Chapter 6

 

A civil world

 

 

 

 

for love 'nor money

 

Then why do it?

A340 arrives at Hong Kong - (65371 bytes)

It has its moments.......

Just not very many of them.

 

BAe Hawk 100 in the desert - (48458 bytes)

 

 

 

Took a while to find a job.  In the mean time..... Aircraft delivery.  Civil pilots (British), foreign aircraft (military), in the Middle East!

 

 

Join an airline and see the world - more than the Air Force did anyway.......

 

A340 at new NY terminal - (42798 bytes)

 

 

A340 at new Washington terminal - (82460 bytes)

New York

 

 

Washington

 

JAL 747-400 over a padi field - (102066 bytes)

 

Tokyo

A340 in Kai Tak by night - (88646 bytes)

 

 

Hong Kong

 

Mauritius A340 departs the island - (82665 bytes)

 

 

MauritiusStorm over London Heathrow - (45391 bytes)

 

 

and return!

Heathrow.....Heathrow.....Heathrow......

 

 

 

 

Con trails in the sky - (9168 bytes)

En-route we thread the needle.  Nav kit is accurate, very accurate.  Everyone slap down the middle.  Slap, bang.  Use a little offset?

 

Glass cockpit, nice colours but old hat.  Where's the moving map?

A340 flight and navigation displays - (85299 bytes)

A340 MCDU computer terminal - (98411 bytes)

 

A340 belly with 777 in distance - (92264 bytes)Engine oil replenishment - (57602 bytes)

 

 

More computers than you can shake a stick at.  When it comes down to it..... still just an aircraft.  Lumps of metal, nuts and bolts.

 

 

 

A340 over a 777 at Farnborough - (44720 bytes)747 being loaded with cargo - (81053 bytes)

 

Boys with toys.  Mine is bigger/faster/newer than yours.  Cruise at M 0.86 or M 0.82!  Who cares?  We all still get there.  Spend more time queuing for a stand.  Trouble is, there's nothing more exciting to talk about.

 

 

 

Hong Kong handover.  Kai Tak closes.

Giving way to a Cathay 747 - (56090 bytes)

Over the checker board at 400 feet - (55941 bytes)Finishing the turn onto RW13, 200 feet - (52923 bytes)

 

 

 

Last time over the checker board - (56394 bytes)Last approach to Kai Tak - (73040 bytes)

Last time down the IGS.

Last time round the checker board.

 

 

 

No more jets booming over Kowloon.

Cathay 747 over Kowloon - (48027 bytes)

End of another era..............

 

 

A Virgin aircraft fin - (43287 bytes)Cabin crew board the aircraft - (72222 bytes)

 

 

 

Still, things could be worse.........

 

 

 

The sun hasn't quite set yet...............

Sunset over an A340 wing at Heathrow - (38212 bytes)

 

But it's certainly over the yard arm!

 

 

securing checks complete..........

............night guys.

  Title page