Old British airline callsigns
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: The foot of Mt. Belzoni.
Posts: 2,001
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BEA Airtours had the 2 letter flight prefix KT, or Kilo-Tango. c/s was 'Beatours'.
Operated Comets and ex-BOAC 707-436s.
I think it became British Airtours after the merger, using 707s, 737s, L1011s and 747s. It still used KT, and Beatours, as far as I remember.
Operated Comets and ex-BOAC 707-436s.
I think it became British Airtours after the merger, using 707s, 737s, L1011s and 747s. It still used KT, and Beatours, as far as I remember.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Clanspeed" WW/SEU, was Scottish European, two HS748s out of GLA and EDI to FRA and BRU, rose from the ashes of Chieftain if I recall. Again, short lived alas.
"Tartan" was Highland Express, VY/TTN.
IATA codes now bmibaby and Vueling.
"Tartan" was Highland Express, VY/TTN.
IATA codes now bmibaby and Vueling.
Last edited by Skipness One Echo; 7th Apr 2012 at 23:54.
More than just an ATCO
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Up someone's nose
Age: 75
Posts: 1,768
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Coincidentally we were chatting about this the other day.
Ace Freighters
Skyways which became Euravia which became Britannia
Derby Airways (or was it Derby Aviation?) which eventually became BMI - this was painted on the Flying Club hangar at Luton. No idea why though rumour had it Fred Pinchin had picked it up cheaply and moved it down to Luton
Loganair - I remember the Beech 18 doing the newspaper run round the Highlands and Islands
Ace Freighters
Skyways which became Euravia which became Britannia
Derby Airways (or was it Derby Aviation?) which eventually became BMI - this was painted on the Flying Club hangar at Luton. No idea why though rumour had it Fred Pinchin had picked it up cheaply and moved it down to Luton
Loganair - I remember the Beech 18 doing the newspaper run round the Highlands and Islands
Last edited by Lon More; 8th Apr 2012 at 18:23.
More than just an ATCO
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Up someone's nose
Age: 75
Posts: 1,768
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mind you it does remind me that it wasn't yesterday
Scottish Airlines - part of Scottish Aviation
Midland & Scottish Air Ferries operated the original air ambulance in 1933 with Jimmy Orrell flying a Rapide into Islay
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: That France
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Dad flew Daks 748s and Viscounts out of Leeds for BKS - we lived in Yeadon, very close to the airport.
Opposite our close was a small scrapyard which my memory (possibly failing) tells me had on of the Ansons in it.
Opposite our close was a small scrapyard which my memory (possibly failing) tells me had on of the Ansons in it.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It wasn't Beetours it was Beatours (cf Bealine) where BEA were the initials of British European Airways. Simple really!
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Island of Aphrodite
Age: 75
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pre merger, BOAC - Speeed bird. BEA - Bealine.
Discussion about what callsign should be used post merger BA.
Ex BEA chaps wanted to retain Bealine. The inimitable Derek Ellis said in his northern drawl. "You can be bl00dy Bealine if you want, we will be Ayline."
Result - Speedbird became the BA callsign!!!
Discussion about what callsign should be used post merger BA.
Ex BEA chaps wanted to retain Bealine. The inimitable Derek Ellis said in his northern drawl. "You can be bl00dy Bealine if you want, we will be Ayline."
Result - Speedbird became the BA callsign!!!
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Channel Islands
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When of course Ayline is the callsign for Aurigny Air Services of the Channel Islands since 1968.
I could be wrong, but I think it came from the fact that the airline was founded by Sir Derek Bailey in the island of Alderney - the french name being "Isle d' Aurigny", where all the car registrations begin AY followed by 1 to 4 numbers.
I could be wrong, but I think it came from the fact that the airline was founded by Sir Derek Bailey in the island of Alderney - the french name being "Isle d' Aurigny", where all the car registrations begin AY followed by 1 to 4 numbers.
Last edited by tin canary; 10th Apr 2012 at 10:59. Reason: Thought of something else
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: England
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BACX / BA Connect
I still think it was a sad day for UK and European R/T when "British" had to be relegated to the hangar in the sky.
Think it was BRAL's originally but was adopted by BACX and carried forward to BA Connect.
Always brought an amused smile to my face when contacting various Johnny Foreigner stations with it.
Apparently Speedbird still retain the rites to use British in the future (pure rumour: not sure who told me that one!)
Think it was BRAL's originally but was adopted by BACX and carried forward to BA Connect.
Always brought an amused smile to my face when contacting various Johnny Foreigner stations with it.
Apparently Speedbird still retain the rites to use British in the future (pure rumour: not sure who told me that one!)
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 683
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
After the merger to BA in 1974, I recall that BEA were always "Bealine" or "Shuttle", while we in BOAC retained our treasured "Speedbird" callsign.
Latterly, of course, "Bealine" became relegated to ground equipment callsigns.
JD
Going back to the MOD callsigns, I remember when I did a couple of months at Aberporth, "Blackbox H" was a Seaking operating out of Pershore.
Also the Llanbedr Devon (XA880, the silver one) callsigns matched the pilot. Gawd I wish I couyld remember names, as there was some really nice blokes used to fly them. Nugget 22 was one of them ? Eric Something ?
Hey ho, isn't age wonderful !!!!
Also the Llanbedr Devon (XA880, the silver one) callsigns matched the pilot. Gawd I wish I couyld remember names, as there was some really nice blokes used to fly them. Nugget 22 was one of them ? Eric Something ?
Hey ho, isn't age wonderful !!!!