Originally Posted by
Aleks
I remember flying on a VC10 twice - in 1978 and 1980 from RAF Brize Norton to RAF Akrotiri when my stepdad was posted to Cyprus for 2.5 years - can't remember much of the flights but I seem to recall backwards seats, I could be wrong though. Also pretty sure it was an RAF flight as opposed to BA.
It would indeed have been an RAF flight with the backward facing seats, and thanks to the the VC10 being a powerful beast, you got a great view of the airport as you climbed out! The flights usually went on to other places round the world as over-flying India in military aircraft wasn't allowed - so the Akrotiri flights often went on to refuel in Gan in the Maldives, and then on to Singapore or presumably Hong Kong.
First class (I don't think it was called that though) was a sort of adjustable area, as the 'other ranks' and the exhaulted ones often travelled in the same 'class' but slightly more luxurious seats could be installed at the front end for those that travelled in cars with stars and flags on. Rather unluxuriously, various cargo items could be bolted down inbetween the two areas.
Although I still enjoy flying, it was much more of an adventure then. Boiled sweets were required for take off and landing, and landing was always accompanied by an announcement that reverse thrust was a normal feature and there was nothing going wrong!
Techno