LUTON History and Nostalgia
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LTN's heaviest aircraft
Passengers on this aircraft (TF-ABQ, flight CC691 to Keflavik 5/5/2001) should have been given a certificate as it would have been the heaviest aircraft (490-odd passengers and 80 tonnes of fuel) ever to have lumbered into the air from Luton's runway.
When BA took the England football team to the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea, they stopped off en route - think it was Dubai. The aircraft was Boeing 777-236 G-YMMJ. This aircraft loaded up with 90,000kgs of fuel, albeit with only around 125 passengers. Someone in authority, either airport ops or BA themselves, decided the aircraft was too long to safely turn in the turning circle, and would have to enter the runway at A1 to be then attached to a tug and pushed back into the turning circle from there. The skipper thought this sounded like a lot of "faffing about" and asked us to confirm the runway length from A1 (1771m). After consulting performance tables, he announced he would depart from there (this in spite of a wet runway-see pic). The aircraft was airborne by the fire station. Says a lot for the power of the RR Trent engine (93400lbs thrust each) over the P&W JT9D-7 engine on the Atlanta 747-200 (47,900lbs thrust each).
13/5/2002
When BA took the England football team to the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea, they stopped off en route - think it was Dubai. The aircraft was Boeing 777-236 G-YMMJ. This aircraft loaded up with 90,000kgs of fuel, albeit with only around 125 passengers. Someone in authority, either airport ops or BA themselves, decided the aircraft was too long to safely turn in the turning circle, and would have to enter the runway at A1 to be then attached to a tug and pushed back into the turning circle from there. The skipper thought this sounded like a lot of "faffing about" and asked us to confirm the runway length from A1 (1771m). After consulting performance tables, he announced he would depart from there (this in spite of a wet runway-see pic). The aircraft was airborne by the fire station. Says a lot for the power of the RR Trent engine (93400lbs thrust each) over the P&W JT9D-7 engine on the Atlanta 747-200 (47,900lbs thrust each).
13/5/2002
Last edited by cj241101; 16th Apr 2015 at 07:28. Reason: date added/corrections
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LTN's 1st 747?
Back in 1978 the airport managed to procure the Stansted Scanair summer programme. This ran from mid-June to mid-August, bringing Scandinavian students to language schools. Ten of these flights were due to operate on S.A.S. DC-10 aircraft, with the rest a mixture of Scanair/S.A.S. and Transair Sweden aircraft (actual programme below). The S.A.S. DC-10 fleet seemed to have reliability problems, and on 3 occasions were substituted by 2 smaller (DC-9/DC-8) aircraft. On 2nd August 1978, the penultimate DC-10 flight was due in empty from Copenhagen at 0630 (DK8955). Rumour the day before was the planned aircraft was AOG somewhere and the flight would operate on an S.A.S. 747. Dan Air were the handling agent and confirmed this. Unfortunately, the weather on the morning in question was diabolical i.e. heavy rain and thunderstorms. I duly arrived at the airport, went to see Dan Air who advised the aircraft would be operating through Stansted instead. This because of the lower regulated TOW imposed by the wet runway, which increased the stopping distance in the event of an emergency during the take-off run. So yes, I drove to STN, in the pouring rain and rush hour traffic, to see what was probably the 1st 747 to be planned into LTN. Apologies for submitting a picture taken "over there".
OY-KHA STN 020878
OY-KHA STN 020878
Last edited by cj241101; 15th Apr 2015 at 10:29. Reason: reg added
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Nice view from the old tower of a BM Viscount with the old luggage bay in the background. In those days after the bag was weighed it had to be man handled onto a single belt that run below the airline offices and than it was manually sorted onto each lorry.
See a photo of the aircraft now http://www.dtvmovements.co.uk/Info/B...s/RS_GAZNA.JPG as it might surprise you.
Mark Lysons
See a photo of the aircraft now http://www.dtvmovements.co.uk/Info/B...s/RS_GAZNA.JPG as it might surprise you.
Mark Lysons
Last edited by LTNman; 16th Apr 2015 at 08:08.
That was, for me, the nicest of all the BMA colour schemes, before they spiralled into changing the scheme seemingly every few years before being sold off.
SHJ
SHJ
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Interesting story about the SAS flights in 1978 cj241101...
I vividly remember a SAS DC-10 going over Stevenage on finals that summer at what looked like no higher than 2000ft...It made plenty of folks look up!
I vividly remember a SAS DC-10 going over Stevenage on finals that summer at what looked like no higher than 2000ft...It made plenty of folks look up!
Seeing all these old pics reminds me.....Does anyone know what has happened to Dave Gearing's photos? He was a regular sight for many years wandering around with a camera airside (also hollering at vehicles going too fast!)
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British Island
1st Feb 1990 to be precise. My records have them as a new operator at LTN in March 1988, which continued until their demise, using 1-11 400's. One of these was based although I cannot be sure of the time period, possibly both S88 and S89. 4 of the aircraft ended up being stored at LTN.
G-AXOX, G-AXMU, G-AXMG, G-AYWB 070490
G-AXOX, G-AXMU, G-AXMG, G-AYWB 070490
Last edited by cj241101; 16th Apr 2015 at 18:33. Reason: correction
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If my memory serves me I believe there was a major IM failure at LHR. The Capt was told not to divert to LTN but choose to do so, this was in some part due to presence of a towbar, the intention to wait and then position to LHR. After landing it transpired there was no towbar therefore a/c had to be disembarked without the baggage.
Crew ran out of time anyway and the towbar took some time the aircraft only getting back to LHR about 10 minutes before the night ban.
Crew ran out of time anyway and the towbar took some time the aircraft only getting back to LHR about 10 minutes before the night ban.