Top Landing Gear

Aboard Aviation Filming's Fleet of Boeing 747s

Welcome to Top Landing Gear and our bonus edition of Full Flaps from Dunsfold Aerodrome. In our previous episode we spoke with Aviation Filming's owner Mike Woodley. In this episode we make our way out onto the apron and get guided tour around the three BA Boeing 747s with Aviation Filming Aerial Coordinator and Pilot Jamie Chalkley.

 

 

Mike Woodley - Aviation Filming

Welcome to Top Landing Gear Full Flaps and our full length interview with Mike Woodley, owner of Aviation Filming Ltd based at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. 

The company specialises in aviation content for film and TV, including a huge number of the Bond films. Among Aviation Filming's fleet are three former BA Boeing 747s which are regularly used as film props and a very famous Douglas Dakota. 

We met up with Mike in his office beneath the control tower of Dunsfold in May 2023 to hear some of his incredible stories about the film and aviation industry. Enjoy! 

Dunsfold Aerodrome: Home of the Hunter and the Harrier

Welcome to Top Landing Gear as we turn our attention to an airfield that is close to all of us, both emotionally and geographically: Dunsfold Aerodrome, home of the Hunter and the Harrier.

It was also used as the studio and test track for BBC Top Gear (a poor man's version of Top Landing Gear - wheels instead of wings!), home to the sadly defunct annual Wings and Wheels airshow, and the base for Aviation Filming, which provides aircraft and facilities for the film and television industry, including most of the Bond films. It's run by our splendid guest, Mike Woodley.

A Tour of Croydon Airport with A380 Captain Ian Walker

Join the Top Landing Gear team as they are given a tour of Croydon Airport by A380 Captain Ian Walker, former chairman of the Croydon Airport Trust. 

 

Opening in the 1920s, Croydon was London's, indeed the UK's main

international airport. Arguably the birthplace of commercial air travel, it was also the starting point for many of aviation's historic records, including those set by Amy Johnson. 

 

Visit https://www.historiccroydonairport.org.uk/ to find out more, book your own visit and discover how you can support or volunteer for the Trust. 

Croydon Airport

Top Landing Gear returns as we continue series 5 by going further back in aviation history than we've ever gone before, to the earliest days of commercial air travel with our visit to the historic Croydon Aerodrome.

 

Opening in the 1920s, Croydon was London's, indeed the UK's main international airport, and as well as virtually being the birthplace of commercial air travel, it was also the starting point for many of aviation's historic records, including those set by Amy Johnson. So this is a real step back in time partly because it was so long ago when we recorded the interview with the man who knows everything there is to know about Croydon's history, Ian Walker. We'll bring you the full recording of our visit to Croydon in our Full Flaps Edition, but here we get back into the swing of things with our magazine edition and all the usual TLG stuff, including Ask James, Jez's Quick Facts all about Croydon Airport - and of course the Top Landing Gear Quiz! Enjoy!

THE YEAR: 2024 - AND TOP LANDING GEAR IS BACK!

We delivered our last podcast - as in most recent -back in May 2023 - when we were in the middle of series 5. We were literally on our way to Roy's studio to record our next editions when he told us not to bother - because his house was being razed to the ground after a tumble direr caught fire.

 

Because of that and Roy's constant touring with his band Scouting For Girls, this is the first time we've been able to get back together. So here's a quick catch-up with the 4 of us with all our latest news and some of the aviation headlines that have caught our eyes in recent months.

 

Thank you for sticking with us, or if you're new to TLG - welcome - have you any idea what you're letting yourself in for?!

 

Top Landing Gear is coming back...

We are coming back! 

A short trailer to get you in the mood for the rest of Series Five (Part Deux)

Bizjet Falcon 7X Captain, Mark Blois-Brooke

Welcome to Top Landing Gear Full Flaps, where we bring you the most thrilling stories and captivating interviews from the world of aviation. Today, we are thrilled to present our full-length interview with none other than Bizjet pilot extraordinaire, Mark Blois-Brooke.

Our hosts, Rob and Roy, had the privilege of meeting Mark in his operating base at Farnborough Airport, the largest and most prestigious business aviation airport in the UK. With his extensive experience and expertise, Mark regaled us with his fascinating tales of life in corporate aviation, leaving us on the edge of our seats.

And if that wasn't enough, you can now dive deeper into Mark's fascinating life with his book "Life in a Tin" available now for aviation enthusiasts and adventurers alike. So buckle up, and get ready to take off on an unforgettable journey with Mark Blois-Brooke and Top Landing Gear Full Flaps! Buy Mark's book HERE

Private Jets

Hello and welcome to Top Landing Gear, the aviation podcast for everyone. Join Rob, Jez, James and Roy as we learn about the glamorous world of business jets and hear a snippet of next weeks interview with Falcon 7X Captain and Chief Pilot for TAG Aviation, Mark Bois-Brooke. 

The Spitfire Factory - Tony Hoskins takes us around the Airframe Assemblies workshop

Welcome to Top Landing Gear Full Flaps and the second part of our interview with Tony Hoskins who is restoring a rare photo reconnaissance Spitfire PR4 to full flight.

Back in 2018 Tony and his team recovered the wreckage of Spitfire AA810 from a mountainside in Norway where it had laid undisturbed for 76 years having been shot down on a mission to photograph the battleship Tirpitz. The pilot Sandy Gunn bailed out but was later captured and sent to Stalug Luft III to become one of those immortalised in The Great Escape.

Tony's aim is that 810 should become a flying memorial to the men and woman of the Photograph Reconnaissance Unit during World War Two. And as well as restoring the aircraft is campaigning to have a permanent monument to the PRU erected in London.

We visited Tony at Airframe Assemblies on the Isle of Wight where 810 is being painstakingly restored. In this episode we take you around the workshop where you can hear how the restoration is taking shape. If you missed last weeks episode, please listen back to part one as Tony talks us through his ambitions for the project and the fascinating story of a very rare Spitfire and it's pilot. 

Please visit to https://www.spitfireaa810.co.uk to find out more and  how you can support this incredible project.

You can also purchase Tony’s wonderful book ‘Sandys Spitfire’, order signed prints of the aircraft or even have your name  engraved forever on the engine cowling HERE