It takes more than a flying visit to learn all about Heathrow’s history (From Croydon Guardian)
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It takes more than a flying visit to learn all about Heathrow’s history
3:34pm Tuesday 13th February 2007 in News
Taking flight: Heathrow historian Alan Gallop explores famous aircraft of the airport's past.
More than 70 residents attended the first in a series of free talks about the workings of the world's busiest international airport.
It was the first public event at the refurbished Heathrow Academy and was given by former airport journalist and Heathrow historian, Alan Gallop last Tuesday evening.
The audience enjoyed a detailed look at the history of the airport, from its beginnings as a tented village to the world's busiest international airport with more than 90 airlines and 67 million passengers every year.
The talk took in various milestones in Heathrow's history, including the arrival of the Beatles, the opening of the Central Terminal Area, and the construction of Heathrow's access tunnel.
Mr Gallop joined Heathrow news agency, Brenard Press, as a trainee reporter in 1966 and spent the next 12 years covering activities at the airport for various national news media. He has written a range of books including Time Flies: Heathrow at 60, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the airport last year. He lives in Ashford and considers himself a LAPney, someone who was born near to what was once named London Airport.
The rest of the Discover Heathrow talks will explore aspects of airport life in the past, present and future, encompassing a variety of issues from construction at the airport, to management of the environment and every day operations.
Forthcoming talks include: T5 and the environment by Rebecca Auckland, Environment Team - T5, on Tuesday, February 27; A380 at Heathrow by Tim Hardy, Deputy Airside Operations Director, BAA, also on Tuesday, February 27; Air Traffic Control and Airfield Operations by Martyn Jeffrey, General Manager NATS Heathrow and Richard Smith, Infrastructure and Compliance Manager, BAA, Tuesday, April 24; Archaeology at Terminal 5 by Ken Welsh, Framework Archaeology, Tuesday, May 29.
The final talk will be T5 - Making history by Rob Stewart, Commercial Director, Terminal 5, on Tuesday, June 26.
These talks will all start at 6.30pm at Heathrow Academy, Newall Road, UB3 5AP. Phone 020 8745 5791 or emailheathrowcommunityrelations@baa.com for more information.
