Interesting historical info.

[Jimmyvonviggle]

Today I was speaking to this guy from one of my kids activities. He just moved from Ireland, so naturally I asked him where he was from and he said Belfast. I told him I had a D, so he began to tell me an interesting fact. Back in the late 70's he and his Dad, and many friends were working at an aircraft company doing metal work, repair etc. DMC came around and offered them 40 extra pounds a week over his salary. Many of his friends were lured away, but his father told him to not go and to stay at his job. As the months went on he was tempted to leave, but ultimately stuck it out and his father was proven right when DMC closed its doors.


Moral of the story, us fathers are always right.

[dmcjohn]

Not sure the father was right, the aircraft company was most likely Lear Fan:

http://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/27/business/lear-fan-jet-project-collapses.html

which didn't last much longer than DeLorean...

[Dangermouse]

John, I would say the company was actually Short Brothers, makers of the famous square sides Shorts 330/360, still to be found on Caribbean islands to this day.

Shorts are still there, but part of Bombardier.

They are located near the George Best Airport, not far from the Titanic docks

[LEVY]

Today I was speaking to this guy from one of my kids activities. He just moved from Ireland, so naturally I asked him where he was from and he said Belfast. I told him I had a D, so he began to tell me an interesting fact. Back in the late 70's he and his Dad, and many friends were working at an aircraft company doing metal work, repair etc. DMC came around and offered them 40 extra pounds a week over his salary. Many of his friends were lured away, but his father told him to not go and to stay at his job. As the months went on he was tempted to leave, but ultimately stuck it out and his father was proven right when DMC closed its doors.


Moral of the story, us fathers are always right.

People who worked at DMC Belfast, even for a short period of time have very interesting stories to tell.


LEVY

[dmcjohn]

John, I would say the company was actually Short Brothers, makers of the famous square sides Shorts 330/360, still to be found on Caribbean islands to this day.

Shorts are still there, but part of Bombardier.

They are located near the George Best Airport, not far from the Titanic docks

Thanks Dermot, you're probably right! I thought of Lear Fan as JZD mentioned them in his book as another example (in his opinion) of a viable NI based company that went bust.

[Dangermouse]

Yes, the old joke was "who but the Irish would built a square sided plane "

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2008-5/13/15009.jpg

not that it matters when you are flying forward.

(Not that Shorts employees would consider themselves Irish, but that's another story)

[dmc6960]

not that it matters when you are flying forward.

Well it would if it were a pressurized cabin. A square is not the most mass-efficient shape to maintain internal pressure.

[Dangermouse]

True. I was thinking aerodynamics.

I don't think the cabin was pressurized

[john 05141]

That is a Shorts 360. flew one years ago from new York to Washington. (American Eagle)
It was certainly pressurized, and maybe not beautiful, I got me there safe and sound. The last one was certainly present.

I wouyld not state fathers are always right, but one should always realize they have more experience in life.


John

[rothsean]

The Shorts was a good commuter airplane when it came out and it was still a decent airplane by the time there were mostly all gone. A few airlines do still fly them and some cargo outfits.

I always wanted to fly one but by the time my airline career started in 1999 they were gone from the US airlines. I actually flew for American Eagle for 1.5 years, but on the ATR. Most of the guys that I flew with had flown the Shorts and liked it.