I would probably (perhaps harshly) describe myself looking back as a young oik akin to one of Sugar’s Apprentices with no academic family background just fumbling my way through the beginnings of a commercial negotiation career surrounded by 80s British and American go-get culture. All attitude and no foundation and yet…
Those early years in BAe sunk deep and set me up for life, the time spent walking by the production facilities watching Harrier and Hawk skilled technicians at Kingston, watching flight testing at Dunsfold and holding the phone as you couldn’t continue the conversation until it stopped, being amidst graduates of many disciplines, aware of another entire industry waiting for the end product. I have had nothing but respect for those involved in design, creation, maintaining and operating amazing aircraft ever since. It seemed to culminated in me when climbing the steps to look into a live Harrier cockpit in Goa India, listening to a chief designer discuss operations with the Indian Navy, bird strike, patching at al. That experience stayed with me ever since.
Not only that but aside from attempted professionalism and development through the rest of my career, I struggled after that (with a career in private sector telecoms, systems and networks) to get excited about boxes with flashing lights, comms kit, cables and all manner of things that seemed trivial in comparison. Even engineering of objects of desire such as fine watches, high end cars and audio, enjoyed and indulged but knowingly with a consciousness of their triviality for the most part in comparison.
My sincere respect to you and your pals Tony!