First B747 into BHX and EMA 1978

[Opssys]

First B747 into BHX and EMA 4th June 1978

Seen here at EMA this QANTAS Aircraft VH-EBH operating under Flight Number QF011 was the first Boeing 747 to operate into BHX and EMA and was a Publicity Flight originating LHR, with only Tech Crew under the command of Ken Nicholson and some Company Personnel as 'Passengers'. With Runway limitations then current at both Airports the Aircraft had to be operated at low weights.

Photo Courtesy of M.J.E.Tarrant

[ATNotts]

I was there...well at BHX anyway.

I can't recall runway limitations being a factor at BHX, though taxiways certainly were as there was no parallel taxiway then, and with landing on RW33 it was a full backtrack, rather than the normal right turn at the western taxiway.

Unless I'm mistaken, nothing much changed with BHX runway until the starter strips were put in when the new terminal was built in the mid eighties, and between 1978 and 1984 I'm sure that 747s operated through BHX, though possibly only diversions. Even then some must have been refuled before heading off to LHR.

[ZeBedie]

I was at BHX on that day as well. Whilst it sat at the 33 hold, the many light aircraft outside hangar 2 were moving around scarily in the jetblast. I think we were close to having a bit of a disaster on the ramp.

[Opssys]

ATNotts.
Your right of course, my fault for not reading the sense of what M.J.E.T sent me.
I am hoping to get a Photograph of the Aircraft on the BHX Ramp as well. I still find it difficult to 'get my head around' that this was all 30+ Years ago!

[WHBM]

Were Wardair not operating 747s into Birmingham by 1978, on charters to Toronto ? I would have guessed they were the first such regular operator into there.

Was this Qantas aircraft one of the first 747s with Rolls-Royce engines, comng to show the type to Rolls employees from Derby ?

[Opssys]

WHBM.
Re: Wardair - Don't know, although I will ask Caz as he was with Wardair at the time in Canada,

Re Rolls Royce. I don't think this was a factor! The exercise came about due to the then QANTAS Sales Manager for the Midlands (Tony Luker) pointing out that whilst they were producing good originating revenue numbers they never saw a QANTAS Aeroplane!.

M.J.E.T and co did a quick feasibility study and support came from all quarters of the company (good PR, better than an Airshow Flypast, Flight Operations for it, Aircraft Availability not a problem) and so it became a mini-project. Due regulations at the time the Australian Authorities got M.J.E.T to sign off on it, Although there was a post-flight chat with the UK Authorities about not doing it again, although pre-flight everything had cleared through UK channels as OK.

[aeroground]

WD were operating regular YYZ flights from BHX, I was one of the roving managers who repped them cannot remember dates,

[vs69]

That looks like a JT-9 to me....

[Centre cities]

Roving Wardair

Aeroground.

Were you the fair haired chap with the touche. If you were we had used to refer to you as Manch. I always thought what an exellent service was provided.

Centre cities

[Centre cities]

Wardair 747

During the main the BHX flights were operated by the 2 200 series 747, it was only when they were disposed of that the 100's became the regular aircraft for the flights, I assume performance issues.


Centre cities

[ATNotts]

Aeroground:

If you are "Manch" then you would have spend some time on the Warwickshire Aero Club bar!

Those were the days!

[Opssys]

VH-EBH First 747 into BHX 4th June 1978

Photo Courtesy of M.J.E.Tarrant
Operated under Flight Number QF011 Routing LHR-BHX-EMA-LHR 04th June 1978

Original Post updated with Registration and Flight Number.

Unless I, or someone else can answer the query about the Wardair First Operation Date into BHX (Caz cannot), I guess this wraps the thread up.

[tail wheel]

B747-238 MSN 20842. Looks like the old girl is still flying in Nigeria:

13/05/1974 Qantas VH-EBH

02/02/1991 Virgin Atlantic G-VJFK

17/07/2001 Kabo Air 5N-PDP