Originally Posted by
dixi188
What and when was the first aircraft to use the new LAP?
British South American Airways Lancastrian, to Buenos Aires. Captain was Don Bennett. 1 January 1946.
That Comet arrived from Mexicana if my memory is correct in about 1969/1970. The BOAC apprentices moved over from an Argonaut to this Comet for training purposes. Whilst I was lucky enough to do engine runs on that Argonaut, I don't recall if the Comet was ever utilised for that.
The Comet 4 was ex-BOAC fleet G-APDT. Out of service at BOAC Autumn 1965 with the rest of the fleet, instead of being sold to Dan-Air like its compatriots it was one of a pair leased, only, to Mexicana, supplementing their fleet they bought new, which lasted for four years. BOAC probably thought they had seen the last of it but it came back at the very end of 1969, and was used as a ground trainer through to 1980, nicely in BOAC livery again. There's a well-known photo of it and a BOAC 747 nose-to-nose, for of course they were never in service together. It was subsequently given to the fire service. The last BOAC Comet flight was November 1965, it coincided with the opening of the new Auckland airport in New Zealand, where the old one had been able to handle Comets, just, but not 707s/DC8, and the Comet doubtless hung on. The last BOAC Britannia was a few months before; it was a time of change.