BEA airtours/British airtours 1970 onwards

[merlinxx]

Anyone remember the Comet & B707-436 (O yes and Spread Legs as well) ?

[Evanelpus]

Didn't understand a word of that mate!

[merlinxx]

What don't you understand ?

[SpringHeeledJack]

Buggered if I know what you're referring to Mr Merlin, but it sure sounds like a very accommodating hostie ;)



SHJ

[Sygyzy]

Everyone who was there knows these a/c and what's being talked about...

You can't be nostalgic about summat if you weren't there.

[Tagron]

Spread Legs was the name given to a very old 707 owned by Dan Air but leased for a time to BA. G-AYSL was considered to be well used to the point of being worn out. In short it gained the name Spread Legs because it was thought to be f****d :mad:

[A30yoyo]

In AirTours markings
Photos: Boeing 707-321 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airtours-(Dan-Air/Boeing-707-321/0522493/&sid=270216ab72af16d7cab46656789b2aee)


and seen here after British Airtours lease with residual blue cheatline

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5100/5540460225_a6e69b6961_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/53277566@N06/5540460225/)
Boeing 707-321 G-AYSL (http://www.flickr.com/photos/53277566@N06/5540460225/) by fordflightphotos (http://www.flickr.com/people/53277566@N06/), on Flickr

[SpringHeeledJack]

Thankyou Mr Tagron, that explains things. I have the feeling that I might well have flown on it in Dan Air colours from LGW to somewhere that escapes my mind. Did it ever end up in Lasham or Stansted parked up before the chop by any chance ?


SHJ

[Tagron]

I don't know where it finally met its end but certainly it appeared at Lasham from time to time, where Dan-Air had their maintenance base.
It also flew for BA mainline, mostly on LHR-TLV.

[Krakatoa]

I seem to remember a Dan Air 707 crashed after the tail broke off. Did Dan Air have more than one 707.

[Chris Scott]

Krakatoa,
Not sure how many 707s Dan had, but their freighter that crashed at Lusaka in 1977 was a Dash 320C, and it wasn't G-AYSL. IIRC (I was on them in BCAL at that time), the HS (tailplane) on one side failed when full flap was selected in the usual manner on short final (requiring extra nose-up trim, courtesy of the HS).

[airsmiles]

G-AYSL was scrapped at Lasham in February 1983.

G-BEBP was the B707-320C that crashed at Lusaka, but it was leased to IAS Cargo at the time. It was a landmark accident that meant all tailplanes on 707's had to be modified.

[SpringHeeledJack]

It was a landmark accident that meant all tailplanes on 707's had to be modified.

What was done ? Did it add much weight to the tailplane ?



SHJ

[merlinxx]

Were you with us in KT ? PM if you wish

[airsmiles]

I'm not a technical person by as I understand it, the tailplane suffered a fatigue crack in a particular spar and they had to redesign that part of the tale. No doubt someone better qualified to do so, will clarify exactly what was required.

[A30yoyo]

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/9-1978%20G-BEBP.pdf

[BEagle]

It was always interesting flying with Desperate Dan as you never knew which museum piece would be operating the route.

Certainly Gatwick-Mahon saw Comets, 707s and (I think) 727s and 1-11s?

Capt. Sintes once flew us back during the 1978 Spanish ATC work-to-rule at FL170 - the only level she could get. Took ages, but at least we got home! I think that was in the wonderful old Comet.

[skytrain10]

Merlinxx...remember them very well.
Had my first flight in G-ARGM, a Comet 4 of BEA Airtours in 1973. Later flew in SL when it was with Dan Air. Despite the former's reputation, my flight at least operated on time:). At that time I was at Laker where we had a dubiously nicknamed 1-11...pink knickers! Happy days.

[dixi188]

IIRC the 707 stab mods involved adding strap plates to the centre spar and removing all the fasteners in the top and bottom spars, shot peening the spars to stress relieve them, and fitting Hi Lok fasteners instead of rivets. I was involved in the last one to be done at BCAL, and I think it took about 4 weeks to complete.

I don't think British Airtours 707-436s were modified and they were retired at the end of 1981 or 82 which was the Airworthiness Directive date for compliance.