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121traffic told the VC10 captain he was clear to take off at his discretion, or return to the terminal. Apparently he replied that he would like to take off as soon as possible, %u201cBefore the passengers on the right have explained to those on the left what they%u2019ve just seen happen and we have a mutiny on board, because they%u2019ve lost any enthusiasm for flying.%u201dPost ScriptThe double hydraulic failure was two separate problems and, therefore, a one in an umpteen million chance of happening. The aircraft was dragged out of the mud, restored to full flying condition in less than a week, and we returned home without further mishap.Over thirty years later, I was sitting in a pub in Liverpool, having a drink with the other members of an inspection team. It was a good opportunity to get to know each other, ahead of the following day%u2019s airport visit, as some of us had not met before, and talk got around to our individual backgrounds. I fell into conversation with Denis who, it transpired, was also ex-RAF so I asked him where he had served.He reeled off a list of locations, including Gan at which I smiled wryly. %u201cYes, I know Gan%u201d, I said. %u201cI had an interesting experience there in a Victor%u201d. Denis%u2019s jaw dropped. %u201cI saw it!%u201d he exclaimed in disbelief. %u201cI was in the ground radio workshop at the base of the air traffic tower and, when I heard the tannoy about a Victor inbound with an emergency, I rushed upstairs to watch. It was a spectacular sight, although I was rather taken aback by the ripe language of the air traffic controller. I thought it was very unprofessional, until someone told me that he was captain of the Gan golf club%u201d.