since, with all things aviation.

many thanks for your responses.
diesel1 – I stand corrected.We also flew on Britannia a few times and it could be they flew 737’s at the time?

Nice to see another Comet fan on here.

I never flew in a Comet, I was too late – when I had my first ever flight the Comet had been withdrawn by the airline a few months before so we ended up in a 707.

I had the pleasure a number of times – IIRC, would have been to Mahon from BRS or LGW.

As it was a long time ago, my memories are a little hazy, but I recall racks overhead instead of lockers, the ‘old style’ doors which were a bit smaller than we are used to now on a jet.
I can also remember being able to see some paint from a previous operator starting to show through – probably RAF? on a Comet 4.

My clearest memory is that there was no door to the flight deck, just a curtain, which on takeoff moved offering a great view of the pilots doing what had to be done!

Shopperbike, one last point – IIRC Dan Air didn’t operate 737s until the 1980s, your flights in the 70s may have been 727-100s or 1-11s.

only once – Palma to Gatwick – Jan 1970 or 71 (i think as I was only 4 or 5) the only thing I can remember is being delayed for 7 hours due to fog and the hessian type linning being torn.

Fairly soon now it’ll be 30 years ago!

16/02/78 G-APYD DH Comet 4b Dan Air London Gatwick-Venice
01/03/78 G-BDIV DH Comet C4 Dan Air London Naples-Gatwick

Andy

I have had the pleasure. 😀