Corporate flight departments, UK
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Martin Baker still operates, via Zephyr Aviation, King Air 200 G-BGRE from Chalgrove airfield with callsign MBE1,2 or 3
Looks like a very nice outfit.
Xstrata, via Noclaf Ltd, used to own Falcon 900EX M-FALC, (I heard a rumor that it was later leased to Prestbury (Nick Leslau) after the 900EX's replacement Global XRS M-GBAL arrived).
Looks like a very nice outfit.
Xstrata, via Noclaf Ltd, used to own Falcon 900EX M-FALC, (I heard a rumor that it was later leased to Prestbury (Nick Leslau) after the 900EX's replacement Global XRS M-GBAL arrived).
Williamson's Diamond Mine TANGANYIKA
This one is not is based in United Kingdom. The mine was situated at Shinyanga in Tanganyika. It was "out in the wilds", well away from the nearest airport with a commercial air service. The mine was a large operation that commenced operations just after the Second World War, although Williamson had found the source of the diamonds before the war. The mine was operated by ex-pat personnel as well as a local labour force. The company operated aircraft to bring in personnel and smaller equipment: the product was also carried. The main route was from the mine to Nairobi in neighbouring Kenya.
Their first aircraft were an Avro Anson VR-TAP and two de Havilland 104 Doves VR-TAN & VR-TBB. Later they operated a pair of Douglas C-47 Dakotas VR-TBJ & VR-TBT. Their final transport aircraft was Douglas DC-4 5H-AAH which operated in the 1960s.
The company operated a flying club for their employees at their own airfield Shinyanga. Over time they had three DHC-! Chipmunks VR-TBE, VR-TBK & VR-TBO. Sadly VR- TBE. was lost in an accident. The company also acquired Bristol 171 Sycamore Mk3 VR-TBS. The intention was to use it for survey work but it was not much used. It was flown out and back to Weston super Mare in a Bristol freighter. The aircraft still exists back in Britain. It was the only helicopter to appear on any of the East African Colonial aircraft registers. Williamsons also operated Cessna 180 VR-TBL & de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver VR-TCB as company hacks....
This one is not is based in United Kingdom. The mine was situated at Shinyanga in Tanganyika. It was "out in the wilds", well away from the nearest airport with a commercial air service. The mine was a large operation that commenced operations just after the Second World War, although Williamson had found the source of the diamonds before the war. The mine was operated by ex-pat personnel as well as a local labour force. The company operated aircraft to bring in personnel and smaller equipment: the product was also carried. The main route was from the mine to Nairobi in neighbouring Kenya.
Their first aircraft were an Avro Anson VR-TAP and two de Havilland 104 Doves VR-TAN & VR-TBB. Later they operated a pair of Douglas C-47 Dakotas VR-TBJ & VR-TBT. Their final transport aircraft was Douglas DC-4 5H-AAH which operated in the 1960s.
The company operated a flying club for their employees at their own airfield Shinyanga. Over time they had three DHC-! Chipmunks VR-TBE, VR-TBK & VR-TBO. Sadly VR- TBE. was lost in an accident. The company also acquired Bristol 171 Sycamore Mk3 VR-TBS. The intention was to use it for survey work but it was not much used. It was flown out and back to Weston super Mare in a Bristol freighter. The aircraft still exists back in Britain. It was the only helicopter to appear on any of the East African Colonial aircraft registers. Williamsons also operated Cessna 180 VR-TBL & de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver VR-TCB as company hacks....
Christian Salvesen must have had quite a fleet over the years - they definitely operated colourful S55's (?) on the old whaling fleet,but later after reinventing themselves as a coldstore/frozen food company they had at least 1 twin ?
Not sure if they ever operated from North Witham in the early days of their large Coldstore near Easton ???.
I used to often drive past the wonderfully named 'Honey Pot Lane' on the A1 at N Witham
Not sure if they ever operated from North Witham in the early days of their large Coldstore near Easton ???.
I used to often drive past the wonderfully named 'Honey Pot Lane' on the A1 at N Witham
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack [img]images/buttons/viewpost.gif[/img]
Who owned/operated the Gulfstream I and then G2/3 based at LHR in the 70's/80's ? Often parked up near Hunting's hangar or thereabouts ?
Was it the Xerox Corp?
Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack [img]images/buttons/viewpost.gif[/img]
Who owned/operated the Gulfstream I and then G2/3 based at LHR in the 70's/80's ? Often parked up near Hunting's hangar or thereabouts ?
Was it the Xerox Corp?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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N30RP, GII then a GIII, was regularly at Heathrow owned by RCA.
Might have been one of the aircraft that was sometimes parked up in the BA maintenance area close to Hatton Cross. The all-red Panther Navajo G-AXXB/N7XB/N77XB was occasionally parked there when I visited.
Might have been one of the aircraft that was sometimes parked up in the BA maintenance area close to Hatton Cross. The all-red Panther Navajo G-AXXB/N7XB/N77XB was occasionally parked there when I visited.
I thought i had already posted this but cannot find it on the last couple of pages.
Most regularo f all LHR business aircraft in the 60s was surely Granada TVs G-ARFZ a blue and white Dove,
Most regularo f all LHR business aircraft in the 60s was surely Granada TVs G-ARFZ a blue and white Dove,
There was a G4 belonging to Procter & Gamble based at Heathrow; their 'plant' was at Egham so not too far away although it did div to Farnborough once or twice.
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What was the Raffles story Hew?
(Anyone recall the story of Maurice Kirk announcing himself to Hurn as "Captain Kirk of the Starship Cessna"?)
(Anyone recall the story of Maurice Kirk announcing himself to Hurn as "Captain Kirk of the Starship Cessna"?)
The AA had a Cessna 441 in the late 1970s that they managed to to get registered G-AUTO. Not sure how they managed that as the G-AUxx batch had previously only been available to pre-WWII Australian aircraft and had been a 'dead' unused batch since.
I can't remember much, except that he was a businessman who commuted in and out of Heathrow almost daily in his Twin Com, c/s 'Raffles One'. I don't know what the other end of his route was. At the time LHR had a GA apron and small terminal on the South side, between where T4 is now and 28L (as was) threshold.
I can't remember much, except that he was a businessman who commuted in and out of Heathrow almost daily in his Twin Com, c/s 'Raffles One'. I don't know what the other end of his route was. At the time LHR had a GA apron and small terminal on the South side, between where T4 is now and 28L (as was) threshold.
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I do recall several light twins at Heathrow on my first view visits circa '75-'77, but not specifically a Twin Com! Wonder who he was...
That was in 1970; the following year we changed to a different ATC system and the radar moved to West Drayton so I never heard him after that.
I always assumed he was in a Dove but we didn't record aircraft types.
Last edited by chevvron; 13th Apr 2023 at 09:53.
Eric Raffles lived in Ham, Richmond, Surrey and commuted to his father's textile and clothing works in Manchester. Wiki says he commuted in the 1960s and early 70s; G-INFO says he owned Baron G-AYID (would that registration be allowed today - albeit that the Raffles family were Jewish?) 1970-1972, so perhaps he had the Twin Com that I thought I recalled before the Baron. On the other hand, perhaps my memory is wrong.