Monarch holding with the gear down (LGW)

[jonseagull]

Monarch 757 holding South East of Gatwick today for about 30 minutes with the gear down having appeared to depart on a SFD8P. I was watching him as I walked out with the family this morning around 1100.

Not a journo, just a nosey pilot. Anyone any info?

[squeaker]

Just a guess, but as the B757 can't dump fuel, I would imagine burning some gas to get closer to MLW on a non-urgent turnback.

[Del Prado]

I reckon squeaker is right. probably went to luton eventually to get it fixed.

Are you sure it was a SFD8P? Gatwick on 26.;)

[SilentHandover]

The aircraft departed on a DVR8M (I think!) on it's way to Taba, told tower had an undercarriage problem, flew down to hold at MAY gear down and locked. Held for a while then advised radar they wished to divert to Luton. When my shift finished the aircraft was still holding to the south of Gatwick.

[jonseagull]

Thanks Silent Handover. Least they got out of doing the Taba !:)

[ContIgnt]

DOH !
Lets hope the pins weren't left in :\

[spannersatcx]

DOH !
Lets hope the pins weren't left in :\

No the flt crew would of noticed on their walkround.:eek:

[PRNAV1]

Do MON flt crew do their own walk around?

[TimV]

Reckon they do. I watched the Captain of G-MONC have a good look around before we set off for Faro a few weeks back. Bit of an old plane now but still managed to get us back on the return in little over 2 hours.:ok:

[longarm]

Yes they do on every sector. On departure from UK bases this is in addition to that of the engineers (who actually sign for it).

[CVTDog]

Is G-MONC the oldest - or most used B757 in service ? It looked in fairly good nick when I saw it earlier this year. I understand it was a 1982 registration. I have heard of newer B757's being withdrawn (due to age) this one seems to have had a charmed life.

[Beaver man]

No the flt crew would of noticed on their walkround.:eek:
Oh dear! What a silly thing to say!! Been there, done that...pins AND entry in the book missed by me and Capt!! Mitigating circumstances on my behalf...of course!! It's OK Tim, I won't tell if you won't!!

[TimV]

Is G-MONC the oldest - or most used B757 in service ? It looked in fairly good nick when I saw it earlier this year. I understand it was a 1982 registration. I have heard of newer B757's being withdrawn (due to age) this one seems to have had a charmed life.

Tell you what I did notice as we boarded - there was what looked like a bit of a patch above the front left hand side door - as if it had been repaired there. Looking at pix of the a/c on airliners.net it's been there for at least a year. Anyone know what this - I guess repair - was for? Great a/c though.

[Filler Dent]

Tell you what I did notice as we boarded - there was what looked like a bit of a patch above the front left hand side door - as if it had been repaired there. Looking at pix of the a/c on airliners.net it's been there for at least a year. Anyone know what this - I guess repair - was for? Great a/c though.

Most likely it has been dented or scratched in this area and has been repaired by a "scab" patch, since it was beyond the SRM limits. Most repairs occur around the cargo bay areas and the main entry doors where they are most vunerable to being bashed by ground equipment.

[speedbirdzerozeroone]

Pins being left in aren't so bad. It's when crews taxi back in to remove a ctrl surface lock that one begins to have cause for concern over not sigining off teclog entries correctly.

[22/04]

G-MONC was actually delivered in the Spring of 2003, together with NB and ND- I think all are still in service. Don't know which has done the most time but someone at Spotty M will- Could be NC as I don't think this has ever been ETOPS.

[22/04]

Correction Spring of 1983

[WHBM]

The oldest aircraft in the Monarch fleet are NB (line number 15) and NC (line number 18). 25th birthday before too long. The only lower build number ones still in passenger use are four operating for US Airways, old Eastern Airlines examples. The MyTravel ones of the same vintage withdrawn a year or two ago did not find new operators and have gone for scrap.

[Monarch Man]

NC (now its been fixed and made straight) and NB...are both the nicest to fly in the fleet of 7

[cheese bobcat]

When I used to fly NB, I was told it was fitted with all sorts of gubbinry, placed there by Boeing to measure all sorts of things. Needless to say, Monarch were paid by Boeing for this. I believe it's the highest hours 757 in the world. Mainly, because we flew it day and night!

[LCA Bound]

Not being in aviation my self i get the impression that 757 s are quite popular with pilots and have a very good record, is this true ?

[Khaosai]

Hi LCA Bound,

i would imagine most pilots would agree that it's popular.

Good performance, versatile and looks good. Certainly my favourite Boeing, preferring it to the 744 and 777. :ok:

Rgds.

[silverelise]

Is G-MONC the oldest - or most used B757 in service ? It looked in fairly good nick when I saw it earlier this year. I understand it was a 1982 registration. I have heard of newer B757's being withdrawn (due to age) this one seems to have had a charmed life.
My gf is ex Monarch flight attendent (LGW) and she says that G-MONB is a bit older (G-INFO seems to support this). She also says that despite being old it was very reliable unlike "the A300 which was always going tech".

[WHBM]

I believe it's the highest hours 757 in the world. Mainly
Quite likely. It's still with its original operator, so no layups between owners. It's been on day and (at least in summertime) night ops on medium-haul routes so will get more hours per day than on European or US schedules. Only older ones were built for Eastern and BA. Eastern ones had the long time when the airline was on the ropes, BA ones all sold to DHL and just used for parcels now. The Monarch ones just keep humming along. Quite a good investment from the early 1980s.

How many hours ? 70,000 to 80,000 ? I'm guessing.

[silverelise]

How many hours ? 70,000 to 80,000 ? I'm guessing.
G-INFO says:

Registration: G-MONB Current Reg. Date: 07/03/1983
Previous ID: NEW USA First Reg. Date: 07/03/1983
Status: Registered De-Reg. Date:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manufacturer: BOEING COMPANY
Type: BOEING 757-2T7
Serial No.: 22780
Mode S (hex): 40046D
Popular Name: -
Generic Name: 757
Aircraft Class: FIXED-WING LANDPLANE
Engines: 2 - 2 x ROLLS-ROYCE RB211-535E4-37



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ownership Status: Chartered
Registered Owners: MONARCH AIRLINES LTD
PROSPECT HOUSE
PROSPECT WAY, LONDON LUTON AIRPORT
LUTON
LU2 9NU
UNITED KINGDOM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MTOW: 108860kg Total Hours: 77319 at 31/12/2005 Year Built: 1983
CofA / Permit: EASA STANDARD COFA C of A Expiry: 01/02/2008







Registration: G-MONC Current Reg. Date: 29/04/1999
Previous ID: PH-AHO First Reg. Date: 29/04/1999
Status: Registered De-Reg. Date:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manufacturer: BOEING COMPANY
Type: BOEING 757-2T7
Serial No.: 22781
Mode S (hex): 40046E
Popular Name: -
Generic Name: 757
Aircraft Class: FIXED-WING LANDPLANE
Engines: 2 - 2 x ROLLS-ROYCE RB211-535E4-37



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ownership Status: Chartered
Registered Owners: MONARCH AIRLINES LTD
PROSPECT HOUSE
PROSPECT WAY, LONDON LUTON AIRPORT
LUTON
LU2 9NU
UNITED KINGDOM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MTOW: 108860kg Total Hours: 70704 at 31/12/2004 Year Built: 1983
CofA / Permit: EASA STANDARD COFA C of A Expiry: 29/04/2008

[22/04]

To put this in context there have been very approximately 114 000 hours since 1983 - they've spent about two thirds of those in the air.