This website and its content is @copyright Lee James - 2006. All rights reserved. The British Airways logos and markings found on this site are @copyright British Airways PLC. British Airways Virtual is a simulated airline for Microsoft Flight Simulator. All rights are reserved by the trademark holders.
My 50th Birthday flight in the Big Sim !
On 4th July 2006, I reached a major milestone in my life - I hit 50 years old and I decided to take the money and run! My company were offering early retirement with a large sum of money so I took it. And so ends 26 years in Heathrow Security.
As part of my 50th Birthday celebrations, my wife managed to arrange a 3-hour flight in one of the two Boeing 747-400 Simulators at the British Airways Flight Training Base at Cranebank, near Heathrow Airport in London. Thanks to two great guys, Captain Ian Holland (Training Captain 737 fleet) and First Officer John Hacklen (Line Pilot with BA on the 747-400), I got a Gatwick to Manchester flight, 3 go-arounds, three training approaches, a live look at an engine failure after V1 and a very useful after-flight debrief! The best present I ever had !
Simulator ride JULY 2006 - just a few shots coutesy of Ian Holland
The flight from Gatwick to Manchester took 1 hour 5 minutes and was followed by me practicing some go-arounds, the first one at 1000 feet whilst in autopilot LAND 3 mode, then again from the same altitude but from manual flight control and lastly another manual but doing the full go-around to a landing. I then did three landings, one of which was a bumpy one but the last one was the best! I then got to watch John practice an engine failure (No.1 engine was failed) just before V2 at 300 feet AGL. My grateful thanks to Captain Ian Holland and First Officer John Hacklen of British Airways, who gave up their time to do this and support my efforts. What an event !
