opssysA quick ramble in the early days attic:
Ground Side:
Computer Reservation Systems were available in the early 1970’s
Check-in Systems (now calls DCS and do More) in Early 1970’s
Flight Information Systems in Early 1970’s
Operations Control Systems – Late 1970’s
Maintenance Control Systems – Mid- 1970’s
Crewing Systems (useful ones) – Early 1980’s
Integrated Airport Operations Systems (FIDS/Airport Scheeduling etc) late 1970’s
As for Airborne Systems I always think the INS systems in the mid-1970’s were the first serious ‘computer system’ as against aid, but there are many in this forum better qualified to judge.
opssysHunting H126
Having been late picking up this thread, I still haven’t come to a firm conclusion about the Ugliest, but certainly as noted by others the Hunting H126 has to be well up the list, but technically is NOT a warplane as it was built purely for research. Apparently in part to test the difficulty of Cockpit access as this comment from a seconded American Pilot seems to indicate and perhaps provides an excllent summary of his feelings about the Aircraft:
‘The cockpit is difficult to get into and should be made impossible‘
opssysHi Propstrike
Didn’t know about the Clairvouyant. But unlike some of the other Mew Gulls, owners of G-AEXF tended to suffer with their Wallets rather than with their lives despite the Accidents. The only person who died whilst they owned her was Victor Vermoral. Maybe the Clairvouyant knew this, or something in Hugh Hugh Scrope ‘s manner gave a ‘tell’.
However I wonder if Hugh Scrope remembered this ‘reading’ after his accident at Shoreham in 1951 which helped him to decide to sell G-AEXF.
Opssys
opssysFirst a big thank you to WJ244 for his information, memory or not it fills a major gap.
EXF has had a hard and often unlucky life. Lets hope her future continues to be much brighter than some areas of her past.
Whilst G-AEXF has really suffered, sometimes with the best of intentions. But her life in France during the war stopped the possibility of her being bombed to destruction as happened to G-AEKL and also because she stayed snug in her Hangar at Lyon Bron airfield from 1945 to 1950, did not suffer the fate of the E.2 G-ACND and E.3H G-AFAA both burnt on the Bonfire at a Royal Aero Club Garden party in July 1945 (God forgive them, they didn’t know they were destroying pieces of History – Actually I cannot forgive, but I am not God).
–o-o-O-o-o-
Not sure if I’ve already posted this on here, but her greatest feat is scheduled to be emulated in 2009 by another ‘XF’
http://www.capechallenge.com
I for one hadn’t seen this site , so thank you.
Hmm 50% of me hopes he does make a new record and the other 50% hopes Alex Henshaw remains unbeaten for all time.
But the site also threw up the letter from Alex Henshaw to Steve Noujaim, which was fascinating.
One of the sad parts of G-AEXF life and a little bit of a mystery so far, is the fact that after keeping her safe from 1939 to early 1945 at Villfranche-sur-Saone, her first french owner Victor Vermoral was killed in 1945, but I haven’t been able to discover the circumstances.
Anyway again many thanks to WJ244 for the info and thanks to –o-o-O-o-o- for the link.
Opssys
opssysSnake Bites Loader, Snake Dies
Way back when: Delta Tristar Arrives Gatwick and Loader opens up the Bulk Hold, sticks his hand in and gets bitten. Promptly Kills Snake (fortunately not vemonous). As no AVI registered, it believed Snake was a stowaway having climbed the Baggage Elevator into the hold at ATL.
Monkey Business
Back even further in time. Autumn 1970. VC10 Arrives Gatwick and up in the Arrival Baggage Hall the Passengers and yours trully await the Arrival of the Baggage.
Some Arrives, but only about half. I make a call to discover that a Monkey loose in hold and the RSPCA are not on site and will have to be dispatched from LHR. After an interminable wait they arrive and after an even longer wait, the Baggage is delivered for Passenger Inspection. An unhappy and nervous Monkey can ruin your Baggage as well as your day!
opssysSad and Exciting Fürstenfeldbruck 1976
1976 will always be remembered for the Terrorist Atrocity at the Munich Olympics.
Much of the Olympic specific traffic was routed into the German Air Base at Fürstenfeldbruck.
A BCAL VC10 was sub-chartered to bring home some British Visitors to the Games and I was drafted to do the Loadsheet both ways, so I travelled with the Aircraft. Inbound we taxied past the wrecked Helicopters and arn on tostand.
With only (from memory) 69 Passengers who only had light baggage, the VC10 was hardly loaded and the turnaround was around 20 minutes.
After taxying out, once again past the sombre sight of the wrecked heliopters, we lined up and as Fürstenfeldbruck had NO Noise Abatement restrictions, plus we cleared to climb directly to cruise altitude, it was the only time I was in a VC10 that literally ‘rocketed off the runway and just kept going’. We didn’t kevel off until 42,000 feet (from Memory). A Hecules which took off behind us (say two minutes) was stil under Fürstenfeldbruck ATC for a long time after we were at cruise. It didn’t seem anytime at all before we began to descend and from top descent to landing seemed to take as long as the rest of the flight.
From once aspect a sad trip, but one I got paid for and a really exciting ride.
opssysMost Interersting and Best
Most Interesting (I thought it would cost me my Job)
Back in the mid seventies I went for a Beer and ended up in Manchester via Palma.
Mate picked up at the House for an early evening Beer, we had to go to Gatwick to pick up another friend. After parking the Car in a staff Car Park, went into the Terminal to wait while the Shift Finished. Instead our Friend arrived with a female colleague, waving 4 Charter Tickets and said ‘How about a VC10 Ride to Palma”.
Quick Check we had our Passports (we all carried them in those days) and boarde the BCAL VC10 which had been sub-chartered to do a 4S Flight.
Off we went, nice Flight and arrive PMI. Dodge questions from Immigration and recheck-in and back to the Departure lounge, which is where we stayed all night.
Fog had rolled in at Gatwick and that was that! As I was on duty at 0700, I was getting nervous (as was the Lady as she hadn’t told Hubbie she was off with 3 Blokes to PMI). We finally departed in Bright Sunshine, but as we flew over the UK, there was no start of descent, instead an annoucement that due the continuing fog at Gatwick the Flight was diverting to Manchester.
We arrived at an crowded Manchester and parked on the Taxyway next to a Donaldson’s 707. This supplied some amusement as the overwing emergency exit suddenly opened and some student types clambered onto the wing, shortly followed by a Donaldsons Hostie in her stockinged feet to shepherd them back-in.
Finally deplaned, managed a quick telephone call and then we hitched a ride back to Gatwick on an empty positioning BCAL 707. I Arrived at 1500 (end of my shift). Flight met by an assistant supervisor who looks could have killed. But I didn’t lose my Job and (there was no divorce either).
Best
Back in the early 1990’s had a meeting with Aer Lingus in Dublin to discuss a project. So took the morning Virgin (City) Bae146 out of LCY. Meeting went well and lasted until lunch. Aer Lingus with typical irish hospitality therefore took us out to lunch, which lasted a very, very long time and involved copious amounts of Beer. I have no memory of the return Flight.
opssysThe technology for the Aircraft, Satellite and Ground Segments has been around some years. The problem has primarily been regulatory (and still is). The same technology suite can be used for Mobile Voice and SMS Messaging (The FAA really don’t like the last two)
In Britain OFCOM have issued Guidelines and UK Airlines are planning, or reviewing introduction of these services.
Another problem is how to cost the service so that providers and the Airline Makes Money, so pricing is a real issue and a bit of a conundrum for all concerned.
Some consider that Mobile Voice and SMS costs per call will be easier for Passengers to swallow, rather than a big charge for total service link.
Others are avoiding the Mobile Phone issue and going only for internet connectivity, and therefore either charging by sector, or by time (Internet Cafe style).
In a decade’s time Unified Communication Access will probably be a standard feature, but for now there will be years of ‘Pick and Mix’ – Ranging from No Service through to Full Service and everything in between.
opssysWhilst the Operatic Farce that is the Alitalia Situation continues, the Greek tragedy of Olympic is reaching its final conclusion.
The Greek Government is finalising the liquidation and relaunch to private investors.
This mirrors the Alitalia situation, at all levels, yet the handling of the Olympic Situation has been carried out without either the ameteur dramatics, nor the international media coverage.
In both cases excessive (and I am being polite) Government Interference is running the Company, Unions with Political and Power base Agenda that have made them myopic to the changing world, a high proportion of the Management Team ‘going with the flow’ either out of apathy, or a similar myopic view of the world.
Yet the Greeks have taken a series of steps over some years to correct the situation, but under similar pressure from the EU (as the Italian Government are over Alitalia), but also seeing that Olympic as currently structured was beyond redemption, have ‘bitten the bullet’ and taken the neccesary action. It is an interesting case study in differences in Cultural, Political and Social handling of two basically similar situations.
opssysLufthansa appears to be intent of building a European Empire and it seems to be approaching this by buying large minority stakes (large enough to enforce timetable integration), or where there are other potential advantages (whether it be using the acquired Airline to operate the Flights To/From its country to Germany at a lower cost than LH itself, or Fleet/Spares Commonality/Slots etc) full take-over.
If the deals only require finance, than despite its summer strikes LH has excellent credit lines. Based on the Airlines it is known to interested in, then other than Alitalia the financial risk is low and LH could easily handle the ‘corporate liaison issues’ to make the commercial tie-ups work.
If more than two or three ‘deals’ requires the deployment of LH Management Teams and technical assistance (other than IT) then this could stretch resources.
As for Italy, Lufthansa is already building a respectable Italian Operation and providing the restructured Alitalia does actually work even semi-efficiently then a minority stake of 10% would make some sense for getting timetable integration.
Air France-KLM is also trying to build a European Empire and is basically interested in a similar number of Airlines to LH, with some overlap where both want a stake in the same carrier (see below).
What could become dangerous for both LH and AF-KL if they become involved in corporate ‘cat fights’ resulting in bidding wars for minority stakes and therefore paying more for such stakes than they are worth.
For reasons which are beyond me (most things are I guess) are that both LH and AF-KL are attracted to Alitalia like insects to a Venus Flytrap. I believe anything other than a small stake would not be a good idea, for either Carrier.
opssysThree things interest me on this:
1) The XL France and XL Germany operations are unaffected (Shades of Air Europe/ILG when the UK and Norwegian operations ceased, but Air Europe Italy and Spain carried on , as did the newly acquired Germain Operation, but that was a complex case.)
2) The speed with which lessors have retrieved their Aircraft (Definitely not like the old days).
3) When Jethro states parked – I does this mean as I suspect Blocked Off by the Airport!
opssysDo all flyable/parked planes have a positive value?
There is a 727 left in Hanoi by a bankrupt Cambodian airline. What is it doing?
I don’t know about the 727, but the short answer is maybe. In some cases the ownership issue is so complex, that the aircraft becomes derelict before these issues are settled. The Aircraft as an asset maybe written off by the owner, again normally after ensuring the cost of making it flyable exceeds any value other than scrap. There are many variations.
Occasionally there is an ironic twist in that the owner is showing a full value for the AIrcraft on its books, when the Actual Aircraft has been stripped, and dumped at the Airfield edge with weeds growing through it. But hey if you don’t pay for someone to keep an eye on it and indeed ensure it is maintained what can you expect!
opssysAlitalia: Has not made even an operating profit since 1999.
When the initial rescue plan by Air France-KLM was scuppered by the change in Italian Government, I saw this as a lucky escape as it had the reprise of the SABENA – Swissair tragedy written all over it.
The new all Italian Rescue Plan by a the CAI Inventor Group headed by Roberto Colaninno. would fold Air One into the new streamlined Alitalia and would ‘dump’ most of the Ground Handling and other functions to be sold separately, or liquidated.
But the NINE Unions representing Alitalia Employees haven’t accepted the new rescue plan any more than the Air France-KLM one. This is despite the Italian Government offering very generous support for those made redundant. Like the Sabena Unions before them, each is absolutely 100% behind change as long as it has 0% effect on their members – actually this really means no effect on their power base.
The result that after seven long days of negotiation CAI backed-off.
Although various ‘final deadlines’ have come and gone, the Bankruptcy Administrator (appointed by the Government) has still not started to liquidate.
The Italian Government, like the Belgian one before it continues to desperately salvage something.
If the Unions do bring Alitalia down I for one will still feel sorry for the employees, because the Unions are playing politics rather than realising that they cannot protect every job and that the best deal they were ever going to get was on the table days ago.
Whilst Alitalia is unique in that the Pope has said he is praying for the company, divine intervention had better have some commercial common sense attached, if even a smaller Alitalia is to have a long term future.
opssysExpanding on PMN’s comments:
An Airline with a contract at an Airport gets billed for landing fees and parking charges by invoice at the end of each Month, with usually a specified number of days to pay after invoice date. Similarly the GHA and function specific Agencies will operate in a similar way.
When a Carrier suddenly ceases Operations, then Airports, GHA’s etc will tend to be owed at least one month, possibly three (as these Invoices are often subject to queries from the carrier).
As the Airports etc are suppliers they are way down the list of creditors to be paid off, hence they automatically stop Assets being removed to ensure they at least see some of the debt paid.
Sometimes the Airport and the GHA will cooperate on Asset seizure, other times the Airport acts alone. Depending on jurisdiction a Writ may be posted on the Asset.
Its a cruel world, but as one who ended up being owed GBP20,000 by one Airline Client, I wish I had been able to seize assets equivalent to that amount, instead I got 4 pence in the pound.
opssysPossel.
G-ARTA the Prototype VC10 was converted from its original prototype form in 1968 to be an equivalent of the production 1103, however there were sufficient differences that it received the unique type number 1109. This is where it gets interesting as the Aircraft was sold to Freddie Laker, but never operated by a Laker owned company. It was then leased to various operators on short leases but ended up being a permanent part of the BUA fleet (G-ARTA, G-ASIW, G-ASIX and G-ATDJ), but as far as I can tell remained in Laker Ownership even after the transfer to BCAL and the ‘unfortunate incident’ in early 1972 – The circumstances of which still irritate me after all these years.
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