[GFB1402]

On April 17th 1970, I had the pleasure of flying on a BOAC Flight to Bahrain, from Heathrow, where my Father was stationed at RAF Muharraq. It gave me the opportunity to join the BOAC Junior JET Club. I was 11 years old, and was overjoyed to get my metal lapel badge, but more importantly, a Log Book, so I could log all my future flights in.
Little did I know then, or even dream about, but now my BOAC Junior Jet Book is 13 books (plus 2 loose hand made pages) long. I recently acquired a 14th, totally unused, 1970 JJC Log Book, via EBay, which I intend to initiate, hopefully, when I fly Heathrow to Bahrain, on the 17th April 2020, 50 years to the day, when my first Log Book Entered Service!

It may be a pipe dream at the moment, as funds are low, as usual, at the start of the year, but I’ll certainly do my best to achieve the impossible, as I think that it would be super impressive, to be able to ask the Captain to sign my 14th BOAC JJC Log Book, 50 years on! It’ll probably be older than the Captain!!

Needless to say, I’m somewhat older than 11, as I’ll be 61, when I fly, probably the oldest operating JJC’er! For those of you still reading this sad story, the Book has now got over 611,000 actual flown miles in it, with about 50 different aircraft registered, including Concorde, a few famous & infamous Captains signatures. I’m planning to still be fliying for quite a while, but I’m not sure, yet, who I should bequeath such a collection of Log Books, as I’m sure that someone would/should appreciate to have it on display, in this technological world we live in today?
Greg Bothwell, Skipton, North Yorkshire, England

3 users thanked author for this post.

alainboy56, Seat62k, capetonianm

[MartynSinclair]

Greg, You should have posted in the Golden Age of Flying thread. Just proves that travel keeps us as kids – even at the tender age of :)… (I am only 3 years behind you)

[capetonianm]

Good for you Greg!
Next time I’m in Skipton I’ll contact you for a couple of beers at the Woolly Sheep.

[Oceanair]

HI ALL

I WAS MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR JET CLUB FOUND MY LOG BOOK WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH SOME OLD BOXES AT MY MOM HOUSE , DID SO MANY FLIGHTS JHB-NAROBI-LONDON WHILE I STAYED IN BOTSWANA , STILL TODAY PROUD BRITISH AIRWAYS SUPPORTER

[BackOfThePlane]

Nostalgic post Greg – my first entry was 8th May 1970 but I was 3 months old so, er, don’t remember one iota of the flight (VC-10 to Bombay).

Not sure if BA have a museum that might be interested in your collection of log books?

@Oceanair – I also flew back and forth to NBO back in the 80s. BA 054 / 055?

Happy travels to all and sundry….

[capetonianm]

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/place/1649778-british-airways-speedbird-centre-heritage-collection

1 user thanked author for this post.

ImissConcorde

[StephenLondon]

I have my two Junior Jet Club books, which hold fantastic memories of flights on VC-10, 707, early 747-100 aircraft amongst others. I know BA still do have books for young fliers, but the BOAC books, cloth-bound with gold lettering on the front and the speedmarque logo are pure class!

[thecartoonman]

I have mine somewhere, probably in the loft.

My first entry in my log book was on the 25th December 1970, a BOAC 747-100 to Hong Kong with the princely sum of just 25 pax on board and a great Christmas lunch with paper hats.

We had the whole rear cabin to ourselves and I remember we transited through Beirut on the way out, plus 3 other places which I forget.

Here at the princely age of 12, I attempted to buy from the airside bookstall a well known gentleman’s magazine of the day, only to be told it was £1.50 which was far more than I could afford and some 5 times more than it was at home, all before my parents could spot me!

Happy days.

[canucklad]

[quote quote=988127]Greg, You should have posted in the Golden Age of Flying thread. Just proves that travel keeps us as kids – even at the tender age of :)… (I am only 3 years behind you)[/quote]

Yep, that’s where I recalled my , now sadly lost) log book stories ….

I’ll ad in a couple of notable entries in the log book here though…

Feeling a bit of a fraud as it was called a BOAC logbook and most entries were CP Air flights, but heyho…..

1) Flight between Nandi and Honolulu , bringing in 1977 for the 2nd time within 24 hours
2) Flight on the first ever commercial aircraft to reach supersonic flight
3) BA Trident Shuttle flight when other passengers assumed me and pal were rock stars , as we returned from the cockpit like superstars (last entry to complete )

The best bit of it being a BOAC log book was when I flew on KLM, CP Air , Air Canada et al was the novelty value normally meant an invite to the cockpit , as was the case on the shuttle flight to EDI, even though we were in our early twenties and were in London to enjoy more than just what the bright lights could offer

[alainboy56]

Received my first BOAC JJC logbook (and badge) in May 1959 on a long haul flight to Tokyo from LHR on the DH Comet 4.
Used it on many flights in 60’s and also early 70’s when I used to (or my parents earlier) pass it via the hostess to the Captain for him to fill out and sign.
I remember trips to Bermuda, Barbados in B707-436’s and VC-10s and also to Miami in B747-136’s.
A little later, there were holiday trips in Europe (Canaries/Spanish mainland) with British Airtours on those (now retired from main line duties) B707-436’s, however I cannot say for sure if I was still using the JJC logbook at that time, as BOAC had merged with the ‘Hounslow Flying School’ (the nickname BOAC flightcrew gave to BEA) into BA.
The logbook is in storage somewhere —- must look it out.

[Author]

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