Airlines you wish still existed
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Originally Posted by Golf Charlie Charlie
Why does anyone want to start or own an airline given the history of the sector in the past 60 years in the UK !
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After reading through the contributions, I realise I probably have very little if nothing new to add (a real Nostalgia trip as a name from my past came up) so I will keep my list short(ish):
BUA at it's most diverse when it encompassed:
Some of the above were before my time in Aviation, although I crept into
BUA in 1970 as a summer temp.
Anyway on with the list:
DIH
Well it isn't actually, as I really need to add:
BUA at it's most diverse when it encompassed:
- British United Airways
- British United Air Ferries
- British United (Channel Islands) Later BUIA *
- British United Helicopters
- British United Hovercraft
Some of the above were before my time in Aviation, although I crept into
BUA in 1970 as a summer temp.
Anyway on with the list:
- Air Europe (the UK Arm)
- British Caledonian - Spent most of my career (so far) with them
- British Eagle
- British Island Airways (Daks and Heralds - Silver Arrow Service - Successor to BUIA)
- BOAC
- Dan Air - For many reasons (all good)
- Eastern (the US one)
- Gatwick-Heathrow Airlink (BA, BAA, BCAL Joint Venture - Great Little Operation - Killed off by politically correct ***** who **** up everything).
- Lloyd International (Brits and 707s)
- Pan Am (The Original)
- TWA - Worked with them on project about year before the end. Great people trying to rebuild the airline against all the odds. Many employees third generation TWA Staff!
DIH
Well it isn't actually, as I really need to add:
- Balair - Especially the DC6 Operation
- Swissair - Had dealings with them in the early 1980's At the time one of the most innovative Airlines in Europe, if not the World, but when a company loses it's way and it all goes wrong...
Last edited by Opssys; 5th Apr 2006 at 13:35. Reason: Adding two Swiss Carrier sto the List
I'm glad someone mentioned Lloyd International - I started with them - then there was Donaldson International who I joined after Lloyds then Temlpewood Aviation who became Tempair (yep was with them as well). At least the RAF is still in business just about. I trained with them.
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Old colour schems
Interesting you should mention extinct airlines. What about extinct coulur schems. One that springs to mind is Britannia's old woman in the wheelchair on the tail. So much classier and prettier than Tacky
Thomson-Fly. I dont know what graphic designer came up with that one but he wants shooting
Thomson-Fly. I dont know what graphic designer came up with that one but he wants shooting
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Your right Damicod, the Britannia Scheme gave the Carrier a clear identity and was a good example of design. But of course once you decide on a Global Brand and the Image Consultants give you the once over, followed by a complete brand profile exercise, you end up with the something like the currentThomson-Fly scheme! But one must never stand in the way of progress!
Now where did I put my Marathon Bar, oh yes next to the Jif!
DIH
Now where did I put my Marathon Bar, oh yes next to the Jif!
DIH
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OK, a blast from the past, and a forgotten colour scheme to boot : Treffield International. Light blue, some black, and a whacking great union jack on the tail. Anyone got any pictures....?
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Treffield. Thinking back they had one Viscount? And if fading memory serves, it was indeed a 'pretty livery'. But for an Airline which I think lasted less than a season it is surprising it has now been mentioned by two previous posters and I guess I make three.
Obviously the colours made a lasting impact even the airline didn't and I assume Lord Treffield joined the ever growing list of those who thought they could make money running an airline and then found they couldn't!
DIH
Obviously the colours made a lasting impact even the airline didn't and I assume Lord Treffield joined the ever growing list of those who thought they could make money running an airline and then found they couldn't!
DIH
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Blimey - I'd never heard of Treffield - but here are some pics courtesy of google...
http://www.airlines-airliners.de/airlines/treffield.htm
http://www.flugzeugbilder.de/search4...srch=Treffield
http://www.airlines-airliners.de/airlines/treffield.htm
http://www.flugzeugbilder.de/search4...srch=Treffield
Last edited by treadigraph; 5th Apr 2006 at 12:04.
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The Treffield Brit sat at Liverpool for some time but I never got any close up shots of it. It's there in the background of a British Eagle Viscount but too far away to pick out any detail.
Talking of British Eagle can anyone remember the name of the company that the staff tried to form when Eagle collapsed? Was it Phoenix?
Talking of British Eagle can anyone remember the name of the company that the staff tried to form when Eagle collapsed? Was it Phoenix?
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Anorak on
Viscounts were G-ATVE c/n 366 leased from Jan 67 to end of ops 23rd June 1967, G-ATVR c/n c/n 365 leased from April 67 to end of ops. Britannia G-ANBM leased May and June 67 but was returned prior to shut down.
Anorak off
Be lucky
David
PS The Ansons were G-AGWE and G-AHKX plus a Dragon Rapide G-AHKU
4 classic British Aircraft types there for us all to savour
Viscounts were G-ATVE c/n 366 leased from Jan 67 to end of ops 23rd June 1967, G-ATVR c/n c/n 365 leased from April 67 to end of ops. Britannia G-ANBM leased May and June 67 but was returned prior to shut down.
Anorak off
Be lucky
David
PS The Ansons were G-AGWE and G-AHKX plus a Dragon Rapide G-AHKU
4 classic British Aircraft types there for us all to savour
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Giving my age and all sorts away here.
Remember with much pleasure British Westpoint airlines at Exeter, had several DC3's and a collection of Dragon Rapides that flew places like London and the Scilly Isles, and I got quite a few free trips around the local area when they wanted someone to sit in the back for trim purposes
Can't remember who it was that operated the Herons, might have been Jersey Airlines, before the days of British United.
Then there was the Ambassadors ( dan air?), Spantax came in with DC6's and 7's, and I can't remember who operated the constellations around the same time.
British United had the Heralds, and Cambrian had the Viscounts.
Jets were a rarity then, and the supercharged piston engine aircraft taking off at night or dusk were a spectacular sight.
{Thread drift] So were the pairs of mosquito's that used to go all over the place towing targets, replaced not long after by Meteors and Vampires, then many years later by Canberras [thread drift /]
Most spectacular day though was much later, the first time BA came to Exeter with the Concorde, did a Bay of Biscay trip, and I shall always remember the radio call, as he did a low approach and go around over the City from the West, "London Control clears Concorde Alpha ? to join Controlled airspace at Bridport, climb and maintain FL240. Bridport is about 30 miles east of Exeter, and he made it with no problem at all
Somehow air travel was much more refined in those days, even if it wasn't available to the masses in the way it is now.
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Britsh Westpoint - Nearly made my list - twice (updated it with Balair and Swissair). Late 1960's operated passenger daks out of Gatwick as an Air France affiliate (Tiny Air France Logo, I think on the door?). Only once ever saw one of their Rapides (Thinks it was delivering a part for a Dak), made my 'spotty spotter day'.
Jersey Airlines were a Heron Operator. I was once the owner of two professionally taken photos of their Aircraft which were disposed of many years ago due to having coffee or similar spilt over them! Careless youth!
DIH
Jersey Airlines were a Heron Operator. I was once the owner of two professionally taken photos of their Aircraft which were disposed of many years ago due to having coffee or similar spilt over them! Careless youth!
DIH
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Jersey Airlines were a Heron Operator.
North South.
Overseas Air Transport
Metropolitan
McDonald
Mercury
Morton
Peters
Progressive
Silver City
South Coast
Tyne Tees
Cambrian
Channel
Dragon
Emerald
Executive Air
Fairflight
British Eagle
British Island
British Westpoint
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Herons - Ghana Airways had several, and there's one of Morton's doing gate-guard outside Croydon Airport's (listed) Terminal Building. That must be a complete anachronism.
One airline that always intrigued me (but I never had the opportunity to fly on) was British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines. I believe they operated DC6s with full sleeper berths trans-Pacific. Anybody know anything more about them?
One airline that always intrigued me (but I never had the opportunity to fly on) was British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines. I believe they operated DC6s with full sleeper berths trans-Pacific. Anybody know anything more about them?
Last edited by Four Wings; 8th Apr 2006 at 22:01.
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Ah, got the old Morton look-alike Heron just over the hill from me at Croydon's Airport House. Would look - and sound - much better in the air though!
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Thinking of Morton, one of their Aircraft made the last departure from Croydon Airport before it closed.
Thinking of Croydon Airport here is a picture of the second to last transport Aircraft to Depart Croydon in 1980 (not for once a typo) and in a very inappropriate livery.
DIH
Thinking of Croydon Airport here is a picture of the second to last transport Aircraft to Depart Croydon in 1980 (not for once a typo) and in a very inappropriate livery.
DIH