very much. So, he was satisfi ed I should start my line checks.


The line checks consisted of three


round trips going from Montreal to New York and back to Montreal, which was a very busy route. I had a check pilot as my First Offi cer and, after the third trip, the check pilot said: ‘Well done. You’re now a Viscount line Captain.’


During his training, Ron fl ew three round trips from Montreal to New York in a Viscount similar to this one operated by Capital Airlines.


Finally, ground school was over with and all exams successfully passed. We now moved to the simulator to learn engine starts, engine failures, and auto feathering if the torque fell below 65 per cent when the throttle lever was in cruise. It also included the use of the auto pilot, the loss of two engines, and hydraulic failures. This was all done in darkness as visual simulators were not available yet. Lastly, my instructor announced that we would be fl ying the next day. The following morning, we went to


Viscount Fin Number 604 and carried out an external walk around with my instructor pointing out the inboard propellers were only seven inches from the ground and the out boards 11 inches. Therefore, considerable caution was required when taxiing in snow, especially watching out for drifts. This knowledge turned out to be important as I was able to avert disaster in a later fl ight. Finally, I was in my seat with the instructor in the Flight Offi cer’s seat. On his say-so, I started up and soon had all four engines running and the after-start checks done. This inc luded selecting the take-off fl ap setting without which the plane would be unable to get into the air. I then released the brakes and, having been waved off


Plenty of time practicing in a simulator made it easy for Ron to transition to fl ying the Viscount, like this one operated by Brazilian airline VASP.


the ramp, I was heading for the runway being especially cautious with the nose wheel steering and the Maxaret anti-skid brakes. With all the checks completed, the instructor requested take-off clearance, at which point I lined up on the runway centre line. As I moved down the runway, I advanced the throttles to take-off power and rotated when the speed was 110 knots, calling the gear up after the positive rate call. The fl aps were then retracted and we were cleared to climb to 7000ft. I found the controls of the Viscount


light and effective, so tried a couple of 45-degree turns. After pulling out of a clean stall, I executed a dirty stall with gear and fl aps down and found the recovery easy.


Next, we executed engine failures: fi rst number 4, then number 3. It demonstrated to me how good the control was when the Viscount operated with two engines failed on the same side. I then fl ew an ILS (instrument landing system) approach as opposed to a manual approach with number 4 engine feathered. At 200ft, I performed a go-around, re-starting number 4 and landing back at Dorval airport, which is now Montreal-Trudeau International Airport. My instructor, Captain Wilton, said that I had seemed to enjoy that, and I had


This feature fi rst appeared in Chocks Away, April 2018.


Remembering Ron


Captain Ron McDonald FRAeS (Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society) is fondly remembered by many at Brooklands and especially within the Viscount team where he was a regular on Mondays. He brought a wealth of fi rst-hand knowledge of fl ying many aircraft and, of course, the Viscount in particular. This helped bring the Museum alive for the many visitors who Ron met at Brooklands. Ron was a delightful chap with a wicked sense of humour. Among many others who have helped the Museum, we will miss him greatly. He was always a gentleman and like many successful, intelligent men, he was always very considerate of others and very humble. He was a brave man, having fought Leukaemia for many years, amazing the medical world by not succumbing. We like to think that this was because of his positive thinking and stubborn refusal to give in. As a pilot, his cool head and logical thinking saved many a day as is evident in many of his stories. He was a Brooklands Volunteer for many years, not only as a steward but also as an archivist. He loved being on the Viscount and telling the visitors all about it, which with his fi rst-hand knowledge was immensely interesting. He once took me on a guided tour of the outside of the Museum’s Vickers Viscount G-APIM ‘Stephen Piercey’ explaining patiently what all the different bits did. For me it was an eye-opener as I was a steward on the BAC 1-11 and was therefore a ‘modern’ plane person. On other occasions he would be busy giving instructions in the cockpit. Ron’s daughter, who would join the volunteers in the Cosy Café on her trips from Canada to visit her Dad, said: ‘Brooklands brought great joy to Ron. His friends there and the aircraft you have restored and maintain enabled him to remain close to one of the major loves of his life... fl ight.’


Gill Elliott


Ron found the Viscount’s controls very light in use after his fi rst take-off. However, he was wary of the Maxaret anti-skid brakes as fi tted to Viscounts like this fl own by Philippines Air Lines when taxiing.


MAY - JUNE 2020 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN 39


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