A little more about me

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Ok guys...gonna pour my heart out a little for you.

 

Today, is 1st July 2010... and is a sad anniversary for me, as I lost my mother when I was 10 yrs old to Cancer.

She was just 50 herself...two years older than I am now, when she passed away in 1971.

 

But, Something quite wonderful happened a little while ago.

After my mum died, (about 2 months after) my dad took me on a trip to my ancestrial home, the Island of Guernsey for a break.

Although I had been on an aircraft before, I was too young to remember the trip, so my excitement was palpable to say the least!

My excitement was further sent into override, when I discovered I was going to fly on British Caledonian Airways...I was an airliner fanatic at 10 yrs old, and we lived in Kingston upon Thames...right on the Glideslope for Heathrow airport.

 

Well, the day finally arrived (seemed like 40 yrs to arrive, like Christmas.. as it does with children!)

Holding my Father's hand, we walked across the apron, and boarded a BAC 1-11...I remember looking up at that Gold Lion insignia resplendent on the tail...wow, like it was yesterday.

 

We took our seats, and in no time were airborne...what a fantastic sensation it was!...my love of all things aviation, was signed and sealed at that moment!!

 

The only thing that upset me, was that my mum wasn't there...I sat and looked at the clouds moving under us...and started to get a little emotional.

My dad tried to comfort me, hell, he had just lost his wife of 26 yrs too.

A stewardess saw I was upset, and enquired of my dad "Is everything ok Sir?"...to which he replied why I was upset.

 

She smiled and walked away.

 

Within two minutes, she was back

"Simon?" she said

 

"The Captain and first Officer wondered if you would like to come up to the Flight Deck, and have a look around?"

 

I didn't need asking twice!!!!!

 

It was fantastic...I sat in the First Officers seat, and must have asked the captain 300 questions about everything possible...all the things I wanted to know about Dials, Needles, numbers, buttons, switches...coffee cup holders!..you name it!!

After far too short a time, the Captain said that he was about to start his final decent, and that for the sake of the first Officers "Old Legs"...he had better sit back down!...and I was to return to my seat, to await the seatbelt light to come on.

 

Anyhow, I'm waffling on!...I apologise.....but here is the interesting bit!

 

The B'Cal advert on the TV at the time, had a song, which I have had in my head for many, many Years...I tried very hard to trace the original advert on the web, with no luck...but...I eventually found the soundtrack on an Album!

 

I made this video a while back, and posted it on youtube

 

.....it was stumbled across by the moderator of the British Caledonian reunion website, and they got in touch, and asked me if they could have it on their website...which I took as a great honour!

 

I ended up telling the guy the story I have just told you chaps, and he put an email around the members...and low and behold...the Stewardess on the flight remembered the incident...and has just emailed me to say "Hi"

 

How cool is that??!!

 

She has, of course Long retired from the Airline Industry, but I am hoping I will get a chance to meet her, perhaps travel down to Warwickshire where she now lives.

 

Life is sure strange at times aint it?

[Duce Lewis 3]

Touching story Widow

I hope you meet her and have a wonderful time

...and I'm sure your Mum is smiling up above

She obviously did her job very well

[Olham 164]

Verdammtnochmal, now you have made my eyes moist, you Crumpet you!

 

I don't know how your loss must have felt, Simon, but I had a similar event in a similar age

When my parents got devorced, they sent me to my grandma in Berlin, so I wouldn't see all the misery.

I had to fly alone, and the Stewardess saw that I was unhappy and dull, and she also invited me to the

cockpit. It was a Lufthansa Metropolitan, a twin radial engines prop airliner for short range flights.

I was 11 years old then, but unfortunately, I didn't dare to ask them much - I thought, I might cause

too much distraction from their flying the lady; so I watched it rather quietly.

 

That sure is great about Caledonian, that they liked to use your video, and particularly, that this

Stewardess even remembers you. Please report, if you should really ever meet her again.

Great story, old chap!

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Touching story Widow

I hope you meet her and have a wonderful time

...and I'm sure your Mum is smiling up above

She obviously did her job very well

 

Thank you very much Duce...now you've made me Blub!

 

Verdammtnochmal, now you have made my eyes moist, you Crumpet you!

 

I don't know how your loss must have felt, Simon, but I had a similar event in a similar age

When my parents got devorced, they sent me to my grandma in Berlin, so I wouldn't see all the misery.

I had to fly alone, and the Stewardess saw that I was unhappy and dull, and she also invited me to the

cockpit. It was a Lufthansa Metropolitan, a twin radial engines prop airliner for short range flights.

I was 11 years old then, but unfortunately, I didn't dare to ask them much - I thought, I might cause

too much distraction from their flying the lady; so I watched it rather quietly.

 

That sure is great about Caledonian, that they liked to use your video, and particularly, that this

Stewardess even remembers you. Please report, if you should really ever meet her again.

Great story, old chap!

 

Sorry to make your eyes moist Olham....Looks like we have even more in common than we first thought!...

[Fortiesboy 3]

Hey Simon-

 

Indeed, touching.

 

I know we moan about modern technology sometimes, but it can make wonderful things happen that otherwise wouldn't!

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Indeed Dave...without the Net...would never have happened!...you ok?..I'm impressed with the 6m Whip...had some nice Ide!...will call you over the W/E

[Ras 0]

Great story to share, Simon. When one thinks of their first time in the air, it can be special. My father, who has been gone for a long time, was my best friend. And he died a tragic way that can never be understood.

 

When I read your story, i felt I had to share a little of mine. After WW2 in which my father was in the US Army and fought in France and Germany; he got his pilots license under what was called the GI bill. My first time in the air with him was when I was about 2 years old as I was told. I feintly remember being in the back seat on differnet occasions of smaller aircraft, sometimes having the whole seat to myself as my mother sat in the front seat with Dad. I don't remember much of it, but I know I was there. When I was really old enough to "remember", it got to expensive to fly and my dad had to quit.

 

I have one of his log books and when I first got involved in FSX, which was just 2 years ago; I took many of the short flights that he had taken in the Mooneys, Pipers and other aircraft that he had actually flown in Minnesota. I would take off and re create that flight. and think of some of the good times with my best friend.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

A beautiful story Simon, and it made this sentimental old sod cry as well. Thank you for that Sir. Incredibly serendipitous about the B'Cal contact and the stewardess.

 

Thank you as well to Olham and Ras for sharing your stories too. Life is indeed very strange, but also oft times wonderful.

 

.

[Von Paulus 8]

Touching story Simon.

Thanks for sharing it. Today I was feeling a bit down and your story rised my spirit a little.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Thank you guys...It is always nice to hear other people's experiences Ras...some good, some not so good...but all part of Life's tapestry

Edited July 1, 2010 by UK_Widowmaker

[Hasse Wind 46]

Great story, Widowmaker - thanks for sharing it. I don't cry easily, having gone through so much crap in my life, but I can understand the reactions of some of our regulars. It's tragic that you lost your mother when you were so young. One of my aunts died of lung cancer a few years ago, even though she had never smoked in her life, and it wasn't an easy way to go. Life is suffering, like Buddhism teaches us. But fortunately there are also some good things happening occasionally.

[Olham 164]

Ras, the time with the dear ones is never long enough.

But he came back from that war of all wars alive, and had enough time left to become your best friend.

Call me childish, but I believe, one day - soon or yet far away - we will meet them all again, above the clouds.

And then we will wonder together, how we could have spent any of the precious time in dark moods.

[carrick58 23]

Very touching story

[Flyby PC 23]

This is the ad I best remember...

 

 

I was gutted when B Cal went down. As a kid I always reckoned that would be Scotland's national airline come the revolution.

Edited July 1, 2010 by Flyby PC

[Morris 2]

Dear widowmaker,

 

Life is a journey and thanx for making us part of something so heartwarming.

 

The best to you.

 

M

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

 

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

 

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference

 

 

("The Road Not Taken", by Robert Frost)

 

 

 

Life is all about the journey my friends, and my sincere prayer is that each of you makes the most of that journey, no matter where it might take you.

 

Lou

 

.

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Umm, I hate to follow Robert Frost, as my words no doubt pale in comparison. Nevertheless, those are a couple of wonderful and touching stories, especially Widowmaker's. I wish I had something like it to share with everyone, but alas, no.

 

Unless you want to hear about the time I fell off a jet plane and lived to tell about it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, the jet was in a park playground and was cemented into the ground, but it was a (retired) korean war era jet fighter!

[Rickitycrate 10]

Thanks for sharing Widow. One of the finer posts among so many wonderful posts. Not to be too maudlin or corny but I appreciate you guys as brothers. Thanks to all of you for sharing of yourselves and your talents.