Originally Posted by
WHBM
When passing through Belfast City from time to time I would always look across the runway to see if there were any Shorts parked at their old factory there. Last must have been about 10 years ago. And probably 20 years for the last Skyvan (the only Shorts I have been in; I did the takeoffs but didn't land in it. You can probably guess the rest).
Don't forget after the Skyvan and before the '330 there was the 'Skyliner', basically a Skvan without the rear loading ramp.
BEA replaced their Heron Mk 1s (fixed undercarriages) at Glasgow with these (probably having seen the performance of the Loganair Skyvan at Glasgow which, on the run to Stornoway, would reach FL90 - its cruising level - just north of Glasgow if given continuous climb) but I think their service was comparatively short lived.