BA DC10 Lease

[Seat62K]

The Mt. Erebus thread has reminded me that BA leased - for quite a long time, if I remember correctly - a DC10-30 from Air New Zealand.

I would be grateful to know if I am correct in thinking: that the leased DC10 only flew LHR-LAX-LHR (I seem to recall that it might also have served Mirabel); that it flew 6 times a week and not daily; and that DC10s were "rotated" weekly, with one having arrived at LAX from LHR continuing to New Zealand and vice versa (this would explain why the aircraft never flew in BA colours).

Many thanks!

[forget]

Some stuff here - 1977 | 2466 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1977/1977%20-%202466.html)

and......

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/resources/company_history_feb_06.pdf

[scrivenger]

This should help....................

Aviation Photos: Air New Zealand LOT - Polish Airlines / Polskie Linie Lotnicze (Air New Zealand) Ansett Australia Airlines (Air New Zealand) Star Alliance (Air New Zealand) Untitled (Star Alliance (Air New Zealand)) McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (C-10 Ext (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=McDonnell+Douglas+DC-10+%28C-10+Extender%29%7CBoeing+MD-10&airlinesearch=Air+New+Zealand%7CLOT+-+Polish+Airlines+%2F+Polskie+Linie+Lotnicze+%28Air+New+Zeala nd%29%7CAnsett+Australia+Airlines+%28Air+New+Zealand%29%7CSt ar+Alliance+%28Air+New+Zealand%29%7CUntitled+%28Star+Allianc e+%28Air+New+Zealand%29%29&countrysearch=&specialsearch=&daterange=&keywords=&range=&sort_order=&page_limit=15&thumbnails=&calccount=1373851&truecount=false&engine_version=6.0)

[renfrew]

There was a previous thread about this which you can search for.
Boston,Miami and Montreal were also served at various times.

[PIK3141]

ANZ DC10's flew the BA282 from LAX to LHR, well remembered here at PIK because if we had LHR diversions, it would always divert being near the limit of its range. The PA120 from LAX similarly diverted here regularly in those days. I would have thought BA282 was a continuation of the ANZ Auckland - LAX flight, so would have been a different aircraft each day ?

[Liffy 1M]

The LHR-LAX flight was BA599 and the reciprocal BA598 before the transatlantic flights were renumbered. I think the "500" series numbers were from the old BOAC sequence.

[WHBM]

I was a regular pax on this flight in 1977.

The aircraft operated through London-LAX-Honolulu-Auckland. Different aircraft each day as the westbound flight arrved at LAX shortly after the eastbound had departed, so the lease was of slightly more than one aircraft per day. It was therefore not normally possible for the same aircraft to appear in London two days in successon, in fact the complete cycle required a minimum of three aircraft, and thus the entire Air NZ fleet could appear in a week. Crew were all BA, there being a small group of flight deck to operate it; I believe they did their sim sessions under contract on the KLM DC-10 sim in Amsterdam. The flight numbers were indeed BA 598/9.

Most announcements were therefore done by BA crew with BA accents, but the flight safety briefing was pre-recorded (one of the first such I encountered) and thus delivered in rich Kiwi tones ! Given the normal open-stair boarding at Heathrow there could be amusing comments from other pax about to board the aircraft (in fact the ground crew member at the foot of the steps had to handle multiple "Is this the BA for LAX" type questions !)

There were always a significant number of New Zealanders on board doing the through flight, which was advertised as such, in addition to those for LAX, but there seemed no attempt to market London to Honolulu, which may have been prevented by US regulations of a wholly-Air NZ flight (which it was beyond LAX) taking US domestic passengers.

Air NZ did a nice set of Christmas decorations hanging from the cabin ceiling and it was interesting to see these oscillate in turbulence !

I never quite understood why BA did it. The 747-100 had the range because TWA operated them on the route. It was said to be one of BA's most profitable routes.

Irregularities of operation caused a range of novel difficulties. On one occasion were were all at the gate at Heathrow waiting to board when it was announced the fuellers had gone on strike (yet again) and the flight was cancelled. So all put up in the old Excelsior for the night.

Next day the crew had been sent up to Prestwick (mentioned in post above) and as you were normally close to flight time limits anyway, a second crew was to fly Heathrow to there, where we were to refuel and change crews. Pretty much at the last minute the strike was resolved, the aircraft flew nonstop to LAX, the crew who expected a short trip found themselves in LA, and the crew sent up to Prestwick had wasted their time and presumably had to come back to London again.

Meanwhile the eastbound flight from the first day had been cancelled as well, this was described by the skipper as "Air New Zealand don't let us take an aircraft unless they are getting one back", so the eastbound Air NZ from Auckland was turned round at LAX.

In summer 1978 sufficient 747-200Bs had come on line and that took over most LAX flights. However the leasing arrangement remained in place so two trips a week remained DC-10, which then operated to Heathrow to Montreal and return - I believe that up to that time a 747 had done Heathrow-Montreal-Detroit. Other points like Miami were also servced as covered in a post above. The amount of DC-10 time was actually increased from a notional 1.25 aircraft to a notional 2 aircraft, and this short period was when the same aircraft could appear at Heathrow for several consecutive days, as well as two appearing at once.

[Krakatoa]

I believe the service between LAX and LHR was operated by BA crews because Air New Zealand did not have traffic rights to LHR.
This service also introduced a third pilot on to the flight deck similar to
some present day long haul flights. The third pilot would normally only fly the DC10 in the cruise. The work pattern involved a lot of layover time in LA.

[Wunwing]

The first flight that I did into LAX and only the second for my company,ended up with 4 aircraft arriving at crossing taxiways facing each other. There was heavy fog and ATC were confused as there were 2 Speed Bird call signs but only one visible BA B747 and the BA/NZ DC10.It ended up with 2 of us being pushed to safety by tugs. A bit embarrassing for all but an understandable confusion. I seem to remember both Speedbird call signs were almost identical and when deliverd at machine gun pace, indistiguishable.
Wunwing

[WHBM]

As far as I remember the timings for the DC-10 service were :

Aircraft arrived from AKL/HNL lunchtime

BA 598
LAX : 1630
LHR : 1100 overnight

BA 599
LHR : 1455
LAX : 1800

Aircraft departed for HNL/AKL late evening

On the westbound flight, on arrival at LAX, an announcement was made that through pax to Auckland should collect a voucher from an agent on disembarking for dinner in a restaurant somewhere in the terminal.

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

I know a BA captain and first officer who successfully bid to fly the ANZ DC-10s. The captain was relatively junior on the 707 and the first officer was relatively junior on the VC10. This gave them the opportunity to fly a new wide-bodied type, with a stable work pattern, which their juniority on their existing bidlines didn't allow, albeit on a limited route structure. They both enjoyed it while it lasted.