LUTON History and Nostalgia
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Jersey European in all its guises have certainly had a very chequered history with Luton right up to and including the more recent FlyBe operation.
Oh how I'd love to see an airline serve Guernsey from Luton again, though it's hard to imagine at the moment who that might be
Oh how I'd love to see an airline serve Guernsey from Luton again, though it's hard to imagine at the moment who that might be
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Something I had forgotten was that British Airways ATP's operated a weekly (Sat) charter from/to Jersey during summer 1997.
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400 series Dove by Riley
Can't find out much about this aircraft so I guess it might not have been a success. I would think that this aircraft would be the last aircraft to roll off a production line at Luton even though it was technically a conversion.
The first McAlpine conversion to Riley Executive 400 standard was completed by mid-1965.
The Riley Executive 400 conversion was available from Riley and McAlpine in six stages, any one of which could be taken on its own if the customer did not want a complete conversion:
1. Re-engining with two 400 hp Lycoming IO-720 eight-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engines, each fitted with two Riley Turbo 300 turbo-superchargers and driving a Hartzell three-blade propeller. New sweptback vertical tail surfaces and a "fatigue-free" steel spar capped wing were included in this stage of the conversion, which contributed 90% of the overall speed increase and 90% of the weight decrease of 800 lb (363 kg) offered by the conversion.
2. Remanufacture of the flight deck to include one-piece instrument panel and improvements in field of vision.
3. Flush riveting of entire wing from leading-edge back to rear spar and epoxy coating of leading-edge.
4. Replacement of existing cabin door by air-stair door.
5. Complete cabin re-styling, with improved sound-proofing and installation of fully-reclining individual chairs.
6. Removal of all existing paint and refinishing with epoxy resin paints to customer's specification.
The first McAlpine conversion to Riley Executive 400 standard was completed by mid-1965.
The Riley Executive 400 conversion was available from Riley and McAlpine in six stages, any one of which could be taken on its own if the customer did not want a complete conversion:
1. Re-engining with two 400 hp Lycoming IO-720 eight-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engines, each fitted with two Riley Turbo 300 turbo-superchargers and driving a Hartzell three-blade propeller. New sweptback vertical tail surfaces and a "fatigue-free" steel spar capped wing were included in this stage of the conversion, which contributed 90% of the overall speed increase and 90% of the weight decrease of 800 lb (363 kg) offered by the conversion.
2. Remanufacture of the flight deck to include one-piece instrument panel and improvements in field of vision.
3. Flush riveting of entire wing from leading-edge back to rear spar and epoxy coating of leading-edge.
4. Replacement of existing cabin door by air-stair door.
5. Complete cabin re-styling, with improved sound-proofing and installation of fully-reclining individual chairs.
6. Removal of all existing paint and refinishing with epoxy resin paints to customer's specification.
Last edited by LTNman; 2nd Jan 2016 at 06:06.
Can't find out much about this aircraft so I guess it might not have been a success.
Interestingly, the McAlpine conversions retained the original DH fin//rudder due to certification issues, as with these two examples that went to Australia:
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Fairflight had a couple of Rileys - G-AROI i think was one - with the DH fin as I recall.
Luton thread I know, but Biggin in the '70s...
Luton thread I know, but Biggin in the '70s...
Did the swept-back fin do anything useful in terms of weight or performance or was it just a marketing effort?
That was Riley's prototype, demo'd in the UK in 1965 which was no doubt when the photo at McAlpine's was taken.
No, that was a US conversion according to Jackson. He does say, however, that one of the swept fin examples (F-BORJ, the former G-ATGK) was a McAlpine conversion, which seems a bit odd. Maybe the restriction was on getting a UK C of A for the swept fin - though G-ATGK did briefly re-appear on the UK register in 1975.
Anyway, I've unearthed a photo of what appears to be the conversion line at McAlpine's, showing a Dove identified as G-ATGL with a distinctly Lycoming-looking engine:
though strangely 04289 doesn't appear on any of the published listings of conversions, so it may be a mis-identification, given the lack of visible markings.
No, that was a US conversion according to Jackson. He does say, however, that one of the swept fin examples (F-BORJ, the former G-ATGK) was a McAlpine conversion, which seems a bit odd. Maybe the restriction was on getting a UK C of A for the swept fin - though G-ATGK did briefly re-appear on the UK register in 1975.
Anyway, I've unearthed a photo of what appears to be the conversion line at McAlpine's, showing a Dove identified as G-ATGL with a distinctly Lycoming-looking engine:
though strangely 04289 doesn't appear on any of the published listings of conversions, so it may be a mis-identification, given the lack of visible markings.
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Fairflight had G-ASUW with a standard fin and G-BDHD which had a swept fin, imported from South Africa.
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I now own one of the McAlpine Riley conversions ex G-ATGI- VH-ABM. G-ATGJ was scrapped in the mid 80's with only the cockpit and a few other parts surviving at the Ballarat Aviation Museum.
Cheers, Dan
https://www.facebook.com/DovePreservationGroup/
Cheers, Dan
https://www.facebook.com/DovePreservationGroup/
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Did the swept-back fin do anything useful in terms of weight or performance or was it just a marketing effort?
Whilst the Riley fin was alleged to reduce drag, rudder authority was reduced as a result of the modification.
Great link and photos DanS333. Everyday I learn something new!
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Very interesting 'sub topic' of LTN history. Something I, and suspect many others were unaware of. With regard to the photographs post 1125 & 1135. In the latter, is there a section of the fin leading edge missing from the top? Ahead of the rudder horn? Just curious.
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Dave beat me to it, sadly this and another Riley were scrapped in the early 2000's The only remaining parts are the Fins and horizontal stabs that are in my collection
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Drift here from Luton airport to Doves but GAROI was definitly not a Riley conversion, original proper Gypsy machine, Fred's baby and Fairflight's first and last Dove. Happy Days.
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Drift here from Luton airport to Doves but GAROI was definitly not a Riley conversion, original proper Gypsy machine, Fred's baby and Fairflight's first and last Dove. Happy Days.
I find the Australian connection and that Museum really interesting. Just wish it was a place I could go and visit.
