707, 727, & DC-8 still active in Africa?

[mach zero]

Any Pruners know if there are any 707, 727, or DC-8's still active in Africa? If so what companies and where? Thanks...just a boring 737 flying Yank wondering about the "classics."

[dboy]

Transafrik they use to fly with 727.

And i also thought there were some companies flying dc8 doing cargo flights. But i don't recall their names.

[TOWTEAMBASE]

There are 72s still operating in the UK too

[ian16th]

As Pax, the last 727 I flew in was with Interair to Reunion and the last 707 was with Air Zim to Vic Falls.

Both over 10 years ago.

[kibz2005]

Air Astral based in Nairobi still runs cargo in a 727

[Feather44]

Republic Of Congo as well.
A few companies have 727 and dc8.

[mach zero]

Feather do you know what model DC-8's are flying in DRC? Are they JT-3D powered or Super 70's with the CFM's?

[mach zero]

Anyone know if the 720 hulk is still present at FZWA? 9Q-CFT was the last registration I believe. It overran the runway in 1990 and was left sitting there. Last image I saw of it was from 2006. Reason I ask is it was one of the original 720's that flew for Ambassadair later American Trans Air later still ATA which I flew for in a previous job.

[yambat]

I believe they are the 8-62's with the JT3's

[MungoP]

Reminded of an incident some years back while operating in DCR with a KingAir.. inbound to Lubumbashi from Kisenge... normally straight in on R07 was told tersely by the tower to land on R21.. when queried got not response other than even more tersely "LAND R 21!" then a few moments later was asked if I could make a short landing (on if I remember correctly an 11,000 ft runway with a B200).. approaching the downwind we saw why.. a DC8 had crash-landed following an hydraulic failure and was strewn down almost the entire length of the runway. Hey.. this is Africa.. no reason to close the runway just because a DC8 had crashed on it..

[Fishaman]

This link should provide you with more info in regards to the DC8


http://www.dc-8jet.com/0-dc-8-present-day-summary.htm

[Newforest2]

"Anyone know if the 720 hulk is still present at FZWA? 9Q-CFT was the last registration I believe. It overran the runway in 1990 and was left sitting there. Last image I saw of it was from 2006. Reason I ask is it was one of the original 720's that flew for Ambassadair later American Trans Air later still ATA which I flew for in a previous job."

B.720-48, c/n 18043, 9Q-CFT was broken up at Mbuji Mayi in 2010 after long storage.

[mach zero]

Sad to hear that thanks Newforest. Thank you everyone else for the responses.

[four engine jock]

Just heard that two DC8-73 heading to Nairobi. hope its true

[aherndon]

B707's in service today.......


ARGENTINE AIR FORCE 707 707-300C 1
BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE 707 707-KC137E 2
CHILEAN AIR FORCE 707 707-300B 1
CHILEAN AIR FORCE 707 707-300C 1
COLOMBIAN AIR FORCE 707 707-300C 1
FRENCH AIR FORCE 707 707-E3F 4
GOVERNMENT OF ANGOLA 707 707-300B 1
GOVERNMENT OF D R CONGO 707 707-100B 1
GOVERNMENT OF IRAN 707 707-300C 2
INDIAN AIR FORCE 707 707-300C 1
ISLAMIC REP OF IRAN AIR FORCE 707 707-300C 6
ISRAEL AIR AND SPACE FORCE 707 707-300 1
ISRAEL AIR AND SPACE FORCE 707 707-300B 1
ISRAEL AIR AND SPACE FORCE 707 707-300C 8
JOHN TRAVOLTA 707 707-100B 1
LOWA LIMITED 707 707-300B 1
NATO 707 707-E3A 17
OMEGA AERIAL REFUELLING SVCS 707 707-300C 4
OMEGA AERIAL REFUELLING SVCS 707 707-300T 1
OMEGA AIR INC 707 707-300B 1
OMEGA AIR INC 707 707-300C 2
ROYAL AIR FORCE 707 707-E3D 6
ROYAL SAUDI AIR FORCE 707 707-E3A 5
ROYAL SAUDI AIR FORCE 707 707-KE3A 7
ROYAL SAUDI AIR FORCE 707 707-RE3A 1
ROYAL SAUDI AIR FORCE 707 707-RE3B 1
SAHA AIRLINES 707 707-300C 2
SPANISH AIR FORCE 707 707-300C 1
SPANISH AIR FORCE 707 707-300C(F) 2
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 707 707-300B 1
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 707 707-C18 2
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 707 707-E3B 23
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 707 707-E3C 8
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 707 707-E8C 16
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 707 707-TE8A 1
UNITED STATES NAVY 707 707-E6B 16
VENEZUELAN MILITARY AVIATION 707 707-300C 1

[aherndon]

Ersale dc8 dc8-71cf 1
aersale dc8 dc8-73cf 1
airlift international (ghana) dc8 dc8-63cf 2
airlift international (ghana) dc8 dc8-63f 1
astar air cargo dc8 dc8-73cf 1
astar air cargo dc8 dc8-73f 5
bravo cargo air dc8 dc8-73cf 1
brisair ltd dc8 dc8-62 1
brisair ltd dc8 dc8-72 1
d r congo air force dc8 dc8-55f 1
executive aircraft svcs inc dc8 dc8-63 1
fitsair dc8 dc8-63cf 1
flightstar trading llc dc8 dc8-73af 1
government of togo dc8 dc8-62 1
grg aircraft and leasing dc8 dc8-71f 3
meridian airways dc8 dc8-63f 2
nasa dc8 dc8-72 1
national airlines dc8 dc8-73cf 1
peruvian airlines dc8 dc8-73cf 1
ribway cargo airlines dc8 dc8-73af 1
save a connie inc dc8 dc8-62cf 1
stars away aviation dc8 dc8-62af 1
third star aviation llc dc8 dc8-71f 1
trans air cargo services dc8 dc8-62 1
trans air cargo services dc8 dc8-62af 1
trans air cargo services dc8 dc8-73cf 1
transpacific heavylift inc dc8 dc8-72cf 1
transpacific heavylift inc dc8 dc8-73cf 1

[aherndon]

2excel aviation 727 727-200(f) 1
aeronautical airmotive mods 727 727-200(f) 1
aerosucre colombia 727 727-100(f) 1
aerosucre colombia 727 727-200(f) 3
aerosur 727 727-200 1
afghan air force 727 727-200 2
afghan air force 727 727-200(f) 1
african express airways 727 727-200(f) 1
air class lineas aereas 727 727-200(f) 1
air libya 727 727-200 1
air linkers llc 727 727-100(f) 2
air transport international 727 727-200(f) 1
al anwa establishment 727 727-200 1
al tameer company 727 727-200 1
amerijet international 727 727-200(f) 6
asia pacific airlines 727 727-200(f) 3
associated aviation ltd 727 727-200(f) 2
bahrain royal flight 727 727-200 1
c & g engines corp 727 727-200(f) 1
cargojet airways 727 727-200(f) 8
caribbean cargo carriers llc 727 727-200 1
caribbean cargo carriers llc 727 727-200(f) 1
classic designs of tampa bay 727 727-100 1
clementine aviation 727 727-100 1
colombian air force 727 727-100(f) 1
colombian air force 727 727-200(f) 1
cv cargo sa 727 727-200(f) 1
d r congo air force 727 727-100c 2
ecuadorian air force 727 727-100 1
ecuadorian air force 727 727-200 1
elan express 727 727-200 1
emirate touch avn services 727 727-200(f) 1
exim america corp 727 727-200(f) 1
fba airplane inc 727 727-200 1
flightec international 727 727-100 1
fortune air 727 727-200 1
fry's electronics inc 727 727-200 1
gomair 727 727-100(f) 1
gordon p & ann g getty 727 727-100 1
government of burkina faso 727 727-200 1
government of d r congo 727 727-100 1
government of d r congo 727 727-200 1
government of gambia 727 727-100 2
government of mali 727 727-200 1
government of senegal 727 727-200 1
government of the ivory coast 727 727-200 1
gr avia 727 727-200(f) 1
gulf & caribbean air 727 727-200(f) 4
ibrahim mohammed ghouli 727 727-200 1
iran aseman airlines 727 727-200 3
iran aseman airlines 727 727-200(f) 2
ivoirienne de transports aerie 727 727-200(f) 1
jege inc 727 727-100 1
jet aviation zurich ag 727 727-200 1
jr executive sal 727 727-100 1
k-mile air 727 727-200(f) 1
kalitta charters ii 727 727-200(f) 7
kalitta equipment llc 727 727-100 1
kelowna flightcraft 727 727-200(f) 11
khaled eltoukhy & abdelbaki mo 727 727-100 1
lineas aereas suramericanas 727 727-100(f) 3
lineas aereas suramericanas 727 727-200(f) 5
link air charter llc 727 727-200(f) 1
lloyd aereo boliviano sa 727 727-200 1
majestic air cargo 727 727-200(f) 1
malibu consulting corporation 727 727-100 1
mexican air force 727 727-100 1
mexican air force 727 727-100(f) 1
mexican air force 727 727-200 3
mexican federal police 727 727-200 3
mexican federal police 727 727-200(f) 1
mp aviation llc 727 727-100 1
neptune air 727 727-200(f) 1
panair cargo 727 727-200(f) 2
paradigm air operators 727 727-200 2
paramount jet 727 727-200(f) 1
peter nygard 727 727-100 1
raya airways 727 727-200(f) 5
raytheon company 727 727-200 1
republic of benin 727 727-200 1
rio linhas aereas 727 727-200 1
rio linhas aereas 727 727-200(f) 5
roush air llc 727 727-200 1
services air 727 727-200(f) 6
shazin trading 727 727-100 1
sierra west airlines 727 727-200(f) 1
silk way business aviation 727 727-200 1
ska air (skylink arabia) 727 727-200(f) 1
starling aviation 727 727-100 1
starling aviation 727 727-200 1
strong aviation inc 727 727-200 1
t2 aviation ltd 727 727-200(f) 1
tag aviation (stansted) ltd 727 727-200(f) 2
tam - transporte aereo militar 727 727-200 1
tamarind air 727 727-200 1
the leading edge group llc 727 727-200 2
total linhas aereas 727 727-200(f) 6
transatlantic aviation ltd 727 727-200 1
transportes generales aereos 727 727-200(f) 1
trijet global air llc 727 727-200(f) 4
undisclosed bank / broker / le 727 727-200(f) 1
unknown (canada) 727 727-200(f) 1
unknown (central african rep) 727 727-200 1
usa jet airlines 727 727-200(f) 1
varig log 727 727-200(f) 2
vensecar international 727 727-200(f) 1
weststar aviation services 727 727-100 2
yemenia 727 727-200 1

[Pilotflyer]

Hi,
As far as i Know Air Gemini and Transafrik is still operating a few B727 to transport diesel fuel to diamond mines in remote areas in PRC Congo.
There is a great video on Youtube from a French TV chanel; impressive.
Check via youtube on Transafrik Air Gemeni.

[carlrsymington]

35 years ago I would have been out of bed at 06:00 to make the journey to an airport just to see one of these.
What a sight to see one of these taxing out & taking off.

[dc9-32]

Government of Senegal B727 is currently in USA being modified I believe.

[LeadSled]

Folks,
Interesting looking through some of those lists, I wonder how accurate they are??
For example, John Travolta's aeroplane is not a B707-100B, it is a B707-138B, of which only about 8 or 10 were built, the nearest standard B707 would be a -120B, but a B707-138B is not a -120B.
A lot of the B707 say -300B, I doubt that, I think a closer examination would show that most of them are -320B, a very different aeroplane to a -300.

[four engine jock]

Leadsled
Do you know the Diff between and B707-120B and a 138B
or a B707-200B and 320B???

[kibz2005]

You must be a lot of fun at dinner parties.

[four engine jock]

kibz2005
why would you ask that??
keep to the aviation!!

[SGTpilot2015]

Any 707 operator looking for crews, or am I 20 years too late? :}

[four engine jock]

Sad but yes!!!

[Gsxr600]

Does anyone know if the DC8 at Manston, Kent is still in existence. Used to be very easy to view from the road side.

[JanetFlight]

For those who still wanna find a job at a DC8 here is very good news,,,Samaritan Purse are hiring pilots and engineers:

DC8 Captain Pilot Greensboro Job (http://careers.samaritanspurse.org/dc8-captain-pilot/job/5247345)

Professional Flight Engineer DC8 Greensboro Job (http://careers.samaritanspurse.org/professional-flight-engineer-dc8/job/5247323)

http://www.skyliner-aviation.de/photos/N782SP.jpg

[LeadSled]

fourenginejock,
The difference between a -120 and a -138 was about three frames in the fuselage, the -138 was that much shorter, which made its dutch roll characteristics even more interesting.

The -138s were delivered with JT-3 "straightpipes", but, along with many early B707/720, converted to fan engines. In the -138B, the fan was a JT3D-MC6. The B707-138 was the first Boeing 707 delivered to a non-US customer, they were built for Qantas, the first non-US operator of any Boeing jet. -X38 is the Boeing constructor number for Qantas, -X36 was BOAC, and -X21 was originally PanAm.

As I recall, the major difference between a -120 and a -720 was the -120 had a centre wing tank. Some -720 also had freon air conditioning, instead of air cycle machines.

As for the "full size" 707, compared to the original -300 Intercontinental (using Boeing trade names, not necessarily the same as the name on the type certificate) the 707-320 had a heavily revised wing, with full span leading edge devices, and a different training edge and flap system, that increased the wing area. All weights were up, but the revised wing gave much improved field performance.

Most of the -300 had JT-4 engines, a few had RR Conway (BOAC B707-436? and, from memory, Air France), most -320 had a JT3D-3B, but a few had up to and including the much higher thrust JT3D-7 (SAA).

The only major variants I haven't flown, in about 8000h on 707, is any -200, the Conway powered aircraft, and the -138. A great old aircraft, and the original -300 was, in my opinion, the nicest handling, even if that bad tempered little Welshman, D.P Davies would not agree with me. The -320 could be a bit touchy, particularly on approach.

[four engine jock]

Hi Leadsled
Thanks.
I also have over 8000 hours on the B707. flew the -200 once on a ferry to the desert back in the 80s.
Still love reading anything about B707

[Rwy in Sight]

LeadSled and/or four engine jock,

Could you please provide an explanation to the differences between the 707 and the 720?

Thanks in advance.

[LeadSled]

Rwy in sight,
The B720 was a short range version of the B707-120, as I recall only significant difference was it had no centre wing tank, just the tanks in the wings outboard of the wing roots.
I don't think there was any obvious way of telling the difference just by external view.
As I mentioned in a previous post, some B720 (ex-TWA, I believe) had freon air conditioning. I never saw that on a 707, but that doesn't mean there weren't some built with freon.
When you were flying aeroplanes from a number of different original customers, the flight deck setups were often (always) very different, unlike the present day, where significant variations in a glass cockpit are more or less limited to the colour of the seat covers.
On those jobs, I found I needed to adapt real fast -- an interesting change, coming from an operator whose fleet was absolutely one standard.

[Spooky 2]

Lead Sled you score about 75% on that answer. All B720 and 720B had Center fuel tanks with varying capacity. As I recall the standard fuel load was about 100K but could be bumped to something around 110K. Western Airlines and Continental Airlines, (I think) both flew the from the mainland to PHNL. MGTOW was about 236K for these airplanes.

Some 720B's had Freon, some did not depending on whether the buyer checked the box next to Freon :) WAL had it, CAL did not. Ditto for the 707 320C that each carrier flew.

Most 720's only had one over wing exit on each side. The exception being the EAL 720's which has two on each side.

The standing joke back in those days was each and every new Boeing airliner was a prototype!

[ErwinS]

ZS-OSI at MSE was scrapped last Feb.

[LeadSled]

The standing joke back in those days was each and every new Boeing airliner was a prototype! Spooky 2,
Ain't that the truth.
Just about everything could be customer option.
Not any longer, the certification costs alone dictate a very standard aeroplane.
At one stage, I worked for a crowd who had about 10 or so 707 of various origins.
The only two that were common were to ex-Pan Am 707-321, with JT-4, two of the first ten delivered to Pan Am.
We also had the very last 707 delivered to Pan Am, a -321C, the contrast was very obvious in the cockpit. This -321C was a dedicated freighter, had never been a passenger aircraft, I never envisaged that a -320 could have such a low empty weight.
Even the two ex-Qantas aircraft they had were different series 707-338C.
You became very adaptable very fast.
The great thing about the 707 was they were so simple, of the flight controls, only the rudder and spoilers were hydraulic, they stood up to even the crudest conditions very well.

[Mobotu]

These are the Operational Airframes....
Service Air - 5 x 727-200F's
Trans Air Cargo 1 DC-8-62F & 1 DC-8-73F
Air Force 1 727-100F
Government 2 x 727-100 VIP & 1 707-138B VIP
Aka The Boeing 707 Dreamliner.....
Photo: 9Q-CLK (CN: 17702) Democratic Republic of Congo - Government Boeing 707-138B by Mark Szemberski Photoid: 7684406 - JetPhotos.Net (http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7684406)

[LeadSled]

Folks,
The 707-138B above is getting a bit long in the tooth. The newest it could be is 1963, the earliest 1959.
I hope they are looking after it!!

[Spooky 2]

I had a rather arms length involvement with that airplane way back in the mid 80's when TAG owned it. They wanted out of it so we tried to sell it to the USAF for a parts donor for their KC135 JT3D engine upgrade program. As it turned out the fact the engines on this airplane had been upgraded from their original non fan configuration as opposed to simply hanging new JT3D's on the airplane made it ineligible for the program. TAG was willing to let the airplane go dirt cheap at the time. It had a very nice interior and was a well kept 707! You would have think that parts would be getting scarce. I'm sure it remains on so sort of low utilization maint. plan and those typically call for parts overhaul or replacement based on the calendar rather than time / cycles so the clock is certainly ticking....

[Fris B. Fairing]

The 707-138B in question was built in 1959. Full history here:

VH-EBG (http://www.adastron.com/707/qantas/VH-EBG.htm)

[Rwy in Sight]

LeadSled and Spooky 2,

Thank you very much both of you for your answers. Obviously that created an other very short question: does the two digit at the end of the model -2xx or 3xx is no longer used since all aircraft are identical and can't be modified cockpit wise to customers requests?

[Star1101]

Any ideas if one of the Freighter company's in Congo are in hiring on B727, already typed from previous job with little time on type as aircraft was parked.

[LeadSled]

Rwy in sight,

Boeing has customer numbers that have remained constant for many years,
Qantas was 38.
PanAm 21
BOAC 36 (I think this one goes back to the Stratocruiser)
The original Continental (I think) 23
TWA 31 etc.

Thus, a Qantas B707-320C was a B707-338C, all the way through to the B767-238/338 and B747-238/338/438.
As I recall, one of the ex-Qantas B767-238 has wound up in Africa somewhere.

[Spooky 2]

Blue City Holdings aka Google operates a B767-238ER. It's in Africa from time to time as it is now.

[NG_Kaptain]

The company I flew for had 707-100's, 200's and 300's. The 100's were 138B's, the 200's ex Braniff 227's with JT4's and 321B's with freon cooling and 351C's with cargo doors. Was lucky to fly all except the 200's which were retired before I went on line..what a difference my new steed, the 787, is.

[LeadSled]

NG,
The -138 was a unique aeroplane,it was not a -100, had its own type certificate, there were only about 8 or 10 built, they had a shorter fuselage tha. a -120. They were delivered with JT-3, that were later converted to JT3B-MC6.

As I recall, there was also a major retrofit of leading edge devices ---- did the -138B you flew have small leading edge slates/Kruger flaps more or less full span ??

The -138A/B is one of the few major variants I have not flown.

I think some of the remaining -138B ( John Travolta's aeroplane) have had the - MC6 engines replaced by -3D with low noise cowls.

[Spooky 2]

Interesting trivia. The ex NWA -351C had the cargo door but no cargo floor rendering them almost useless as freighters.

[LeadSled]

Spooky 2,
How very odd??

All 21 Qantas -320 were -320C, ie -338C, and Oh! Boy! did they have a high empty weight, compared to a passenger -320, yet only two of the QF aircraft ever operated as freighters in Qantas service.

Somebody had the bright idea that they would be more re-salable (spelling?) as freighters, so we burnt a lot of fuel to support the re-sale price years later.

Maybe NW was just as dopy, buy a cargo door, but save weight with a passenger floor.

Best one I ever flew was a -321C, one of the last B707 built, delivered new to PanAm, a dedicated freighter, it had a very nice low empty weight.

It came to my then employer from a Texas mob, Maverick Ranch, and the cargo door liner said, in letters that covered the whole door: Maverick Ranch -- World's Biggest Bullshippers".

[stilton]

Leadsled,


Continental's customer number was -24


Our 727's / 757/ 767/ 777's were 224's

[dboy]

Saw recently 9G-AXA rotten away in yaounde, cameroon. Very sad to see this.:(

[MarkerInbound]

American is 23.