G APWJ Final Commercial Herald Flight
G APWJ Final Commercial Herald Flight
G APWJ departed Southampton at 19.20 on Saturday 29th June 1985 operating UK447 to Jersey supposedly the final commercial Herald flight with Air UK.
Captain J A Spencer and First Officer T Bennett on the flight deck.
Pictured at Jersey after its arrival Captain Spencer (Spenny) and the Jersey based cabin crew all drink a toast to the occasion and the impending retirement of Captain Spencer.
Pictured in front of the Herald at Jersey left to right – Jersey based Air Hostesses Nichole Baraclough. Liz McClure, Debby Le Bail. Debby Fox. Sandra Parks. Mary Bolton. Judy Cardwell. Sue De La Haye. Teresa Hayes. Gilly Barker, Senior Hostess Maggie Thompson and Captain J A Spencer. (all names as then).
Sunday 30th June G APWJ departed Jersey at 17.00 with Captain Mike LeGalle in command with First Officer John Campbell, also Captain Mike Carnegie on board, all of whom were due to start their F27 ground school at Norwich on the Monday morning.
After the obligatory flypast at Jersey they set course for Norwich. On arrival at Norwich they were asked to position Whiskey Juliet to Leeds to pick up delayed F27 passengers and fly them to Belfast. A quick check that the AOC for the Herald was current as it was due to be taken off, and at 19.45 Whiskey Juliet was airborne with the addition of a Norwich based Air Hostess who was still current on the Herald.
With a quick turnaround at Leeds Whiskey Juliet departed at 21.00 with the addition of a Leeds based Air Hostess and the delayed passengers caused by the F27 technical problem.
Another quick turnaround at Belfast and Whiskey Juliet was airborne at 22.35 for Leeds, but with the wind gusting 40 knots straight across at Leeds a diversion was carried out to Manchester, and landed at 23.35 the last commercial Air UK passenger flight with the Herald.
Next morning Monday 1st July at 10.20 a quick VFR flight down to Norwich. It was the last Herald flight for Mike Legalle giving him 3556 hours on type over five years.
Mike tells me they just made the start of the F27 ground school, late but in time for lunch!
Sunday 7th July 1985 Whiskey Juliet was positioned to Duxford by Captain J A Spencer and First Officer John Campbell along with a cabin load of Air UK staff.
Maybe you were part of the cabin crew for the final flight, do let us know.
Many thanks to Mike LeGalle and Maggie Rankin for information, Photo credit will be Mike LeGalle Collection.