Reasonable article for VC-10 fans.

I'll have to go and find a copy then!

It's the Feb 2003 issue, with United and AA tails on the front and a headline, "US Major Airlines Face Reform".

If you have a problem, I can perhaps send you one from here.

Found it! Thanks for the tip Flat Spin!

Is it a mag generally available in the UK, I am not really up on this sort of thing though I would like a copy being a bit of a sad VC10 fan.

Tonks :confused:

Tonkenna,

I find this one in W H Smith.

Thanks for that FS, never noticed it before.

Tonks :)

I usually found it at Borders or other large booksellers on my LGW layovers.

The VC-10 was such a graceful aircraft, and I regret never flying on it. My parents flew BOS-LHR on BA VC-10s a few times in the 70's.

RAF really gets good milage out of aircraft.

I saw a RAF VC-10 at IAD about six months ago. I was really amazed, since I had never seen the VC-10 in real life. Unfortunately, I had no time to enjoy it, since I was on final on 01L.

I worked in Kenya as a civil engineer in the late 60's, early 70's as a civil engineer and had several flights in BOAC and EAA VC-10s. They really were terrific to fly in as a passenger by contemporary standards and were equally impressive to watch as a spectator. I well remember watching from the "waving base" at Embakasi as an Ethiopian Boeing 720 did a filthy looking water-injected (?) take-off around midday (Nairobi is hot 80o and 5,500 feet up) and used every inch of the runway. It looked as though it had only just enough altitude to clear Ol Donyo Sapuk, a dead volcano miles away but on the runway heading.
Whereupon an East Af VC-10 taxiied out to the intersection about half way down the runway and blasted off in about 30% of the Boeing's run. That was what it was designed to do but the Americans conned everybody into building longer runways at the high altitude airports I believe.
Long may the Royal Air Force keep them flying but I believe President Tony thinks they are outdated and he's probably right, more's the pity

They're quite special. They are buzzing around here at perhaps 500 ft most days, pounding the circuit at Brize, and I always look up and watch for a few seconds. They have the most graceful profile - beautiful T-tail, delightfully clean wing and seem balanced in every way.

T'will be a sad day when they disappear for good (though quieter!) :(

Do they still do the twice a week from Brize to IAD and return?

The IAD schedule is now done by Virgin Atlantic using space on their LHR - IAD schedule, although VC10s do go through IAD on their way to other places.

It's a great aeroplane which flys as good as it looks. However these days it's getting a bit tired and it kept on breaking down when I flew it - usually in cold wet destinations. Although Tonkenna and I managed to break down in Las Vegas once - remember that one mate? :D

Dan,

How are you?

How could I forget that trip, especially as it was my leg and had to lets Ops know. I seem to remember them being a bit upset about it. Still, it all came good in the end as it always did.

Still haven't got hold of this article yet, no one seems to have heard of the mag in this part of the world. Oh how I look forward to the move south:) :)

Tonks:D

Hi Tonks, I'm fine - and getting good at using chopsticks!

Seem to remember we bought a fridge magnet in the mall in Caeser's Palace in the shape of a panic button which emitted a klaxon sound when pushed. We stuck it on the instrument panel and pressed it when things went wrong with the aircraft or the trail. I recollect it was used a lot!

Was the Director (television) who filmed the last VC 10 to land at Brooklands in the late 80s (possibly early 90s). Over half of the runway had by that time been removed. The aircraft was a gift from a Sheik (?) to the Brooklands museum. Lots of secrecy took place, because the airfield was then part housing estate and was accessible to anyone. Two Kronenbergs were dispatched from LHR (where the a/c began its hop). Believe the captain was ex-BA.

The aircraft did two abortive runs along the runway and even those of us with an aviation background, thought it was destined to finish up as the 9.40 from waterloo (for those not in the know, one end of Brooklands ends at the railway line). In the event, it used only about one third of the available runway after passing over the houses on the estate at about 60 feet. Still have the footage as a matter of fact. Exciting experience. Interviewed the captain later, said it was one of the easiest landings he had made.:p

Tonkenna--check your private messages.

Nice!

http://www.btinternet.com/~simon.gurry/Dadsphotos/Pim0001.jpg


Mr G.

Ah, Mr Grubby - tuggethed you my heartstrings with that wonderful picture...

Half-past midnight, five sheets to the wind again... and an EAA VC-10... wondeful!

Goodnight!

Airways Ed---Davies? If so, I enjoy reading your articles. Good job with the mag.
http://www.starmanauctions.com/twa.gif

Thanks for kind words B767300ER--will pass on to ED.

Lukeafb 1

I think that the VC-10 at Brooklands was a gift from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, the ruler of The Sultanate of Oman. I believe that the aircraft was stripped of everything heavy(gold taps included) for the ferry flight from Heathrow to Brooklands. After arrival at Brooklands everything removed was refitted.

Compass Call

Indeed the aircraft was donated by the Sultan to the Brooklands Museum Trust. But as far as I know the ferry flight was made with all the trimmings intact. It is a popular misconception that the interior of the aircraft is filled with golden trimmings, it certainly is a luxuriously kitted out aircraft but I haven't been able to find any gold yet!

With a light fuel load the runway was long enough for a VC10 in those days, A40-AB was not the first VC10 to have landed there.

Compass, Jhieminga,

You're right about the aircraft being donated by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said. I just couldn't remember his name.

As far as the interior was concerned, I filmed inside the aircraft immediately it landed and can definitely confirm that all fittings (including gold taps to the bath!) were in-situ and were not removed for the transit from LHR.

Interestingly, I was working as a freelance Director for Trafalgar House, who I believe, owned Brooklands at the time. As the only broadcast crew who were on the site that day, (because of the secrecy) we offered the rushes to all of the U.K. terrestrial television stations for the daily news reports. There were no takers. But four U.S. stations broadcast edited highlights that day.

Airways Ed,

Thanks for the info, I might even be able to get a copy now, even though I live in the depths of Scotland:D

Tonks :)

Mr G

Thank you! Finding that picture made my day. First flew on an EAA VC10 in the late 60s, little did I realise I would end up captaining those ac as VC10K3s with 101 Sqn. Can't quite work out which one of the fleet it is from the picture though.

:cool: :cool:

I remember when I was about 15 my CCF unit (bit like the Air Corps, but for toff schoolkids) went for a week's stay in the highly unluxurious billetts of RAF Cosford, which is home to the RAF museum, which houses a selection of old BA, BEA and BOAC airliners. There's a 707, a 1-11, a Viscount, a Comet, a Trident and a Standard VC10.

I'll never forget one night we were doing first aid training with some highly unrealistic fake blood and finished around sundown.

Afterwards as we headed back to the billetts in the bus the sun was setting behind the VC10 and you could see the silhouette of the T tail and the fuselage in the dark orange sun. It was a beautiful sight, and slightly sad to see such a graceful airliner stranded on the ground forever, but at least preserved which is a second chance most old ladies of the sky never get!

Roland.

A look at the original picture shows the VC-10 to be 5X-UVA.

It was damaged beyond repair by fire after an aborted takeoff at Addis Ababa on April 18th '72

Mr G.

.......which at least spared it your landings, eh Roland?

Only joking!

Incidentally, have now pulled the black-and-yellow and am outa' the mob on 8 Aug. Hope you get a decent job at the end of your monastery-of-depression tour - the system needs people with a sense of humour!