Why is the HS 748 known as the Budgie?
Great demo by the F-27. I was shooting the breeze with one of the F/O's on that demo one day. He told me the PNF would switch #2 VHF to an unused freq and begin a 10 count. The #2 antenna was on the belly below the cargo door and when they began to get feedback on the freq they knew they were within 2 feet of the runway. I asked what happened if they lost the feedback and he replied " It means the Captain has gotten too low and scraped the antenna off." I think he was serious. 
CF-CSE
evansb,
A very nice picture of the only 748 I ever flew in. Here is a sadder picture of her, being parted out at Whitehorse in 2006:
pigboat,
CSE was not owned by Shell. She was part of Chevron Standard's air force in the 70s, hence the registration. The others were a Turbo Beaver (CSA) and two Series 100 Twin Otters (CSC and CSD istr).
I was working for Chevron in Calgary and flew in all of them. I flew in the jump-seat of CSE from Calgary to an ice-strip on the Mackenzie River northwest of Inuvik, via Edmonton, High Level and Norman Wells.
The flight was to deliver equipment to an exploration well and I saw first-hand one of the short comings of the 748 as a freighter. The port-side freight door was positioned such that it would have been very easy for a fork-lift driver to back into the propellor. Hence the loadmaster kept an eagle eye on the proceedings.
On the way home, after dark, I saw the northern lights to the south of us. That was unexpected.
Last March, I was in Chiang Mai in Thailand, where besides doing the usual tourist stuff, I had flown a DA-20. Waiting at the airport to fly back to Bangkok, I was very surprised to see a 748 doing circuits. It turned out to be a RTAF aircraft. Are there any others still flying, besides this one and Air North's fleet of five?
A very nice picture of the only 748 I ever flew in. Here is a sadder picture of her, being parted out at Whitehorse in 2006:
pigboat,
CSE was not owned by Shell. She was part of Chevron Standard's air force in the 70s, hence the registration. The others were a Turbo Beaver (CSA) and two Series 100 Twin Otters (CSC and CSD istr).
I was working for Chevron in Calgary and flew in all of them. I flew in the jump-seat of CSE from Calgary to an ice-strip on the Mackenzie River northwest of Inuvik, via Edmonton, High Level and Norman Wells.
The flight was to deliver equipment to an exploration well and I saw first-hand one of the short comings of the 748 as a freighter. The port-side freight door was positioned such that it would have been very easy for a fork-lift driver to back into the propellor. Hence the loadmaster kept an eagle eye on the proceedings.
On the way home, after dark, I saw the northern lights to the south of us. That was unexpected.
Last March, I was in Chiang Mai in Thailand, where besides doing the usual tourist stuff, I had flown a DA-20. Waiting at the airport to fly back to Bangkok, I was very surprised to see a 748 doing circuits. It turned out to be a RTAF aircraft. Are there any others still flying, besides this one and Air North's fleet of five?
Last edited by India Four Two; 9th Feb 2015 at 04:40.
A friend pointed out to me this morning that my photograph of XS611 at Salalah had disappeared into the ether. I have re-posted it on to Post #62 for those who are interested.
Chevron! That's the one. I42 the only other operator in Canada I can think of is/was Wasaya, but here again I'm not sure if they still do. They lost a 748 freighter at some strip in Northern Ontario a couple of years ago, they were hauling fuel and it caught fire an burned during the transfer from the airplane to the ground tanks.
Jimmy Harrison took a 748 on a world (ish) demo tour in the early 60s which included Bangkok. His demo was at Don Muang, as it then was, for the Thai brass. Quite startling! On his first rotation, he failed the starboard engine and immediately rolled into a 'dead engine' turn coming back low level along the civilian aircraft parking area ... low, in this case requiring that he lift to clear the line of 707 and DC8 tail fins lined up in front of the terminal. The remainder of the display continued in similar vein and his arrival back on the stand was greeted by rapturous applause - well earned. Can't be sure, (I left before it happened) but I have a feeling that the intended customers (Thai Airways) bought the Herald!! 
Many years later I was 'fingered' to learn the 80p to eventually ground instruct (didn't happen
) One (among many) oddities was the inclusion of a 'steering bar' for the radio compass indication
Trying to follow that would have taxed the most ardent Space Invaders fan!
Many years later I was 'fingered' to learn the 80p to eventually ground instruct (didn't happen
) One (among many) oddities was the inclusion of a 'steering bar' for the radio compass indication Trying to follow that would have taxed the most ardent Space Invaders fan!
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Thai Airways bought nine 748s. Three in 1964, three in 1968, one in 1970 and two in 1972.
All were out of service by 1987. Two were written off in 1980, four went to the Royal Thai Air Force in 1983 and two were written off in 1987.
The 1983 departures were replaced by Sheds (Shorts 330s -oh the ignominy!!).
It was the Royal Malay Air Force that bought the Herald.
All were out of service by 1987. Two were written off in 1980, four went to the Royal Thai Air Force in 1983 and two were written off in 1987.
The 1983 departures were replaced by Sheds (Shorts 330s -oh the ignominy!!).
It was the Royal Malay Air Force that bought the Herald.
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The Malaysian Air Force had the purpose built HP7 400 series, on retirement from military duties some of the aircraft returned to UK and were operated by BAF at Southend.
The last Herald operating in UK was G-BEYF, a former Malasian aircraft that retired in 1999.
On converting one of the 400 series to a freighter a weight reduction process was carried out, there was a very substantial wiring loom found running along the front spar, one theory was that the aircraft had loud speakers fitted under the wings to broadcast to the terrorists in the jungle.
The Herald was also pressed into military service during the six day war by the Israeli Air Force, the aircraft being operated by Arkia flying tourists to the dead sea at the time.
The last Herald operating in UK was G-BEYF, a former Malasian aircraft that retired in 1999.
On converting one of the 400 series to a freighter a weight reduction process was carried out, there was a very substantial wiring loom found running along the front spar, one theory was that the aircraft had loud speakers fitted under the wings to broadcast to the terrorists in the jungle.
The Herald was also pressed into military service during the six day war by the Israeli Air Force, the aircraft being operated by Arkia flying tourists to the dead sea at the time.
Mt. Cook Airlines operated a fleet of 748s in NZ from 1968 to 1996. They had a customised missed approach procedure at Queenstown for OEI contingency ops - the procedure 'depended' on a net climb gradient of 0.75% istr
More than just an ATCO
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Re the F27 low pass; I was told that they descended until the HF signal through the belly antenna just started to hetrodyne.
" 'andover, Andover", Dover, over" was the version I heard between London Mil and Airways, back in the late 60s.
" 'andover, Andover", Dover, over" was the version I heard between London Mil and Airways, back in the late 60s.
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Mount Cook 748's
Dan Air wet leased an example in the late 1970's.It was used on the ABZ-LSI
route.The Mount Cook Lilly was seen resplendent on its fin in Aberdeen and
Sumburgh.Though,for "lilly"read "buttercup"-actually the world's largest!
route.The Mount Cook Lilly was seen resplendent on its fin in Aberdeen and
Sumburgh.Though,for "lilly"read "buttercup"-actually the world's largest!
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The Mount Cook 748 leased by Dan Air was G-AYYG. it operated for them during the following periods, returning to New Zealand at the end of each lease:
17/06/78-18/10/78; 02/04/79-17/09/79; 09/04/80-22/10/81
During the leases it retained its Mount Cook blue colours with matching blue titles and the floral tail emblem was retained.
The aircraft itself was interesting. It was built as a demonstration aircraft and first flew in Hawker Siddeley house colours. In 1973 Howard Hughes entered into a lease purchase arrangement for the aircraft and travelled to Woodford to see it. He then decided he wanted to learn to fly the 748, but not his own aircraft. He arranged to charter a Rousseau Aviation 748 which he flew in and out of Stansted. He only saw YYG the one time, never flew in it and after his death it was sold to Mount Cook, having spent years in the Woodford flight shed.
After service with Mount Cook it went on to Canada then back to the UK where it was eventually retired in 2011
17/06/78-18/10/78; 02/04/79-17/09/79; 09/04/80-22/10/81
During the leases it retained its Mount Cook blue colours with matching blue titles and the floral tail emblem was retained.
The aircraft itself was interesting. It was built as a demonstration aircraft and first flew in Hawker Siddeley house colours. In 1973 Howard Hughes entered into a lease purchase arrangement for the aircraft and travelled to Woodford to see it. He then decided he wanted to learn to fly the 748, but not his own aircraft. He arranged to charter a Rousseau Aviation 748 which he flew in and out of Stansted. He only saw YYG the one time, never flew in it and after his death it was sold to Mount Cook, having spent years in the Woodford flight shed.
After service with Mount Cook it went on to Canada then back to the UK where it was eventually retired in 2011
In the early 70's, I went to the Woodford airshow and we decided to visit the factory - climbed in through the canteen window and saw some Mount Cook 748's in various stages of completion on the line, Then climbed out again, unchallenged, having left no evidence of our visit.
Guys ,
Daarn Sarf we heard that the BEA Skyliners [ Skyvans ] were 2 tonne budgies .
Thus the 748 became a 4 tonne Budgie ...
25 years later ...80p is new to me , wuz in the day Parrot [Budgies Big Bruffer ! ] , Advanced Technical Problem , Wigwam [ A TePee ! ] , BAT [ as entered on ATC flight plans ] Skoda [ on Berlin IGS services with a lot of Trabants around ].
Reckoned if built East of the Pennines or with £1 gizmos [ instead of 50p gizmos ] they would have been more reliable .
Memories ... conversion course with BAe trainers '' Just like the Budgie '' .......'' BUT we've never been on the Budgie '' , seeing the North Sea from FL180 through the gaps around the doors . Needing hair dryers to unfreeze doors after landing in German winters . 1 in 1 descents ....FL180 to ground in 18 miles . Reversing around various airfields /runways . Smooth as silk in huge Hebs cross winds . Feet on the dash board to help rotate , trimming [ electric ] to help with the flare .
1st 20 pax went in the back , if less than 20 ; then 25kg bags of shingle went in the boot as ballast . 2 a/c each having an engine change in a Kirkwall winter . Tent sided artics which had deliverd the engines , parked around each offending one so the engineers could have a semblance of shelter [ Glasgow engineers are exceedingly tough ] .
The Budgie 'tho had much better freight hold ... trying to get a coffin in the boot was challenging [ would not fit in the bonnet ].. good job traveling rellees could not see our struggles or solution .
All that said ; they are a tough a/c , low wing , wide u/c , easy to de-ice , built like brick Karzee ,... handled all that the Hebs , Northern Isles , and N Germany
[ before the wall came down ] could throw at them .. and 25 + years later can be seen on Flight radar 24 ; still nightly trucking on as freighters from the Channel Isles throughout UK and around Scandinavia .
Rgds condor .
PS DC10 ... Def Cruiser
MD11 ... More Def 2
Daarn Sarf we heard that the BEA Skyliners [ Skyvans ] were 2 tonne budgies .
Thus the 748 became a 4 tonne Budgie ...
25 years later ...80p is new to me , wuz in the day Parrot [Budgies Big Bruffer ! ] , Advanced Technical Problem , Wigwam [ A TePee ! ] , BAT [ as entered on ATC flight plans ] Skoda [ on Berlin IGS services with a lot of Trabants around ].
Reckoned if built East of the Pennines or with £1 gizmos [ instead of 50p gizmos ] they would have been more reliable .
Memories ... conversion course with BAe trainers '' Just like the Budgie '' .......'' BUT we've never been on the Budgie '' , seeing the North Sea from FL180 through the gaps around the doors . Needing hair dryers to unfreeze doors after landing in German winters . 1 in 1 descents ....FL180 to ground in 18 miles . Reversing around various airfields /runways . Smooth as silk in huge Hebs cross winds . Feet on the dash board to help rotate , trimming [ electric ] to help with the flare .
1st 20 pax went in the back , if less than 20 ; then 25kg bags of shingle went in the boot as ballast . 2 a/c each having an engine change in a Kirkwall winter . Tent sided artics which had deliverd the engines , parked around each offending one so the engineers could have a semblance of shelter [ Glasgow engineers are exceedingly tough ] .
The Budgie 'tho had much better freight hold ... trying to get a coffin in the boot was challenging [ would not fit in the bonnet ].. good job traveling rellees could not see our struggles or solution .
All that said ; they are a tough a/c , low wing , wide u/c , easy to de-ice , built like brick Karzee ,... handled all that the Hebs , Northern Isles , and N Germany
[ before the wall came down ] could throw at them .. and 25 + years later can be seen on Flight radar 24 ; still nightly trucking on as freighters from the Channel Isles throughout UK and around Scandinavia .
Rgds condor .
PS DC10 ... Def Cruiser
MD11 ... More Def 2
Jumbolino was the brand (for want of a better word) devised by Crossair to market their 146/RJ services, so slightly more provenance than some of the other nicknames being discussed:
evansb,
Your picture of G-BFMT clearly shows the issue I raised about the proximity of the freight-door to the port prop.
Your picture of G-BFMT clearly shows the issue I raised about the proximity of the freight-door to the port prop.