Captain Nick talks to
Captain John Hutchinson.
John was a pilot
for the RAF and later in his commercial career flew such iconic
aircraft as the 707, 747, VC-10 and of course the beautiful
Concorde.
We learn about
growing up in India, learning to fly and instructing in the RAF. He
talks about his time with Vampires, Shackletons his time in RAF
Syerston and indeed other RAF bases around the country.
In his commercial
career John talks about his time learning to be a navigator.
There's an amazing recount of BOAC Flight 712 an accident that
occurred in Heathrow in 1968. He goes on to talk about flying the
747 and the VC-10 and what becoming a captain was like in his time
in the airlines. The culmination of John's illustrious flying
career was flying as a captain in the world famous Concorde.
John tells
stories about Concorde operations, opportunities that his position
afforded him and various situations that you may not have known
about that involve the incredible aircraft.
Captains John and
Nick have a frank discussion about Air France Flight 4590. They
talk about how the crash affected the Concorde programme and the
implications of the crash on the aviation world. John shares his
views on the tragic accident which haven't always been popular with
media in the past. There's also some commentary on the last days of
the Concorde's flying life and how the aircraft has many wonderful
tributes and museums that the public can now go to visit.
What a wonderful
career John has had and we thank him immensely for his time. Thanks
to Captain Nick and of course Nev for making this a very special
interview and a must watch for any aviation enthusiast!
John Hutchinson
has a wonderful book that details much of his life and career.
Search: 'The Wind Beneath My Wings: John Hutchinson Concorde
Pilots' ISBN-10: 1909869708 Thistle Publishing