View Full Version : Guppy (merged)
Waldo.P
17th Jul 2004, 13:48
Rumour from BOH is the Guppy Engineer is in Africa looking at another 44.
Anybody know anything????
Yorky Towers
18th Jul 2004, 09:31
Heard the engineers who were looking after the Guppy at Bournmouth had gone out to work on the company DC8's. also believe the Guppy project was put on hold subject to a cash injection!.
Would be nice to be called back to finish what we started... and thats Get her airborne again, we shall see.......................
Regards
Yorky:ok:
Heard also that the engineer was in africa and had located a spare airframe/Engines and was in negotiations to secure them. However as Waldo said they are also waiting for another large cash injection. So until that happens expect to see her sitting at the farside of the airport.
Moku.
Waldo.P
18th Jul 2004, 11:38
Is that the aircraft in Kinshasa?
I believe that might be the one. Don't have any firm information though. Just the usual rumour mill.
M.
Waldo.P
18th Jul 2004, 11:58
It would be good if they could get some parts for the Guppy.
Did Basco ever finish that sheetmetal repair?
When I was at the airport the other week it looked like BASCO had not yet completed the work, plastic is still in place above the crew door and below the window area. The plastic that is covering the radom looks as thoughg it is falling off.
M.
Waldo.P
20th Jul 2004, 09:42
From the Rumour mill,the Guppy will be on the move very soon.
Time will tell. That Rumour has been going around Bournemouth since March!! At one time they even had a crew come out and visit it, they were in Ground School at the time.
It will take at least 4 weeks to carry out the req'd work, so maybe by the first week of Sept.... if they start now.
It would be nice to see it actually fly again.
Moku.
Waldo.P
21st Jul 2004, 07:05
Moku,You and Yorkie seem to know whats going on,do you know when the engineer is going to be back from Africa?
The new loadmaster says he will be there for a while.
Walo.P
Sorry no idea on specific individuals. Only from the rumourmill at Bournemouth regarding the aircraft.
Moku.
Max.e.ret
22nd Jul 2004, 11:23
Has the old loady retired then?
I would love to go back on the old girl again when she starts flying.
The engineer mentioned directly that it would...'take sometime'.
Yes, I know him personally.
Waldo.P
23rd Jul 2004, 08:55
It has already taken some time?
Will the a/c in Africa be of any use for spares?
Max.e.ret
24th Jul 2004, 09:18
The Engineer must have the patients of a saint.
Any Idea when the Guppy realistically may fly again?
October at the earliest, at least according to the plan.
Keeping in mind that it took a lot longer to get it from the USA to the UK than was planned, expect possible delays.
Funding was a problem as well, but apparently this problem has been overcome.
Waldo.P
26th Jul 2004, 09:54
I was at BOH over the weekend and the guys said engine runs next week then two weeks in the hanger.
Well that is good news!
So we should be looking for the aircraft to be moved from the weeds and back in front of the BASCO hanger soon.
Moku.
Varipitch
26th Jul 2004, 19:52
As a newcomer to this forum, it is amazing that when reliable sources of info are available, rumour abounds.
The facts surrounding Jack Conroy's aircraft are available-all you have to do is join the CL44 Association-run by the crew for the huindreds of former crew members who have flown the old Skymonster.
Engineers in Kinshasa-Bah Humbug
Loadmaster retired-ditto
The old girl and her crew have certainly NOT gone into retirement
Consult the experts-contact
www.cl44.org and join us!
Max.e.ret
27th Jul 2004, 02:26
I looked at that website but it does'nt tell you what is going with the aircraft.
Waldo.P
27th Jul 2004, 10:59
The Engineer looked at the aircraft in BZV,that is on the other side of the Congo River.
Are the CL-44 Association the owners or operators of the aircraft?
1970s Spotter
30th Jul 2004, 07:46
Recent pix on Airliners.net show the Guppy with a bashed in nose...How goes it with fixing that?
Let's say the old bird is all fixed up mechanically, with a crew, and spares etc etc....
Then who markets the plane?
What are the chances of success against competition from 'cheap' eastern European operators with AN12s etc?
Just trying to think ahead that's all
Waldo.P
30th Jul 2004, 09:11
Basco did damage the aircraft but the repairs are in progress,the radome has just been removed for access.
The aircraft is only going to be available for outsize loads.
Thunderbird 3
30th Jul 2004, 11:27
Was at BASCO this week.
They are apparently waiting for a maintenance scheme from Johnsons Air to enable them commence repair on the damaged section.
Also finance is still not forthcoming so BASCO have stopped work on the aircraft.
Thunderbird 3
Max.e.ret
31st Jul 2004, 04:25
Do Basco not already have a maintenance scheme as some of the repairs appear to have been started,or can they do the work without it?
Nineiron
9th Aug 2004, 08:20
No mention of the Guppy should pass without remembering Red Adair, the great oil fire fighter, who died yesterday aged 89.
He often charterered the Guppy to rapidly move his boat and equipment when required to deal with some of the worlds largest and most spectacular oilfield fires.
Obituary on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2281867.stm
Indeed Nineiron, a guy to be remembered.
Red also had not one but two JetStars at one time to get folks moved around quickly.
He very quickly proved that business jets save both time and money.
Max.e.ret
11th Aug 2004, 10:38
I hear there has been some plans to move the aircraft into the hanger at the earliest oppurtunity to get it finished.
Waldo.P
18th Aug 2004, 12:39
I was at BOH yesterday and bumped into the engineer,so he is obviously back from he's travels,as always he did'nt say too much but things appear to be moving.
I found out more from him than that CL-44 association website.
Nineiron
18th Aug 2004, 19:20
If you read RRtyne's post you will note that information is available by being a member of the association, not by merely referring to the public pages of the website.
Yorky Towers
19th Aug 2004, 10:38
Hi Nineiron
Ready to go??:ok:
Nineiron
20th Aug 2004, 16:28
Hi Yorky. Ready to go? Is it call-time already? It is said that you've only truly arrived in aviation when most of your preflight is carried out looking upwards. I think they are still deciding whether to fit a Velux window above the fwd entrance door, so it'll be a day or two yet.
I thought you were off to the sun and sand?
ukav8r
20th Aug 2004, 18:34
Hi Yorkie and nineiron,
I have just found this thread.
I am still ready and waiting to go!! Can't wait to get this plane up in the air.
UK. :ok:
Nineiron
20th Aug 2004, 20:42
Our third officer thought you were busy! The Theory of Flight as applied to the Guppy is when the weight of the paperwork equals the weight of the aircraft, the aircraft will then fly.
Yorky Towers
21st Aug 2004, 08:09
Hi Nineiron,
Whichever comes first! Coopervane has done a great job on my behalf out there, phone calls weekly asking do I have my medical back yet...As coop says, they are short so maybe see you soon as well???:ok:
How ya doing ukav8r? send a PM.
ukav8r
21st Aug 2004, 09:44
Hi Nineiron,
No am still available,and ready and waiting to go. Not sure who said I was busy..... was not me.
Thunderbird 3
10th Sep 2004, 09:49
I hear the engineers + crew have now dispersed over
face of the globe.
Allegedly they not been paid for a while and FA was not willing to put any more money into the project.
Therefore the Guppy could be consigned to the scrap yard.
A great shame for a unique aircraft.
Why did FA start the project and then let it fall down ?.
Maybe somebody at BASCO could have some answers.
Any information would be appreciated.
1970s Spotter
10th Sep 2004, 10:25
...I always feel that FA is after a quick buck or two. I imagine he had a potential contact/opening for the Gup which never came to anything.
He's probably out of pocket to the tune of GBP250,000 (?) that's not big bucks to FA afterall GIA went belly up and he was back in business the next day.
As he was employing slave labour he had nothing to loose.
It's great shame what has happen to the Gup....
Varipitch
19th Sep 2004, 12:31
Perhaps FA has in mind that the Guppy will be 44years old next year-July 9161 saw it fly as a conventional D4-2.
What a day that would be-and don't discount it.
As the CL44 Book shows-he hardly paid a Kings ransome for it!
Nineiron
21st Sep 2004, 07:01
All the recent happenings and information on the present status of the Guppy and other CL44s around the world can now be found amongst the Swingtail Newsletter archives on www.cl44.org members' area, which came online yesterday.
The Guppy, despite the inactivity of late, is still a commercial aeroplane, so naturally everthing is not in the public domain. There are regular enquiries from charterers with special freight loads waiting for this machine to return to the sky - after all, what modern machine can perform at the same price? A lot less on fuel, a bit more on maintenance, but low noise and no jet ban problems.
It might be 44 years old, but anybody that has worked on the damage repairs will tell you that it is built like a brick outhouse - that little hole took an entire airbus wingtip beyond repair!
Yorky Towers
21st Sep 2004, 09:46
So when shall we go for a jolly in her then nineiron??;)
Regards Yorky:ok:
Nineiron
21st Sep 2004, 10:47
mmm, nice thought. Since the tanks were fixed we could go beyond the middle East. Remember the 72 with no radome?, I reckon this one makes no difference, you get self-stirring coffee anyway.
1970s Spotter
21st Sep 2004, 10:55
Sneek over to Kemble and pinch the 'dome of that old Brit...with a bit of persuation I am sure it would fit
Yorky Towers
21st Sep 2004, 14:11
You've got the job 70's spotter, let us know when the glues dry!!!:E
Nineiron
21st Sep 2004, 22:04
Lets have a bit of respect for the Guppy's maiden aunt. They had three engines running at Kemble a week or so back.
coopervane
22nd Sep 2004, 14:03
Giz a Job!
Coop & Bear
Varipitch
23rd Sep 2004, 08:40
Former Guppy drivers now enquiring after jobs on N447T-brokers haggling for it-its just like the old days.
As Nineiron says, the 'inside track' is on the 44 Association's website-no rumour there, just fact.
As for the radome, well, the original is now repaired, there is also another one known to be serv so no probs there folks!
Great inventory of parts in Orlando and Hagerstown-together with a bundle of bits in Horley.
Uniforms are pressed, shoes polished, manuals dusted off.Just awaiting th e'off'
Yorky-did you get my pm?
Yorky Towers
23rd Sep 2004, 10:03
No I did not get your PM! can you send again? many thanks. Hopefully see you soon then :ok:
Regards
Yorky
ukav8r
23rd Sep 2004, 13:02
Great all sounds like good news Well I am still ready and waiting :)
Yorky did you get my PM about a month or two ago?
UK.
Max.e.ret
12th Oct 2004, 13:56
Looks the Old Girl has been on the move as the long term parking spot she occupied was empty last week.
Does this mean that she is finally being prepared to fly again?
Waldo.P
13th Oct 2004, 15:43
Been at BOH today and she's in the hanger.lots of activity around it.
Varipitch
13th Oct 2004, 16:07
yep-plenty of activity around the Guppy-she finally gets her skin graft.
Where's the crew then?
coopervane
13th Oct 2004, 18:23
It would look nice on the car park in front of Yorkie Towers. Or is that the plan!
Just imagine how many bunks you could get in it and we could always extend the central heating loop to keep the beast warm.
With some Murray Electrics and signs like the Pheonix club, you would sure be on a winner.
Sell the engines to the Belfast mob and the whole deal is payed for! I kid:ok:
Coop & Isle of Man Bear
Yorky Towers
13th Oct 2004, 22:13
Think you'll find they are waiting for YOU....:p
Coop....ur right, just arranging with Coventry for our arrival, stressed to them we require no emergency services when we overrun 05 and end up positioned in the car park of Yorky Towers....How ya fixed to plumb her out then? Murray's OK for the connection to the mains and beds are orderd!!!!:E
Nineiron
14th Oct 2004, 06:16
With six generators producing 300kva, sell to the grid and still have enough for the electric frying pan in the galley!
It could of course also make a lot of money carrying outsize loads as airfreight. Now there's an idea!
GuppyEng.com
14th Oct 2004, 12:29
I think it would look pretty cool in the car park of yorkie towers.
Let me know when you want me to go and kick the tyres.
Waldo.P
16th Oct 2004, 13:29
GuppyEng.I have'nt seen you about whilst the repairs have been going on?
Yorky Towers
16th Oct 2004, 23:13
Thats because he aint'. now can we get her airborne or......:suspect:
Regards
Faulty:8
GuppyEng.com
17th Oct 2004, 05:21
Sorry Waldo but do I know you?
Hey Yorkie,any luck on that thing I asked you about the other day?
Yorky Towers
17th Oct 2004, 09:56
Been trying to call you.......have news so please call asap.
Regards
Yorky:ok:
Waldo.P
17th Oct 2004, 11:01
GuppyEng.I see you in BFC sometimes. We had along chat whilst the aircraft was doing it's crew training all that time ago.
Varipitch
17th Oct 2004, 13:07
Nice to see all the 'key' players on the scene still. I have both my main gear back on line -able to do some freight kickin'
Change of subject-Sad to see that another ex Rhodesian was lost as a result of the MK disaster last week. Flew with Mike Thorneycroft on TR-LVO and A40-PA.
Back End merchant
GuppyEng.com
17th Oct 2004, 13:26
Waldo. You would have to be a pretty remarkable fella to have a chat with me while the gup was crew training as I was on it:confused:
GuppyEng.com
17th Oct 2004, 13:28
We are all on the other thread.
Yorky Towers
17th Oct 2004, 13:34
And now this one, nothings simple when it comes to the Gupp....hey tyne?
guppyeng. still waiting:E
GuppyEng.com
17th Oct 2004, 13:52
Yorky,check you're pm's.
ukav8r
17th Oct 2004, 14:27
Hey Yorkie and GuppyEng,
Nice to see this thread alive again. GuppyEng I have been working out a bit so I will be able to move those power levers
:E
UK:ok:
yorkie I will resend that PM
I believe NASA still operate at least one Super Guppy. The original Guppy series was built to move rocket sections for NASA. When Airbus got the Beluga's and retired the Super Guppys several went to museums and one went to NASA. I think NASAs original had smaller engines and three bladed props so they replaced it with one of the ex Airbus airframes.
Any one any idea who's going to be running the ops side??
VEEPS:uhoh:
eggplantwalking
18th Oct 2004, 20:48
All of you "Guppy" guys are dreamers, and have no link to reality. See page five(5) on the Guppy. Then look for a job! Good luck and stop smoking that ****!
1970s Spotter
19th Oct 2004, 06:43
Eggplantwalking-
The show's not over till the fat lady sings
Or in this case:
...till the fat plane flys
;)
GuppyEng.com
19th Oct 2004, 09:30
Can I have some of the stuff you are smoking?
Max.e.ret
19th Oct 2004, 12:29
It's a shame that someone has to try and spoil a thread!
I assume that many of the post's are a bit of banter between the crew.
Saskatoon9999. Have you looked at www.allaboutguppys.com
This should answer your question.
Varipitch
20th Oct 2004, 09:22
Eggplantwalking might well be correct in his statement. However, logic does NOT apply when directed towards this aircraft. The Guppy has had more comebacks than Joe Bugner and still has the potential to make a return on investment-albeit in the short term.
He also neglects to realise the professionalism of all of us invloved in attempting to prolong this testament to the foresight of Jack Conroy.
Even NOW, 43 years after it was built, I still get calls from brokers keen to take advantage of the 44's cabin size.
Dreamers? Maybe but time will tell eh Yorky, Nineiron,Guppyeng and JS??????
If Eggplant wants to see the ACTUAL size of the investment that the current owners made when buying the aircraft, he should look in 'Swingtail, The CL44 Story'
GuppyEng.com
26th Oct 2004, 05:11
I hear there was a couple of bootleg copies at a bootsale in Frimley.Only going for a quid.
Yorky Towers
17th Dec 2004, 23:14
Right.. Circuit bashing will take place in the "Guppy" from Bournmouth Airport today at 08:30 prompt. Enjoy.....
Regards
Yorky :D
coopervane
18th Dec 2004, 10:42
Got me anorak and binocs at the ready. So is this metal airship actually gonna get off the ground at long last?
If it doesn't, more bollocks from the sandpit after xmas.
Got airborne in the Isle of Man the other day. What a place. Even I can't get lost there. Just follow the coast. Good for practicing crosswind landings. Always blowing a hooley!
Must be time for a Yorkie Beer soon. Get young Malcolm organised for a session. Is young Markus airline pilot/wide boy/jazman Murray allowed to play out?
Coop & Ho ho ho bloody ho Bear
GuppyEng.com
19th Dec 2004, 08:43
Don't tell me I missed it:(
Nineiron
19th Dec 2004, 23:11
You've given me an idea there Coopervane. We could fill it with helium.
R/T would sound a bit odd though.
Did it manage to get the circuits done??:E
VEEPS
Waldo.P
25th May 2005, 07:03
I see the Guppy has gone from its long term parking position.
Does this mean things are on the move?
Where's it moved to.....the fire dump.
VEEPS:sad:
Heard from an aquaintance today that it is being offered to any museum as a gizzit in exchange for fuel costs :uhoh:
VEEPS
Was still outside the BASCO hanger in it's usual place when I drove past today.
Waldo.P
9th Jun 2005, 06:10
From what I understand it was in the hanger to have some engineering scheme made up for a repair that needs to be done.
Some of the crew were there giving it a bit of TLC as well.
Engineer
9th Jun 2005, 08:09
This thread is all most a year old now.
Wondering how much it is costing the owner in parking/handling fees?
There most come a time when it becomes non viable to maintain the old beast unless you turn it into saucepans :D