747SP in to Bournemouth?

[EGHI_or_bust]

Evening all, I live in Chandlers Ford and earlier this afternoon I saw a 747SP flying over in the direction of Bournemouth.

Can anyone confirm if indeed the plane did land at Bournemouth, and if so why?

Thanks

eghi_or_bust

[amanoffewwords]

Probably VP-BAT - belongs to Qatar Royals I believe.

see http://www.747sp.com/History.asp?21648 among other websites that mentions it - airliners.net got so some nice pictures of it.

[QWERTY9]

The aircraft has been based at Bournemouth for about 3 years now. It flys approx 3-4 times per month and is regularly seen over the Southampton area

[Skijumper27]

VP-BAT is at the moment Parked on the North side of what was 17/35 close to it's Hangar now.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Here's a snap I took of it at Hurn in January last year..
http://www.brendan-mccartney.fotopic.net/p37604389.html

[merlinxx]

Does it not do the school runs?

[747SP]

VP-BAT is EX Qatari Royal. not flying alot these days, I would be very surprised if the operation was still around in 5 years. Its managed by Victoria aviation. The crew are lovely and the flight deck really nice chaps and yes the AC is based in Bournmouth

[EGHI_or_bust]

Thanks all ! :ok:

I was just so taken aback to see one overhead.

Don't often see anything THAT big in the So'ton area

eghi_or_bust

[SpringHeeledJack]

Just out of interest, what sort of schedule would the crew have considering that the plane is only flown a few times a month ? Do they just sit around Bournemouth airport waiting for the call (or perhaps lounging in their gardens on Sandbanks ;) ) OR do they fly for other airlines/operators and work ad/hoc for Victoria/Qatari Emiri ?

Strangely enough i was sitting at my desk on Sunday night and looked up and saw said craft descending through (16,000ft at a guess :8) south of London heading in a WSW direction.


Regards


SHJ

[SpringHeeledJack]

Anyone know the answer to my question in the previous post, 747SP in particular ?

1,044 viewings and no answers, come on chaps (and chapesses :) )


Regards


SHJ

[dixi188]

For about 5years European Air Charted had some ex BA 747-200's and they were often parked at Hurn when not in use. I saw 5 747's at the same time at BOH.
The fusalage of one of them is still outside 427 hangar on the north west side.

[flyvirgin]

I was at the airport for a month and it flew about 6 times, I had to go around when i was on final because it was coming close behind:}

[Jizkid]

To partially answer your question Springheeledjack, I'm having an IR lesson with one of the crew tomorrow

[SpringHeeledJack]

Thanks jizkid (nice name :})!

Perhaps you could get the skinny whilst filling in the silent pauses during the lesson :) I'm just curious, so whatever info would be appreciated. Hoping your lesson goes well.


Regards


SHJ

[747SP]

Hi Guys

The crew are on standby and live in the south of England and are nicely given at least 24hrs notice sometimes they know well in advance no problems at all with this operation they are part time really! nice job if you can get it in, but no one ever leaves as its a good deal and they only fly the lead pax and do not use the plane for any other reasons other than that. I reckon they fly around 150hrs a year. (if that) hope this helps...

[SpringHeeledJack]

Thankyou 747SP!

Sounds like a nice gig to have, no wonder the crew don't move on :D

There can't be too many operations like that, especially as the crew is effectively 'home' based and close to their creature comforts, rather than based away or on a 2 on 2 off or variation thereof. Yesterday i spied another of the SP's coming into EGLL from the Saudi Royal Flight, there aren't too many of them about anymore and it's always a pleasure to see one, rather than the generic same same these days.

Thanks again


SHJ

[matkat]

I was thye customer support engineer for VP-BAT whilst under the management of SR Technics STN

[Punch]

Come to Stansted,

It has been 747SP heaven for the last 12 days. Oman Royals, Bahrain Royals and Saudi Royals have all been coming and going in their SP's as well as their 400's.

Lovely stuff...

[jackaroo747]

I saw the 747 land at bournemouth airport on Sunday (1st March 2009) and after it landed it taxiied into one of the large hangars. There was no activity around the plane; it just dissapeared into the hangar where presumably the occupants disembarked. Does anyone know why exactly it flies so little and what a Qatar aircraft is doing at an english airport? Is it that it can be used for travel around the country?

Regards, Jack :ok:

[dabchick]

Saw the SP over North Wiltshire on Sunday 1st March at about 3pm presumably heading for BOH. Looked great against the blue sky.
Nice to see the old lady where she belongs.

[b377]

Wonder if it is ex-PanAm stock? Most of the SPs were built for PanAm although I wouldn't ruleout the Arabs acquiring them new as biz planes with that extra leg room or toys.

I saw a brown/gold SP at Hurn about 10 years ago so its been flying in a good while.

[Newforest2]

Correct b377, ex Pan Am, then ex United.

[loveJet]

i still cant get over how little the crew fly...

how many cabin attendants do they have?

Dont the pilots need to do a lot of sim activity flying the real thing so infrequently?

[trident3A]

She's just arrived at Heathrow this afternoon!
(photo from Heathrow Cam (http://www.heathrowcam.net/indexnew.php?page=4&view=1&photo=44458&mode=1))

[ptr120]

I seem to remember another thread about this some time ago. The son of a member of some middle east Royal family was (sic) attending one of the South coast universities and used it for frequent trips home.

[jackaroo747]

Hi All

I have heard rumours while I was watching the 747SP land at bournemouth on the 1st March. It was said the aircraft that dabchick saw
over North Wiltshire had flown in from Dublin. It was also said that on Saturday (28th Febuary) it was seen at Rome. 4 flights in one month sounds a little more frequent than usual to me. Does anyone know why?

Regards, Jack :ok:

[HZ123]

It takes me back to VC 10 'VJ' and the 707 a/c that then used to be LHR based and then moved on to STN.

[GK430]

There was a photo of it in AvNews a month or so ago training up at Prestwick.
Thought it had a new owner/operator and was available for charter?

[jackaroo747]

Hi all

I saw the 747 sometime last week (week beginning 6th April) and it was flying at about 6,000 ft, perhaps. It was headed towards bournemouth.
Anyone know its payload or flight path?

Regards, Jack :ok:

[Hartington]

I hope it's being better looked after these days. Not long after UA took over the PA Pacific routes I had the privilege of being shown around the UA base af SFO. One of the aircraft we went through was ex Pan Am and the comments about the amount of corrosion on the ex PA fleet was frightening.

But the thing that I always remember was going through the place where they pack life-rafts to fit in the back of a door. They were compressing it using the sort of equipment and lacing that Victorian Ladies used with their corsets.

[Phalconphixer]

Its a 'permanent feature' on Google Earth... 50. 47'11.48" N 001 50'28.63" W

Note also the much hacked about remains of two of Europeans 747-200's
at 50.47'14.82 N 001 50'55.20"

Imagery Date 07 April 2007...

[WindSheer]

The crew are probably all close to retirement, just doing a bit to 'get out of the house'! Those type of jobs are purely 'who you know'!!

[Lubricant Specialist]

One of the fight crew is an ex Concorde captain and a nicer man you could not wish for.

[Da Do Ron Ron]

The aircraft belongs to the Qatari Amiri Flight but is used soley by the ex Emir of Qatar who was overthrown by his son Hamad the current Emir.

Either he lives near Bournmouth or the airport charges there are better than other airports in area.

[cambox]

The reason is the charges at EGHH. The family have houses in Europe and Qatar. Typical flight picks up the family at LHR or CDG before it trips back to Doha.
Great group of guys that look after the old girl.

She will be replaced soon with a brand new 747-8 as the new family hack! Rumour is it will still be based at Bournemouth.

[crewmeal]

Talking of 747SP, I wonder what's happened to Syrianair's aircraft. I doubt whether they are flying and spares for them must be unavailable because of the embargo.

JetPhotos.Net Photo » YK-AHA (CN: 21174) Syrianair - Syrian Arab Airlines Boeing 747SP-94 by Sam Randles (http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7322724&nseq=0)

[Newforest2]

YK-AHA and YK-AHB are both recorded as 'stored', so you can guess why but you can buy 'AHA' (as a diecast model).

Model Aircraft : Boeing B 747SP-94 Syrianair 1980 YK-AHA by Diecast.aero (http://www.diecast.aero/model-id-526-boeing-b-747sp-94-syrianair-1980-yk-aha.html)

[trident3A]

There used to be a lot of SPs in and out of Heathrow with Iranian, Syrian and Saudi aircraft arriving every week. Sounds like we're reaching the end of the line. Growing up in to the 80s there was always something super-glamorous about the long-range SP - amazing they've been kept flying this long :ok:

[mutt]

Saudi still operate 3 of them.

Mutt

[DaveReidUK]

And P&WC operate a couple as flying testbeds:

http://www.airlinereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/PrattTB1-640x480.jpg

[Tableview]

Saw a couple lined up on the tarmac at at Tehran IKA last year looking rather forlorn. I think they have 3 or 4.

SAA and its sanctions busting subsidiary Luxavia used to use them in and out of SA.

[Lightning Mate]

To the best of my knowledge (and I live here) the owners' daughter(s) attend private school in these parts.

The aeroplane is thus based here.

Expensive school run!