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Spanish charter airlines

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Spanish charter airlines

Old 17th Apr 2020, 04:12
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Originally Posted by Flightrider
That said, and for the sake of balance, some of the British Island Airways One-Eleven 500 departures weren't an awful lot better back in those days.
I remember driving past the end of runway 25 at Newcastle one Saturday night, probably in the 90's, when a Sabre 727 made an extremely low pass over the road. I didn't see it rotate but it looked like it must have been very very late getting up.
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 06:42
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air spain

Originally Posted by cjhants
May 1972 my second ever holiday flight from Luton with Air Spain on a DC8. Got on board and only about a third full. Flight deck then announced we were going to Gerona via Manchester where we were to pick up the remaining passengers. I thought it was great at the time to get an extra flight. Seemed like a great adventure at the time.
Seem to remember a red and yellow livery.
I was with Air Spain at that time lol My first job had just started, what a summer - VistaJet Holidays was our UK charterer.

Yes horrendous flights that always by the end of the weekend were running 12-24 hours late. Either Tech or ATC or both!

Typical Saturday saw - one DC-8

ALC-LTN 11.00
12.00 LTN-QGN
QGN-LTN 17.00
18.00 LTN-ALC
ALC-LTN 00.40
Sunday 01.40 LTN-MAN-BCN-MAN-LTN
09.30 LTN-ALC

Often or not, the delays got so bad we hit the Sunday Papers lol

Last edited by rog747; 17th Apr 2020 at 06:53.
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 06:52
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Originally Posted by The AvgasDinosaur
Anyone remember T.A.E. (Trabajos Aeros E.....)
I think they started with a C-54 then went to 2 or more DC-7C and finally DC-8 s.
Photos much appreciated.
David
Yup, I mentioned TAE above in my OP, they started off with DC Props (like all Spanish charter airlines did, TASSA Spantax and Transeuropa) and went on to jets.
A sole new BAC 1-11, Caravelles with PW engines, and a selection of ''Holiday Liners'' DC-8's series 20 30 and 50.

Aviaco had used Iberia Connies for IT's before getting their jets - One almost coming to grief at night in low-viz at LGW similar to Ariana, but the AO was coming in on 07 over Russ Hill.
I think they got away with twigs and some wood in the flaps and gear.
I think AO lost a Connie in the drink somewhere too.

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Old 17th Apr 2020, 09:08
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All this talk of "interesting" take off,s and indeed landings as well as actual crashes, just high lights how unsafe air travel still was then in relation to the number of flights undertaken. I remember all of the carriers mentioned and especially the Corando and DC8 operated by the Spanish carriers. I also have a look with nostalgia at the old one parked up next to the air force hangar at Palma when I am in there. It would be good to see it restored, even if just a paint job, but they did pour out some smoke. I flew on Swiss Air DC8 and Cornado and once on Iberia, but never on a Spanish registered one as far as I can remember other than the one Iberia flight. They were noisy and pumped a lot of smoke out but I do have a soft spot for them. My last flight in a DC8 was back in in 1989 when I hired two DC8 61 Freighters to move materials from Houston to Stanstead, and flew back in the cockpit on the jump seat, as I was in Houston at the time, and was due to head home anyway. You could do that back then with little documentation, and even went through crew channel at immigration. Happy memories.
Kind regards
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 09:54
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Originally Posted by lederhosen
The landing in Dubrovnik was somewhat enlivened by the look on the face of the stewardess as we touched down as she was still pushing a trolley up the aisle.
Used to think stories like these were urban myths until we left Dubrovnik (by coincidence) with the safely demonstration in full swing and watched the crew scramble for their seats!
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 10:10
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Originally Posted by The AvgasDinosaur
Anyone remember T.A.E. (Trabajos Aeros E.....)
I think they started with a C-54 then went to 2 or more DC-7C and finally DC-8 s.
Photos much appreciated.
David
TAE had just the one BAC1-11-400, EC-BQF, that among other things plied the route between PMI-BHX at weekends for one summer season can't remember the tour operator though. Where else did it operate?
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 17:25
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In the late 70's as a young teenager, I flew from Ringway to Palma Majorca on a Spantax DC-8 series 60. Always remember the generous spacing between the seats as if it was set up for long range flights, surprising really for a package holiday charter airline. I always liked the DC-8 and thought it was sleeker and much better looking aircraft than the Boeing 707. From memory CPAir DC-8's were one of the other regular operators into Manchester together with a KLM DC8 combi on Saturday mornings. I appreciate that this thread is about Spanish charters but must say what a smart and attractive colour scheme CPAir had! The return leg from Palma was by luck on a Spantax Convair Coronado, in fact two flew out that night to Manchester, the other covered a Britannia airways flight as the company were on strike. What I remember about the CV990 flight was the noticeable roar and noise as it belted down the runway. The whole aircraft rattled and shook like I have never experienced before. I knew even then I was fortunate to have a ride on this beast as I had never seen such a type in my years of plane spotting. Later on in life I read that the chief pilot of Spantax described the Coronado as "The Maserrati of the Skies'.
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 17:45
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Another Spanish airline I remember from the 90's was Centennial who operated MD80's into Gatwick, I think from Palma. They didn't last long.
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 21:51
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The Comet - 4C How's that for noise?
I'll raise you ... the BAC I-11 ... could drown out my teacher's voice for several minutes on the first turn out of Ringway heading east! (And a real beauty to look at, squinting out of the window with head on one side!)
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 22:05
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I know that many of these airline's have already been mentioned but here's a list of the Spanish airline's that previously flew regular charter flights between the United Kingdom and Spanish destinations from 1960's onwards. I'm including IBERIA as they flew regular charters on behalf of several British tour operators.

Some of the listed airlines rebranded such as IBERWORLD into ORBEST. AVIACO was a wholly owned subsidiary of IBERIA.

AIR EUROPA..Founded in 1986, still in operation
​​​​​​AIR SPAIN.. Founded in 1965, ceased operations in 1975
AVIACO.. Founded in 1948, ceased operations in 1999
BCM AIRLINES..Founded in ?, ceased operations in ?
CENTENNIAL AIRLINES..Founded in 1993, ceased operations in 1996
FUTURA INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1989, ceased operations in 2008
GIRJET.. Founded in 2003, ceased operations in 2008
HISPANIA AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1982, ceased operations in 1989
HOLA AIRLINES.. Founded in 2002, ceased operations in 2010
IBERIA..Founded in 1927, still in operation
IBERWORLD.. Founded in 1998, ceased operations in 2009
LINEAS AEREAS CANARIAS.. Founded in 1985, ceased operations in 1990
LTE INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1987, ceased operations in 2008
MINT AIRWAYS.. Founded in 2009, ceased operations in 2012
NORT JET.. Founded in 1989, ceased operations in 1992
OASIS AIRLINES.. Founded in 1986, ceased operations in 1995
ORBEST ORIZONIA AIRLINES.. Founded in 2009, ceased operations in 2013
SPANAIR.. Founded in 1986, ceased operations in 2012
SPANTAX.. Founded in 1959, ceased operations in 1988
TAE-TRABAJOS AEREOS Y ENLACES.. Founded in 1966, ceased operations in 1981
THOMAS COOK AIRLINES BALEARICS.. Founded in 2017, still in operation for CONDOR
TRANSEUROPA.. Founded in 1965, ceased operations in 1982
UNIVERSEAIR.. Founded in 1987, ceased operations in 1991
VIVA AIR.. Founded in 1988, ceased operations in 1999

I might have missed one or two, feel free to add if that's the case.
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Old 17th Apr 2020, 22:20
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Originally Posted by DanAir89
Used to think stories like these were urban myths until we left Dubrovnik (by coincidence) with the safely demonstration in full swing and watched the crew scramble for their seats!
When I flew from Stansted to Istanbul in 2011 cabin crew were still doing the safety briefing when we were rotating!

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Old 17th Apr 2020, 23:24
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SPANTAX has been discussed by many especially regarding their CV990's but no photos uploaded.

I thought that I would honour SPANTAX with a selection of photos of their aircraft.












SPANTAX revised their livery in 1981 to a more modern style.












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Old 18th Apr 2020, 09:36
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Brilliant photos! I much prefer the old livery to the new, but then again I'm a fan of all the older liveries being displayed in retro planes these last few years.

The Coronado just has that look that makes it look dangerous (in a good way) and capable. Where were the above photos taken ? I thought northern Germany, but perhaps Scandinavia ?
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Old 18th Apr 2020, 11:05
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Looks like a 749 Connie behind the DC-6...?
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Old 18th Apr 2020, 19:20
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Originally Posted by treadigraph
Looks like a 749 Connie behind the DC-6...?
In full spotter mode I would suggest the DC6 is actually a DC7C. In the dim and distant past I can remember leaving my passport in the seat pocket of one at Barcelona. The aircraft went tech and we all had to get off. I was already in the bus when I realised my mistake, but managed somehow to get it back. The 737 and the DC8 are pretty obviously in Palma. The DC9 third from bottom looks like Berlin Tegel. The only one that looks Scandinavian is the one with the pair of Coronados and may be Stockholm. But having 2 there at the same time seems a bit unlikely.
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Old 18th Apr 2020, 19:51
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Spot on Lederhosen, I was distracted by the shapely fuselage behind!
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Old 18th Apr 2020, 20:14
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EC-CCF Gatwick June 1979
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Old 18th Apr 2020, 20:51
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Nois

Originally Posted by Alsacienne
I'll raise you ... the BAC I-11 ... could drown out my teacher's voice for several minutes on the first turn out of Ringway heading east! (And a real beauty to look at, squinting out of the window with head on one side!)
The BAC 1-11 aircraft were definitely the noisiest, hence the necessity of hush kits which were later added.
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Old 18th Apr 2020, 23:13
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The Captain on that CV880 was Danny Burke. Captain Danny had a storied history of ferrying various aircraft from all over the world. As a matter of fact he had recently typed in the AB340-500 which he flew regularly out of KLAS. The sad news is Captain Danny passed away earlier this winter. Great guy!
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Old 19th Apr 2020, 05:29
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Is that the private A340 that has been known to fly non stop from there to TLV?
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