LUTON History and Nostalgia
Looks like a Northeast Viscount in the background. I think they were part of British European Airways but what was their name before they became Northeast?
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Named after the three directors Messrs Barnby, Keegan and Stevens. Had the pleasure to fly from Leeds on a company DC-3 in 1959 and an HS.748 in 1965 both to Ostend and back.
Yes- also Keegan Aviation at Luton c 1964. Marketed The Riley Dove in conjunction with McAlpines who converted five Doves to this American specification. For a time Mike Keegan owned a Mustang fighter which was parked up at Luton between the Autair Hangar and McAlpines. He also owned for a while Trans Meridian Air Cargo whose DC7s came through Luton quite regularly in the mid-sixties. I think that company had a small office at the airport.
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 8th Apr 2015 at 09:35. Reason: Additional gen
Mike Keegan was indeed involved with BAF for many years....
Remembering Mike Keegan - 6/3/2003 - Flight Global
Remembering Mike Keegan - 6/3/2003 - Flight Global
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1ST 747
Presumably this is the Caribbean Airways LX- registered 747 that did a Britannia Faro sub-service on 10/7/87 and the only 747 ever to use the main apron (as far as I am aware). Seeing the engines over the grass it's perhaps just as well!
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I remember corsair did a couple of charters in the 90s with 747sps belive either football or rugby charters also remember the raf vc10 comming round the apron and there wings nearly touching fence
Out of interest, when the 747(s) visited, did they only switch on the outer engines when clear of the taxiway so as to minimise FOD issues, or was it just business as usual ? Was the Carribean Airways aircraft an ex-BA steed, or perhaps Tower Air ?
SHJ
SHJ
aceatco, retired
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When that particular B747 departed it did considerably damage to the raised runway edge lights. Runway shoulders were installed soon after.
aceatco, retired
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Here is the second B747 to land at Luton in 1992, a diversion from Heathrow due fog. Originally it diverted to Prestwick but on the way there the wx went out and it came to us, mentioning it was short of fuel. It was on late on we discovered it had Prince Andrew on board! I vectored it onto the ILS ‘by appointment’.
That's me in the car behind, ready to do a runway inspection after its departure.
That's me in the car behind, ready to do a runway inspection after its departure.
After checking, I flew on both N153UA in the 90's and N9669 in the mid 80's, two of the LX- reg 747's other identities. Perhaps unsurprising as they were well used workhorses back in the day.
SHJ
SHJ
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Here is the second B747 to land at Luton in 1992, a diversion from Heathrow due fog.
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I think the Virgin one was in 1994. I got called at home to approve the movement so I must have been looking after ops and that wasn't until '94.
I think the Virgin one was in 1994
GVLAX was the Virgin B747, arrived late evening on the 10th April 1996, from New York I think. Then departed in the early hours to Boston empty.
I seem to remember Luton was the only airport that allowed it to depart in the middle of the night, unfortunately it busted the permitted noise restrictions!
GVLAX was the Virgin B747, arrived late evening on the 10th April 1996, from New York I think. Then departed in the early hours to Boston empty.
I seem to remember Luton was the only airport that allowed it to depart in the middle of the night, unfortunately it busted the permitted noise restrictions!
