Longtail Aviation

[srjumbo747]

There was a Longtail 340 at Heathrow yesterday which diverted from somewhere.
I’ve looked at their website and couldn’t find out much more than they are based in the Bahamas. Did they divert from Nassau or are they a legit company?

[Zombywoof]

Do you know the difference between the Bahamas and Bermuda?

[Pistonprop]

Are you certain it was an A340? Or do you mean LGT340? As far as I know the airline has 4 B747s in its fleet, although I'm not sure that all four are operational as yet. Of course it's quite possible that they sub-chartered an A340 from somewhere. Basically they are a worldwide cargo company registered in Bermuda. I've seen them in Maastricht several times a week.

[DaveReidUK]

The only A340 at LHR yesterday was one of Maleth's from Seoul which diverted in, presumably due to winds at BOH.

Nothing to do with Longtail, Bermuda or the Bahamas ...

[srjumbo747]

Well I may have got my Bermuda and Bahamas mixed up but there was an A340 with red engines there (I think ex Virgin).
Confused dot com! Yes!

[Pistonprop]

Must have been. The only LGT on Monday was the 3301 a B744 from LAX to MST. Mind you, it did pass just south of LHR at 1850(L), albeit at FL370.

[SpringHeeledJack]

As mentioned, it belongs to Maleth Aero of Malta, based at BOH, ex-Virgin and flies primarily between BOH and the far-east ferrying medical supplie from there back to the UK.

[DaveReidUK]

As mentioned, it belongs to Maleth Aero of Malta, based at BOH, ex-Virgin and flies primarily between BOH and the far-east ferrying medical supplie from there back to the UK.

And appropriately registered 9H-PPE !

[Flightmech]

As mentioned earlier if it was a 340 not Longtail. Longtail have 2 -400Fs already and just leased a third ex-Virgin 747 (G-VXLG) now VQ-BZV. It's currently at STN having the seats removed and will be used as a "pax-freighter" with freight strapped to the seat tracks.

[back to Boeing]

As mentioned earlier if it was a 340 not Longtail. Longtail have 2 -400Fs already and just leased a third ex-Virgin 747 (G-VXLG) now VQ-BZV. It's currently at STN having the seats removed and will be used as a "pax-freighter" with freight strapped to the seat tracks.

I thought it had been ferried to BEDEK to be converted in to a 747-400BDSF so a proper freighter as opposed to a pax-freighter

[srjumbo747]

As mentioned earlier if it was a 340 not Longtail. Longtail have 2 -400Fs already and just leased a third ex-Virgin 747 (G-VXLG) now VQ-BZV. It's currently at STN having the seats removed and will be used as a "pax-freighter" with freight strapped to the seat tracks.
Are they legit?

[Pistonprop]

Yes, they are legit. Why do you ask?

[srjumbo747]

Yes, they are legit. Why do you ask?
Dunno. I’ve been flying most of my life and never heard of them. Had a look at their website and still none the wiser.

[Flightmech]

It certainly arrived from Tel Aviv but I was walking around it last Friday afternoon at STN and it wasnt converted. I was told by someone at the London Jet Centre it was going into the hangar to have the seats removed and will be used as a pax-freighter? Unless its going back to Tel Aviv afterwards.

[Pistonprop]

Dunno. I’ve been flying most of my life and never heard of them. Had a look at their website and still none the wiser.

OK, well I've heard of them and they've been in and out of my local airport almost daily since they acquired their 2 B747-400s. They have not failed any inspections.

[srjumbo747]

Inspections? What’s that got to do with anything?

[Flightmech]

Inspections? What’s that got to do with anything?

Make your point then. You've looked at the website. You will see they have two -400Fs already so what's your concern?

[srjumbo747]

Apologies if I have in some way posted something which is offensive as it wasn’t meant to be!
I do, however, wonder why you have jumped in to defend a reputable company.
#I’mconfused!

[Pistonprop]

Apologies if I have in some way posted something which is offensive as it wasn’t meant to be!
I do, however, wonder why you have jumped in to defend a reputable company.
#I’mconfused!

Not offensive at all. You asked a question and it was answered. Your subsequent post, "I’ve been flying most of my life and never heard of them", seemed to insinuate that you remained skeptical based purely on the fact that you had never heard of them. I just reaffirmed that they are "legit" in as much as they comply with all which is required of them (certainly where EASA is concerned).

[SWBKCB]

Although not operating entirely without incident.

Longtail Aviation flight LGT5504, a Boeing 747-412 (BCF), suffered an uncontained engine failure of the no.1 PW4056 engine. Blade fragments were ejected from the engine, coming down in the village of Meerssen, 2 km past the end of the runway. At that point the aircraft was climbing through 1400 feet.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/248036

[Pistonprop]

Indeed. But let's not forget the B777 from "legit" carrier United Airlines doing more-or-less the same out of Denver on the very same day with parts of the engine inlet cowl and fan cowls separating and coming down in a residential area of Broomfield. Debris field was at least 1 mile long.

[srjumbo747]

Yes but they have many more aircraft so statistically it’s completely different.
Just saying....

[SWBKCB]

UA had been operating the 777 for a lot longer (25 years) than Longtail had been operating the 747 (4 months)
Just saying...

[Tediek]

I have noticed they are not flying that often any longer. Some of their fleet is parked for days or weeks at a specific airport..I also noticed on LinkedIn staff of LGT is leaving to join other companies… Does anybody have more info what is happening at LGT?