Before I could speak I was obsessed with airplanes. As a child this program only served to massively fuel my obsession, I was completely hooked and glued to every episode. The title theme is so distinctive and still sits firmly in my mind. Julian, you and this program were in part responsible for my being one of the diamonds in the sky today; I fly the 777 globally. I would give my back teeth for a follow up series studying how things have grown and changed. Thank you for the series and the book. They were a seminal documentary on the business, a huge contribution and massive influence on me.
What a treat to have you, the original presenter, introducing from today's perspective these excellent time capsules! BBC and other broadcasters should do more of this while folks like you are still able. I have never seen this series, and look forward to watching!
I was also 14 when this was first broadcast on the BBC and already obsessed by aircraft. The series allowed me, through the medium of television, to further immerse myself in my passion. I was riveted and inspired. For seven weeks I could hardly wait for the next episode. There is no doubt that it played a formative role in my childhood and inspired me to pursue a career in aviation - I’m now a Boeing 777 pilot. I would love to see a follow up. Thank you to all who contributed to the program.
interesting angle on aviation for the time. I remember watching this when I was a kid. I must admit, I was hoping for more plane footage, hehe, but as an adult, it's really interesting. Now just one more tv program I need to find and see again - Derek Griffiths did a one off show. He was piloting a twin prop and the music - up up and away in my beautiful balloon!
I was 14 at the time this series was first broadcast in 1979 and living in Singapore. I was fascinated by the TV series and it inspired me to take a career in civil aviation. It was beautifully produced and presented and I have watched them over and over again. I also have the book. I have a great love for the industry and also enjoy its history. So thank you Julian for producing such a wonderful series and giving me inspiration to follow a career in it.
I was glued to Diamomds in the Sky as a 12 year old after my parents took me and my sister to Qatar for a month to stay with friends working there. A VC 10 of BA via Damascus was my first flight and the whole experience did change my life and expanded horizons, literally. I'm really happy to view the whole series again and the episodes stand up wonderfully. In fact, they are so insightful I wish every Travel blogger would watch them! Tks again.
I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Diamonds in the Sky for the first time since 1979 when I was just 13 at the time. Thankyou for posting these. I always wanted as a child to work in the travel/airline business, and this wonderful series further inspired me to do so and to study Travel And Tourism for 3 years. I fulfilled my ambition and spent 20 years with the Thomson/TUI Travel Group and a number of it’s airlines. Thanks Julian.
This was a fabulous program, Jullian. Thank you so much for sharing. I didn't know there was a "Diamonds In The Sky" book, but I now most certainly look forward to reading it. Thank you again.
Being into planes I watched this avidly. Regrettably many aviation documentaries focus a bit too much on the military side, so it was good to have a documentary devoted to the civilian side of aviation.
much improved from the 60s when I was working with TAL ,those days were Cessna's 182/206/336. and a couple of beach craft and possibly something else memory fails at times, and operated from Mt Hagen . it was often you flew as cargo on a freezer /mail flight , were weighed and the cost was x amount per lb.( thin people traveled cheaper }DC3 were the main stay with Ansett and TAA , with an odd Bristol flying out of Madang with cargo and the odd PIG for passengers The remains of one of the Junkers was in a Plantation out near SEK just out of Madang.Think was more interesting then ,less problems ,and Michael Somare was a school teacher in the Sepik area as well as working on the Wewak radio station6am aircraft lined up at Boram airstrip Wewak and else where to take off as soon as daylight but first the 2 vehicles would run the length of the strip to check no old bomb craters had opened over night.NO FLYING at night in the 60s A life time ago Thanks for the memories
