Monarch 720B's/707's
Quote:-
I wonder why Monarch went for the 720 and not the more popular 707? Was there a performance advantage with the 720 when operated from Luton's 7056ft runway?
The 720B was over-powered with its 4 PW JT3D engines which also powered the larger 707-123B. Their max TOW was never restricted from the LTN runway, unlike the 707's they acquired - G-BFMI in 1978, replaced by G-BGCT in 1979, both of which were -123B's and went to Cyprus Airways after just a year each with Monarch. Apart from the regular European IT routes the 720B's also operated to St. Lucia once a week but lacked the range to get there in one go, stopping at Santa Maria in the Azores for fuel each way. Summer 1981 saw the 6 month lease of 707-355C G-AXRS from British Caledonian which still needed the fuel stop outbound but operated the return sector direct.