Aden Airways Pilots

Vic Spencer

TREVOR AUSTIN

BOB HAYES

MATT MURRAY - Flew in UK prior to Aden Airways for Air Lingus. Ex Arab Airways. Retired first to Bedfordshire and later to Ireland.

TONY MAY - Co-pilot till early 1967.

PETER MESSENGER -  flew for Aden Airways in 1949 when he joined BOAC. He went on to be a Senior 707 Captain before converting to DC10. Sadly he passed away in 1977.

"POP" JENNINGS flew for Aden Airways in 1966-1967.  Pop Jennings was an ex-WWII pilot and he made regular trips to Mukeiras where I spent most of my time.   In the event that there are Aden Airways Pilots who did that run, perhaps they may remember the Welsh NCO who was responsible for the manifests, baggage searches etc - that was me, Brian. taff73@fsmail.net

MARIAN KOZUBSKI, late of the Polish Air Force [died 1979] flew with Aden Airways circa 1966/7.  Writer and TV presenter Clive James wrote a composite and exaggerated portrait of the stereotype airline buccaneer of the time, which seems to allude to Kozubski, although it strangely omits his moustache and beard. "I had made the mistake of looking out of the window at the moment when the pilot arrived by Jeep. He was wearing an eye-patch, walked with a stiff leg and saluted the aircraft with what appeared to be an aluminium hand. Around his neck the silver brassard of what appeared to be a Polish Award for bravery gleamed in the weak sunlight" Whatever the truth of this, the real Kozubski was the stuff of anecdotes if not legends. When in dispute with an airport official he was reported as having arranged for that person's car to be towed by tractor to a remote rural location. He drove his own Jaguar in the Monte Carlo Rally and survived one spectacular crash in it while driving to pilot a flight out of Heathrow.

ROGER GROVES - One of people I shared with was a Gulf Air pilot called Roger Groves. Roger had flown for Aden Airways for some time and I remember the stories he told about the up country flights to Beihan and other wild places. Sadly in Aug of 1975 he was flying an Islander, and had just landed back in Abu Dhabi and on getting out of the aircraft he had a massive heart attack and died. Doug Grant

WALLY CLAYTON - joined around 1953. Ex BOAC then back to BOAC at end of tour.

BILL MEISTER - Joined early 1950’s.

TED PARKER - left Aden around 1963. Went to Gatwick to fly. (now deceased)

RON FOX - on leaving Aden went to Gatwick.

JACK PARKER - Believe left Aden around 66/67. Became fruit farmer (apples)

JEFF BALL - Left in 60’s with the intension of becoming sheep farmer in Wales.

ALAN ELGEE- Left prior to 65. (Deceased)

JIMMY WOOD - Ex British Iron and Steel Corporation, London (as it happens so was Bob Hayes, at the same time, but they didn't know each other then!)  Arrived prior to '53 until company ceased flying. Now living in New Forest, Bournemouth, England.

PETE WILLIAMSON-Flew in India prior to joining Aden Airways. He left in the mid 60’s, returned to UK  and continued to fly.

Captain GEORGE DYER.- Flew in India prior to Aden . Ex chief pilot in Aden Airways. Left around 1965. George married Aden Airways hostess Birgit Baker. They went to live in Rhodesia and had two sons. They later divorced. George died in Rhodesia in the 1990's.

JIMMY GROSS.- A former BOAC pilot, Jimmy flew with Arab Airways in Amman around 1955 then later with Aden Airways. He returned to fly in UK.

MAXWELL LIPKIN-Flew in South Africa prior to Aden Airways-in the early 1950’s .   Known as Trader Maxi due to buying and selling a DC3 engine.

RICHARD LARCOMBE (known as DICKY THE LARK.) - Dates unknown.  Dicky was a confirmed bachelor for years then married a nurse and retired to Australia. He once landed with Bob Hayes in an Argonaut, taxied in and found the brakes had failed. The ground engineer finally realised the aircraft was not going to stop and beat the worlds 100 yd sprint record.  The aircraft clipped the wing of a  DC3 and eventually came to a halt.

RICHARD (DICKI) MANLOVE - No information other than he flew for Aden Airways between 1953-1965.

TREVOR HAMBLIN - Captain with Aden Airways from 1955 until 1966 although there was a break when he returned to the UK for two years (1960-62).  He was ex Fleet Air Arm. After returning to the UK he flew for Britannia Airways out of Luton, first on Britannias and then on 737s. He died suddenly of a stroke in August 1983.

"I really enjoyed seeing your website.  I remembered a lot of the pilots that you list.  We used to see Pop ("Pappy") Jennings up until he died.  My brother lives in Hong Kong and is in touch with Jimmy Wood's son. Kind regards, Mike Hamblin"

JOHN PASCOE - Chief Pilot in 1953. Ex BOAC. Returned to BOAC when sufficient experienced pilots in Aden Airways to operate the company.

HARRY MILLS - Ex BOAC. Went to Gulf Air on leaving Aden Airways. (Deceased)

DERRECK CREE – Ex BOAC. Returned to BOAC on leaving Aden Airways

BILL BURMAN – Ex Hong Kong Airways. Chief Pilot in Aden Airways. Returned to UK and became Ministry Civil Aviation Tester.

JEFF WHITTAKER - Flew with Aden Airways mid 50-mid 60’s. Believed went on to Australia.

WARRINGTON - Joined Aden Airways in 60’s. Returned to UK To continue flying. Believed killed in Viscount crash over Liverpool due to Flap failure on one side.

COLIN DINNIE - Started 1958. Flew with Aden Airways late 50's early 60’S.

REX BARNES - Joined Aden Airways around mid 50’s to early 60’s. Returned to fly in UK. (deceased)

JOHNS - No Information except flew in Aden Airways.

VINCE SHIELDS –Joined early 60’s. lived in Cathay House, Khormaksar Beach.

BOB WIGLEY -  Went on to fly in Beirut

SMITHY - Late 50’s to early 60’s. Then returned to UK

ROBINSON - Possibly ex Australia. Flew with Aden Airways mid 50’S TO 6O’S.

ERIC BORSBERRY - Started 1954. Flew mid 50’s to 60’s

Eric Borsberry (white jacket) with his wife Betty

ALAN BODGER - Ex BOAC. Joined Aden Airways early 50’s then to Arab Airways as Chief Pilot until closure. Then on to Hong Kong Airways and finally to Gulf Aviation. He remained there to the end of his flying career  (deceased). He was Chief Pilot of Aden Airways before Vic Spencer. Alan was known for his plans to build "Bodgerville" in Bahrain, a housing complex for all Gulf Aviation employees, but his dreams were dashed by the Bahraini landlords, protecting their own interests !

New Pilot Role Titles - Humour

There appears to be some confusion over the new pilot role titles. This notice will hopefully clear up any misunderstandings.

The titles P1, P2 and Co-Pilot will now cease to have any meaning, within the Aden Airways operations manuals. They are to be replaced by Handling Pilot, Non-Handling Pilot, Handling Landing Pilot, Non-Handling Landing Pilot, Handling Non-Landing Pilot, and Non Handling Non-Landing Pilot.

The Landing Pilot, is initially the Handling Pilot and will handle the take-off and landing except in role reversal when he is the Non-Handling Pilot for taxi until the Handling Non-Landing Pilot, hands the Handling to the Landing Pilot at eighty knots. The Non-Landing (Non-Handling, since the Landing Pilot is Handling) Pilot reads the checklist to the Handling Pilot until after the Before Descent Checklist completion, when the Handling Landing Pilot hands the handling to the Non-Handling Non-Landing Pilot who then becomes the Handling Non-Landing Pilot. The Landing Pilot is the Non-Handling Pilot until the "decision altitude" call, when the Handling Non-Landing Pilot hands the handling to the Non-Handling Landing Pilot, unless the latter calls "go-around", in which case the Handling Non-Landing Pilot, continues Handling and the Non-Handling Landing Pilot continues non-handling until the next call of "land" or "go-around", as appropriate.

In view of the recent confusion over these rules, it was deemed necessary to restate them clearly.