BA Narrowbodies - 737/A320 Fleet History

[Diverskii]

Hoping there are some people who can share their knowledge of BA's narrowbody fleet history:

Starting with the 737-200s (I think as Trident replacements). The first batch was G-BGDA through BGDU delivered 80-81. One little curiosity: anyone know why GBGDA (youngest line number) was delivered in 81, after BGDB-DU? Then there was BGJE - BGJM leased 82/83 for Airtours.

Then there was the lease of a batch 737-200s (BKYA-BKYP) as an interim measure in part to replace Tridents. They were one-year rolling leases from 84/85 as BA didn't want to commit to a new generation narrowbody (A320, 737 Classic, or MD) until the privatisation issue was dealt with. This explains why BA were taking -200s in 84 when everyone else was ordering the newer models. In the end those 1-year rolling leases of -200s lasted decades of course meaning BA was operating -200s in to the new millennium!

The first Classics were a few -300s leased from other airlines in 88-90, but BA's own -400s weren't ordered until 91/92 with the G-DOCA-DOCX series. Dan Airs -400s joined the fleet in 92 followed by some other leases in 93.

10x 500s were leased in 2000, I think to go to Gatwick. (G-GFFA-GFFJ). Then some more -300 lease in 2000/2001 G-LGTE-GTI.

The large A320 series order came in 1998, just a 6 years after they started taking 737-400s.

Think all of the above is correct from my own understanding, but if anyone else could shed some light on the narrowbody orders that would be interesting.

In particular, it seems BA delayed the new generation decision from 83 until the 90s - when they opted for 737 Classics and then A320s within a few years of each other?

[Groundloop]

You haven't mentioned the first 10 A320s which were delivered to BA but originally ordered by BCAL. At least one A320 was painted in BCAL livery but repainted before delivery to BA. Deliveries began in 1988. These were the only A320-100s operated by BA, all subsequent A320s were -200 series aircraft.

[pax britanica]

Ditching the 737 for the Airbus was the only good thing Robert ( ethnic tails) Ayling did for BA wasn't it

[DaveReidUK]

Ditching the 737 for the Airbus was the only good thing Robert ( ethnic tails) Ayling did for BA wasn't it

Well that and the ethnic tails. :O

[tubby linton]

With reference to the B732 fleet I seem to remember about the aircraft being damaged whilst a temporary long range nav kit was being fitted for the delivery flight.

[rog747]

BA first dabbled with the 737-200 in the late 70's with a few leased from Transavia Holland - I used to see them at LHR when I worked there for BMA 77-85

When BA and BA airtours got their own they had ''Super 737'' titles near the read door

The A320 was first inherited from the BCAL order for 10

[TopBunk]

The -300's were leased from Maersk, iirc, and were G-CMMP/R and G-BOZA/B - I last flew one of these on 25/1/1992

The -400's came into service in late 1991, I first flew one on 8/11/1991

The inherited BCal A320's were A320-100's G-BUSB/F, and A320-200's G-BUSG/K, all with CFM56 engines

[treadigraph]

With reference to the B732 fleet I seem to remember about the aircraft being damaged whilst a temporary long range nav kit was being fitted for the delivery flight.

I recall seeing G-BGDB and C at Heathrow in very early March 1980 and a BA manager, father of a school friend, explaining why 'DA would be delivered late... buggered if I can recall why though!

[condor17]

Think DA was held back by Boeing for avionics testing . Possibly our 73's were very early ADV [ Super ? ] models , certainly with 2 channel a/p enabling Cat111A , 50' 200m. a/land. With full P2 instrument panel . Got posted to Ba Airtours in 1987 , where met an Air Europe and Brit's lease , DV , WE ? P2 flew from right side with control wheel steering , basic flight insts. Lower the pitch for level off , engage ht lock and hdg ... Not the full flight system that's been in Boeings ever since .
Airtour's machines also had Omega nav kit ? 'Tho it had a reputation for not being good on North or South or at night . [ large proportion of our routes ] .
Plus HF radio . Useful for calling ' Architect ' to relay Ops normal , eta GIB , fuel requirements and of course GIB wx ! Plus a patch from Portishead radio to home telephone no. '' Hey Dad , I'm looking down on Tunisia and Longstop Hill , where you fought in 1943 '' . But brilliant for charter work , in patching through Speedbird Radio to Airtours Ops when probs arose in charters to strange places .
Possibly late ordering of 2nd batch 732s due privatisation , ie financial . Or we were broke again .
300's brill power to wt ratio with derates removed . Christmas eve '88 , NCL - LHR , 20 pax , cold clear , hi pressure , head wind . Full power against the brakes , 10 sec ground roll , 0-117kts [ VMCA , Vr ] . Time to 21000 outstanding , but forgotten .. FL210 was tops that NCL/Pennine could clear us to , and we had to level B4 London could organise further climb . All on Mick McK..s [ RIP ] route check .
When we comparing 73s and 320s , friend in flt planning compared fuel plans .... Both approx 150 pax , 2 CFMs ... But 320 had 7 tonnes heavier APS weight ! Is the wing that much better to be cheaper ?
Own opinion , but don't think Ayling did ANY good .

We were ruled by a King ,
Governed by a Marshall ,
Then we were Ayling ......

Which is where I'll leave it .

rgds condor .

[WHBM]

Along with the late 1970s Transavia 737s, BA also leased in Britannia 737s at the same time as well, an unusual sight on the jetways at Terminal 1 (in fact I can recall side-by-side with Transavia). There were multiple issues with the Trident fleet over time which required significant mods and the fleet available being reduced. Other "borrowings" were surplus Super VC-10s from the long haul side, sufficiently permanent to appear in the timetable as such, and of all things an American Trans Air 727 which remained on the US register (and with an ATA crew) but with minimalistic BA titles applied. This normally served as one of the backups on the Glasgow Shuttle, presumably it had been leased by the hour.

The Airtours fleet were also commonly over at Heathrow in the off-season as substitutes, as they had been ever since initial Comet days.

1 year rolling leases that go on are not as uncommon as one might think, the first American Airlines MD-80s in the 1980s were done on the same basis, known as "Sweetheart leases", because it's easy to say "Sweetheart, goodbye" (apparently !), and those not only ran for the life of the aircraft but were precursors to a fleet of about 300. The financials and terms are generally renegotiated as time goes on.

If you want some good detail these downloadable spreadsheet-format lists seem to be as quickly searchable and as accurate as you can now get, including the longer term leasings

http://www.airlinerlist.com/

[TopBunk]

All on Mick McK..s [ RIP ] route check .

Absolutely - a grand lad! RIP indeed

[Diverskii]

Thanks for all the great input folks - keep em coming.

[Janet Spongthrush]

The inherited BCal A320's were A320-100's G-BUSB/F, and A320-200's G-BUSG/K, all with CFM56 engines

Over on flyertalk.com I read a post where someone said they flew BA to Barcelona around a French ATC strike on a G-BUSx ex-BCal A320, so ‘inner-oceanic/Tango routes’ one assumes. The poster said they were told that the other BA A320 fleet G-EUxx etc couldn’t do this.

I could guess at the kit (HF? INS? Omega?) that the BCal A320s had to enable this, but wondered if anyone had a definitive answer.

cheers (and if too thread drifty Mods pls delete)

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

G-BGDA was delivered so late that BA had changed their livery and it had to be amended. It test flew as “British airways” and entered service as “British”.

[bean]

Going back to the first post, the 200s had long gone by 2000 The 500s were seny to Birmingham and Manchester when they arrived but, when BA took over Cityflyer they were replaced by Cityflyers RJ100s and transferred to Gatwick.
G-BGDA was held back by Boeing for avionic development work. It was never damaged as one post suggested

[WHBM]

G-BGDA was held back by Boeing for avionic development work. It was never damaged as one post suggested
Long been a Boeing approach to agree to hold back a production aircraft for various development work, releasing it anything from months to a year or more later. Airbus seem to have a different approach and have far more long term in-house aircraft engaged in ongoing internal work than Boeing would normally do.

[N707ZS]

Was G-BKYA the one they tried a grey/silver colour scheme on.

[Diverskii]

Going back to the first post, the 200s had long gone by 2000 ....

I think the last -200s bowed out in 2001?

[DaveReidUK]

I think the last -200s bowed out in 2001?

Yes, the final B732, G-BGDJ, was de-registered on 26th June 2001.

[Flying Fred]

Over on flyertalk.com I read a post where someone said they flew BA to Barcelona around a French ATC strike on a G-BUSx ex-BCal A320, so ‘inner-oceanic/Tango routes’ one assumes. The poster said they were told that the other BA A320 fleet G-EUxx etc couldn’t do this.

I could guess at the kit (HF? INS? Omega?) that the BCal A320s had to enable this, but wondered if anyone had a definitive answer.

Janet, the G-BUSx series of A320s had HF radios fitted which enabled them to use the Tango routes if needed. To the best of my knowledge, most of the G-EUxx series do not. However, I believe a few of them have the HF aerials fitted and the ability to quickly fit an HF box to provide some capability to get round the inevitable French ATC strikes.

As far as nav kit goes, the G-BUSx series didn't have GPS fitted but all A320 have inertial reference systems (IRSs) which enable them to use the oceanic routes. Also, the G-BUSx series weren't ETOPs capable so had to stay within 1 hour of a suitable airport which pretty much restricted them to the Tango routes as far as oceanic operations went. As far as I'm aware, none of BA's current 320 series fleet are ETOPs capable with the exception of the sole A318.

FF