Gabon Express
Thread Starter
The Cooler King
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,717
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From: Europe
Gabon Express
Great video here of the Caravelle and the 748.
You could put it into spotter's gallery.....but it doesn't do it justice!
(I think the nose of the Caravelle was so far ahead of its time.
Check out the 787 for a comparison.)
You could put it into spotter's gallery.....but it doesn't do it justice!
(I think the nose of the Caravelle was so far ahead of its time.
Check out the 787 for a comparison.)
Last edited by Farrell; 25th July 2013 at 09:30.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,155
Likes: 112
From: There and here
Great video! They look like a nice bunch of guys doing the flying. Is the Caravelle still flying I wonder ? Looks great, as you say after all these years. That port engine seemed to be running a bit rich though 
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: equatorial side of the Polar Jet
caravelle
The cockpit nose was derived from DH Comet?
That extra windshield spacer/divider is to help the PF with nosewheel alignment?
How common were the instrument panels with the Comet?
Did it carry a Flight Engineer?
Once the Caravelle left Paris Orly with the first all female tri-crew!
That extra windshield spacer/divider is to help the PF with nosewheel alignment?
How common were the instrument panels with the Comet?
Did it carry a Flight Engineer?
Once the Caravelle left Paris Orly with the first all female tri-crew!
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 146
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From: Kinshasa DRC
The End Of The Road.....
Sadly this Caravelle when to Airplane Heaven where all good birds go to rest in peace........The last surviving 11R was cut up in Kinshasa 1 year ago to improve Aviation Safety in DRC(Even though it had been on the ground for 5 years) - what can I say very sad but the EXPERTS said it had to be cut up to reduce the number of accidents - these fools(I am being nice) who manage Aviation in Africa and speak about aviation like it was invented some time last week during half time over a game of football - have NO idea that to move forward we NEED to Accept the past, Understand the Present and Look to the Future!
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 93
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From: Northwest-Southwest
The LH JT8D of this Caravelle lacked the optional 50K mod to the burner and burner cans; the French air force only got around to spending the money for one engine each of the three Caravelle 11Rs that operated in the Pacific -- before sale and moving to Africa.
Although noses from the Comet line were used on the two prototype Caravelles in 1955/56, this section was re-engineered for production Caravelles. The 11R had the further modified cockpit (including new window arrangement) (for the sale to United). So nothing in common left with the Comet except for the diameter measurements. The Caravelle undoubtedly had one of quietest cockpits (quieter than the Comet for some reason).
Windshield design was late 1950s, had to use existing art for the transparencies.
Flight engineer was optional. Caravelle was the first two-man crew jet airliner (with Finnair). Most original operators used three (a few, such as Varig, had a nav = no aids at time in Brasil) .
Not sure about the three female crew on a Caravelle: Air Inter's first three female trip was with a Mercure. AFAIK, there was only one French female Caravelle pilot, but standing by to be corrected.
This particular Caravelle 11R was written off at GYI in 2004, a pity.
Also a shame to see the one at FIH get cut up for no good reason; it looked pretty tidy even near the end.
Although noses from the Comet line were used on the two prototype Caravelles in 1955/56, this section was re-engineered for production Caravelles. The 11R had the further modified cockpit (including new window arrangement) (for the sale to United). So nothing in common left with the Comet except for the diameter measurements. The Caravelle undoubtedly had one of quietest cockpits (quieter than the Comet for some reason).
Windshield design was late 1950s, had to use existing art for the transparencies.
Flight engineer was optional. Caravelle was the first two-man crew jet airliner (with Finnair). Most original operators used three (a few, such as Varig, had a nav = no aids at time in Brasil) .
Not sure about the three female crew on a Caravelle: Air Inter's first three female trip was with a Mercure. AFAIK, there was only one French female Caravelle pilot, but standing by to be corrected.
This particular Caravelle 11R was written off at GYI in 2004, a pity.
Also a shame to see the one at FIH get cut up for no good reason; it looked pretty tidy even near the end.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 629
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From: Been around the block
There's one in Bujumbura. Was supposedly the lowest time Caravelle in the world. Has a nice patina to it and I've got some photos of the Air Burundi Toyota HiLux with a mismatched bed parked in front of her with some DC-3's in the background.
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 93
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From: Northwest-Southwest
Thanks for the update 4 runner
After 21 years parked at BJM, I guess it would have a nice patina.
I haven't checked the times for the 40 or so extant airframes, but when retired the BJM Caravelle had around 29,000 hours (it had flown for Air France for 12 years). The former French presidential (de Gaulle) Caravelle, now with the museum at Le Bourget, had less than 10k when it was retired.
After 21 years parked at BJM, I guess it would have a nice patina.
I haven't checked the times for the 40 or so extant airframes, but when retired the BJM Caravelle had around 29,000 hours (it had flown for Air France for 12 years). The former French presidential (de Gaulle) Caravelle, now with the museum at Le Bourget, had less than 10k when it was retired.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 629
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From: Been around the block
How do I post photos on here? I just looked at my Caravelle pic again. A beautiful aircraft. Haven't been to Buj in awhile and forgot how good these aircraft look. A French aircraft in front of a French built terminal. I mean...who else but the French would build a terminal that looks like female breasts?
Joined: Dec 2004
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
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From: Germany
The last flying Caravelle...
The last flying Caravelle was a III, MSN116, ex-Finnair OH-LED, French Air Force as 116/CE and F-ZACE as a flying testbed for CEV. You can pay it a visit at Musée Européen de l'Aviation de Chasse, Montélimar, France. Its final flight was in 1998.
Then there's Le Caravelle Club Le Caravelle Club - Start in Stockholm. They have MSN210 SE-DAI and want to get it back into the air. Good luck with that!
(Thanky, I'll get my anorak.)
Then there's Le Caravelle Club Le Caravelle Club - Start in Stockholm. They have MSN210 SE-DAI and want to get it back into the air. Good luck with that!
(Thanky, I'll get my anorak.)
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 144
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From: Bishops Stortford
The last flying Caravelle was a III, MSN116, ex-Finnair OH-LED, French Air Force as 116/CE and F-ZACE as a flying testbed for CEV. You can pay it a visit at Musée Européen de l'Aviation de Chasse, Montélimar, France. Its final flight was in 1998.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 146
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From: Kinshasa DRC
Waltair DRC operated theirs until at least 2007 and it was only recently broken up to "Improve Aviation Safety" in Africa.
Another one crashed in Columbia a few years ago as well.....
Another one crashed in Columbia a few years ago as well.....
Last edited by Mobotu; 14th August 2013 at 22:58.
