43 Nedbod from Macclesfield: Thanks very much for the info James I will snap these up immediately
42 Eira from London: I have the Network DVD release. I tried to limit myself to one episode per night, but got caught up in it (again!)and ended up watching it over the weekend! When I heard that Network were releasing it I was hoping for some "extras" as they have a good track record of those on their releases, but there was nothing! Very disappointing! Also disappointed with the quality of the pictures for a professional transfer. Mike Didsbury's transfers were nearly as good (is this because the transfers were from video tape and not film?). Mike also included lots of "extras"! Good work Mike. If Network combined their transfer with Mike's information it would be almost perfect!
Just out of interest -Susan Skipper who played Eileen (Peter Whitney's brief love interest) was married to Anthony Valentine at the time, and Anthony Valentine and Richard Heffer were both in "Colditz". All three seem to be well off the telly radar these days, sadly!
41 RON MORGAN from REDDITCH: A truly remarkable series, i sweet talked YTV to copy the series on to vhs about twelve years back for the princely sum of £80,00 and havent stopped watching it since! i have promotional stuff too. by the way 'alice' G-BHUB/G-AGIV now hangs from the ceiling at the AAM at Duxford, anyone fancy starting a Jack Ruskin appreciation society?
40 James Nelmes from Stirling: Airline will be released on 13 Feb 2012 on the Network DVD label. It is available for pre-order at Amazon and Play R2 only.
39 Nedbod from Macclesfield, Cheshire, England: Actually Spencer if you check out YOU TUBE now you can watch a few full episodes of Airline (including original ads !!) but you have to watch them in six or seven parts. The quality is a bit naff but the stories are so good they keep you hooked. Why YTV won't release this series on DVD is a crime. If they can release Follyfoot from 1971 why not AIRLINE from 1982 repeated in summer 1984 in some ITV regions @ 8:30pm.
38 Nedbod from Macclesfield, England: Absolutely adore this series and the theme tune by Tony Hatch (of "The Champions", "Crossroads" and Downtown & Don't sleep in the Subway fame for Pet Clark). It was made by YORKSHIRE TELEVISION and was repeated about 8:30pm on a weekday in the Granada ITV region, but sadly before I could afford a video. I hope YTV can find a decent archive copy to put on DVD.
37 Spencer Cartwright from Walsall, West Midlands: Hi Michael
Thanks for your post, i can find short clips on you tube - say 5 or 6 mins long but not the complete episodes.
Can you help me out at all ?? And my Dad :o) ??
Thanks
36 Michael Lea from Liverpool: The first four episodes are available to watch on Youtube, Brilliant series, I remember watching it a kid.
35 Spencer Cartwright from Walsall, West Midlands: Hello there, just wondered if anyone has a copy of this on DVD or VHS at all, as my Dad has been driving me mad for this for years !! I will gladly pay for it with postage. I actually managed to get a set of dvd's, but the quality was unwatchable. I know i'm probably asking for the Holy Grail but if anyone does have a "half-decent" copy I (and my Dad) would be eternally grateful.
34 ade from Blackpool: The Airline series was intended to continue as a saga about Jack Ruskins' Airline business. The series makers, Yorkshire Television, ran into production difficulties during the first series and ceased production after 9 episodes. The series is possibly still in mothballs at Yorkshire Television, but it will take a group of enthusiasts to purchase it and make it into a DVD ( at fair expense ) then it would have to be marketed. It may sell well but that's the question ?
33 Malcolm Millard from Raleigh, USA: I still remember this series fondly I bought the theme on a 45 and I think I wore the record out with constant playing.....it drove my mum and dad crazy with it coming from my bedroom all the time.
Why isn't this on DVD? it should be.
32 ade from Blackpool: The 'Airline' Aircraft were based at our airport for much of the filming, I used to be a regular down there at the time, photographed to the aircraft in the hangers and watched them flying,.. 2 episodes are now on youtube, and rest are on torrents, but for if the series is for sale at less than £5,000 a good win on the pre-bonds would consider it bought, and then released on DVD !!
31 Mark Walton from Rotherham, England: I'd love a DVD or a video copy of this series. My sister and I played the two young german children who died when Anthony Valentine crashed his aeroplane into our farmhouse in episode 1. We were only 14 and 9 at the time so it's hazy memories but we had a great time and Anthony was an absolute star - he even had his chauffeur drive us home to Sheffield!
30 Steve Clark from Gloucester, UK: A brilliant series, I have the two books, and I used to have on tape one episode; "Captain Clarke Plus One" that I would watch time and time again. Please, someone let me know if they have the series on tape or DVD!
29 Nigel Thain from Miltn Keynes: I can still hear it...
"Ruskin Air Services, can I 'elp you"
As Jack answers the phone.
Brilliant series.. must get it on dvd if its available.
28 David Reynolds-Hanson from Shelf, West Yorks: Watched it every week and managed to obtain the full series from old video tapes, look forward to watching it again. Shows how downhill Yorkshire Television have gone since then. Brilliant stuff
27 michael sergison from liverpool england: a great series my memory of it was longer than 9 episodes it brought home to me the history after the war of the berlin airlift which as i remember they took part in late in the series a dvd is long overdue
26 Aarron Gull from Long Island, NY: Yes, shame it's not commerically viable for Yorkshire TV to publish on DVD. Still have very fond memories.
25 eira from London: A very underrated series with an excellent cast! Should have had another series! The theme was released as a single and there was a book too but no video release. I emailed Yorkshire TV a few years ago about a dvd release and the reply was that none was planned but the series could be bought for £150 per half hour! Any Airline fan got any spare cash?!
24 Bill Silk from Whitehill Hampshire England: Great series I was about twelve years old at the time & watched it every week with my farther, currently building a 1/10th scale radio controlled model in the ruskins livery witch i'm hopeing to fly sometime in november 08. Would love a DVD copy of the series.
23 Tony Wales from Glasgow: I served in the RAF and managed to get a flight on a Dakota once. I have been using the Microsoft Flight sim since 1992
22 Tim Williams from Adelaide - Australia: When I was at School (many years ago) in Hertfordshire, I spent weekends at a local aerodrome and I believe the man, upon whom the central character of the show was based, operated a second hand aircraft sales business there.
I flew, as a passenger in planes with him and his wild younger brother.
I am happy to go into names & locational detail, if anyone is interested.
21 GEOFF WARWICK from TAURANGA NZ: A great series. Only last week found in the garage an old VHS tape of the last episode, seen in 1982 but still memorable
20 Stephen Wilson from Ayr, Scotland: Yes, I think Airline was a great series with only one problem, it wasn't long enough. Very much like an airborne version of another favourite of mine..."The Onedin Line".
19 Bluegalpin from Somer4set UK: Since October 1998, I have been trying to find Ruskin Airways for my husband, he was so sure this was the name. Today nearly ten years later I find it called Airline: Ruskin Air Services. The lift has finally surfaced. Thank you for this site. I hope to get the DVD for him soon.
18 stephen stanwix from cumbria england: A great series. Trawled through stores numerous times for it on dvd. I know now it was never released. Can't understand why not judging by all the mediocre stuff that is continually repackaged and re-released. Surely one day!
17 Dave Perry from England: Brill series, was trying to obtain copy on DVD when i came across this site. (ED: see forums).
16 Barry Moore from UK: Nice to see like minded people, great series
15 Paul from Street, Somerset: Superb series
I have episode 1 only and have nearly worn the dvd out watching it
my earliest memory was seeing the making of the c47 crashing on the farmhouse roof in the radio times !classic telly!
14 Wendy Laing from Melbourne Australia: g'day again - still needing to know if anyone can help with a DVD copy of this series.
Would pay for the DVD & post to Oz - pls contact me via email @ wendylaing@yahoo.com if you can help
cheers
wendy laing
13 mark Collins from Windsor: Great series. can anyone help with a DVD
12 Wendy Laing from Sunbury Vic Australia: G'day Mike Didsbury in ADL
My hubby Dave & I are ex airlines staff - we are very keen to get a dvd copy of the series - is that still possible? we'll pay for the DVDs & post to Victoria (grin)
cheers
Wendy & Dave Laing
11 Mike Didsbury from Adelaide: Further to my last post, have now got the DVD's!
10 Stuart Howells from Llanelli - Wales: Loved the series and still have the record, inspired my youth and career. 25 years on, any plans for an official release.
9 Michael McGann from Clayton, Bradford.West Yorkshire.England.: Great drama series, they don't make them like that any-more.Brilliant acting. Compulsive watching.
8 Paul Lynch from Dublin: This was a series that pulled all the emotional levers. Jack Ruskin took no prisoners in dealing with bureaucrats and other red tape tossers. However, I feel that the best moments were the ones that tugged at the emotional heartstrings, the best such scenes being when he brought the children who had survived the concentration camps to Palestine and the loss of Polly's baby
7 Mike Didsbury from Adelaide: Some of you guy's are asking about a DVD for Airline. None was ever made, I'm afraid. The series was re-run on Carlton TV, and I have all 9 episodes on VHS, which I have just started to convert to Quicktime files via my mac, with a view to encoding them to DVD. Will be posting a torrent to some sites eventually, but if anyone wants a copy of the DVD, email me with your address and I'll post them once I've done them. (it won't be in a few days, however!)
All I'd ask is payment for the postage. Please bear in mind I live in Adelaide, South Australia!
Ray, the theme tune is called "Airline" by Tony Hatch, and was released on a 45 single, which I have, and I've also converted it to mp3 so can email it to you if you like. And anyone else who may like it!
The aircraft used were actually G-DAKS/"G-AGHY" and G-BHUB/"G-AGIV", both owned at the time by Aces High, North Weald. mike.dids@bigpond.com
6 BOB from OXFORD: A great TV series, which inspired me to become a private pilot.
I recorded the series on betamax (long since gone)
Any DVD or Video Available
5 Andrew Miller from Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Great T.V. series! No second series, I believe due to the cost of production.
4 ray flynn from southport mersey side: can anybody tell me the theme tune of airline thanks ray
3 Daryl Poland from Stratford Upon Avon: Fantastic series. only ever shown once as I can recall but most memorable moment was when Marsden was suspended from flying and he was in Cyprus (or somewhere) so he got his radio operator to pose as captain, but Marsedn flew back. One of many memorable moments.
2 Jim Aldridge from Slough UK: A terrific series. Carried by the charismatic Marsden and great supporting cast. My personal favorite scene goes something like this:
Ruskin at RAF demob interview by young officer. Marsden: "and what do you want to do when you grow up sir?". If you have seen it, you know the bit I mean. I'm fortunate to have most of the series on Video as I dont think it was ever repeated.
1 PAUL NEERVOORT from HOLLAND: The series is still in my mind. Can anyone help with a DVD?