British and European charter airlines from days past...

[treadigraph]

Originally Posted by Akrotiri bad boy

Am I correct in thinking that CAM '74 had a BEA Heron on the front cover?

No it was a BA 747. I happen to have a copy of the CAM with the Heron somewhere that a schoolfriend gave me, 1972 maybe?

Edit: 1973! It was 35p... £7 plus on eBay, wonder where my copy is...

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by willy wombat

I actually remember Trans Caribbean DC8s from Prestwick rather than Gatwick. Presumably on MAC charters to do with the Holy Loch US base. The other rather tenuous connection I have with Trans Caribbean is that my first proper job in the industry was with IAS Cargo Airlines and Trans Caribbean was the source of our first two DC8s.

Prestwick was a common transit/refuelling point for charters to the USA. The three Trans Caribbean Super DC8s, which did most of the Transatlantic work, were -61CF models, which didn't have a huge range, so even something like Munich to New York might need an intermediate stop. Using Bangor ME would involve the USA procedures at first point of entry and delay while they were done, doubtless lessened if one flew direct to the military base.

[Non-Driver]

Originally Posted by rog747

Yes indeed, AE hit the ground running with the new 757; a game changer for using the later type fitted with 535E4 engines for long haul charter flights, along with mixing it with the short haul Med stuff.
Air Europe having done a deal with BA, kept the same specification as British Airways for their 757s and so its aircraft were also 757-236s, initial models were equipped with the earlier RB211-535C engines, but later orders were upgraded with 535E4s.
It enabled Air Europe to get the leap on other UK charter airlines with earlier delivery positions at an advantageous price.

Monarch got theirs early as well, I flew on one in Spring 1983 with them. ISTR those early MON ones being delivered with C's but soon modded with E4's leaving only BA with the C's. G-BKRM was the oddball C powered -236 which bounced around between AE & BA for a few years, mainly used on Shuttle when I was there.

[WHBM]

I think G-BKRM was, when at BA, mainly confined to the Heathrow-Manchester Shuttle, in a quasi-Air Europe livery. Normally aircraft confined to the shortest route like that either have a problem (unlikely), or are on some leasing arrangement where keeping on the shortest run suits things financially. It was actually diverted from the main BA 757 order where it would have been G-BIKE (not a special for cyclists, the main BA 757 fleet were all G-BIK(x), and this would have been the fifth. I believe it is still around in the USA with an exec interior, for sports team charters etc.

Speaking of Euro charter-to-VIP conversions, the often-featured Trump 757 (no political comments please !) did actually start off new as a Sterling of Denmark aircraft, on charters from Copenhagen down to the Med.

The Monarch 757s, some of the first built, did last some 25 years with the airline before being retired. New aircraft lasting a quarter-century with the same holiday flight operator are pretty unusual. I suspect many of us here, and quite likely our parents too, got a ride in one at some time.

[Flightrider]

The registration G-BIKE was taken in advance of the rest of the G-BIK* series being allocated to the British Airways 757 fleet, so could never have been assigned to a 757 (it's a PA28 first registered in 1980). I know there are some suggestions on the internet to the contrary about the 757 in question, but these cannot be correct. Msn 22176 (which became G-BKRM) and msn 22185 (G-BPGW) were nominated out of the BA order when BA was looking to reduce capital expenditure commitments and Air Europe were looking to get 757s earlier - a happy medium all round.

One of Monarch's 757s (G-DRJC) also spent some time with BA - that was painted in full BA colours for a year's lease. It then ended up with Britannia so did the rounds of three UK airlines.

[treadigraph]

G-BIKE is a Cherokee Arrow still around, flying out of Rochester - think one of its owners occasionally posts on PPRUNE...

[rog747]

There were several 757's ordered by AE (swapped around with Air Europa UX) and LTU Sud (which were swapped around with LTE) that had the early 535C engines and stayed that way.

AE/UX
G-BKRM G-BLVH G-BPGW (G-BIKF was a short term summer BA lease to AE)
Air 2000 also leased G-BKRM in full AMM livery

LTU Sud/LTE
D-AMUR D-AMUS D-AMUT

Eastern and Monarch both converted their C engines of their first 1983 757's over to E4's ASAP during 1985.
Monarch had 3 done and their 4th was delivered with E4's.
BA IIRC, bought as many of these C engines as they could, for spares.

[Gordomac]

Air Europe started by registering with letters pertaining to owner/Boardmembers etc. HG (Harry Goodman) OR (Oregan) EC(Eorrol Cossey) etc. I have a feeling that G-BKRM was presented to us lowers as homage to Renee Manchester, original Chief Hosty.

I often wondered when they would get round to me. Maybe the tenth Md-11 on order. Yeah, dream on.

I was uplifted in joining Gulfair though. In a deep personal low, back to RHS (no DEC) first B767 on line training was....GM.....
Even Training Captain said "look at that Jordo !. Welcome to Gulfair". What a bloody nische bloke .

[brakedwell]

Here are a couple of photos of GBIKF taken when I was flying it during our first summer with the 757.

[thnarg]

Originally Posted by Gordomac

I have a feeling that G-BKRM was presented to us lowers as homage to Renee Manchester, original Chief Hosty.

RM: powerful and often difficult to control.

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by brakedwell

Here are a couple of photos of GBIKF taken when I was flying it during our first summer with the 757.

Am I correct it also had the opposite at one stage when on BA Manchester shuttles - Air Europe livery and possibly tailfin titles, but BA main title (in BA font).

[LGWAlan]

I remember the Irish DC8-63 at Manchester below from when I was a kid - never knew anything about the airline though

[brakedwell]

Originally Posted by WHBM

Am I correct it also had the opposite at one stage when on BA Manchester shuttles - Air Europe livery and possibly tailfin titles, but BA main title (in BA font).

Yes, I remember RM, which retained it's AE colour scheme, going to BA for the second winter.

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by LGWAlan

I remember the Irish DC8-63 at Manchester below from when I was a kid - never knew anything about the airline though

Transaer, Irish carrier in the 1990s, ran DC8-61, and then A300 and A320, all secondhand. Some holiday flights from Dublin, also did a lot of leasing out to other carriers, and subcharters when others were short of aircraft - a likely cause to be at Manchester. Later changed their name to Transaer with the same logo.

[Mooncrest]

Transaer became TransLift by 1994. Operated a single A320 for Sunseeker Holidays from LBA for part of the season, then Sunseeker ceased trading. They'd used the Air Foyle-operated 733 G-BNNJ the previous summer. Mainly crewed by ex-Dan Air jockeys, so I'm told. TransLift then damp-leased a few A320s to Britannia in 1998 and 1999. EI-TLF was frequently seen at LBA and wasn't that reliable, as I recall!

[SWBKCB]

The other way round, Translift became Transaer

[SWBKCB]

Originally Posted by Flightrider

Yes, Alidair would definitely qualify for a mention here - although I don't think they ever had a 1-11. Viscounts on charter certainly - including a very lucky escape near Exeter in 1980 after being "clocked" on fuel delivery at Santander and fuel gauges U/S. Not unique to older aircraft - U/S fuel gauges were the cause of the Air Canada 767 Gimli Glider episode only three years later with a brand-new aeroplane!

Pictures & write-up here.

Don't remember them having 1-11's, might have used somebody else's occasionally. Got Shorts 3-30's when they changed to Inter-City airways and moved into scheduled services, briefly...

Remember them buying the exAir Inter Viscount 700's which were used on newspaper flights MAN-DUB (IOM?). Which brings us to the Irish Dak operator - Clyden. Another Dak charter operator was Moormanair of Holland.

[ATNotts]

Originally Posted by LGWAlan

I remember the Irish DC8-63 at Manchester below from when I was a kid - never knew anything about the airline though

Those engines look more like CFMs, making it a -73. I thought they operated -63s but looks like I'm wrong

(Edit: wrong again, just checked and its a -71!).

[treadigraph]

I certainly only recall Alidair with Viscounts. I do remember seeing them at Heathrow once or twice, presumably operating a service for BA or BMA?

[Liffy 1M]

Originally Posted by ATNotts

Those engines look more like CFMs, making it a -73. I thought they operated -63s but looks like I'm wrong

(Edit: wrong again, just checked and its a -71!).

The two Translift passenger DC-8s were part of the whole fleet of series 71s bought from United by lessors GPA and all (I think) destined for freighter conversion. Some others flew in passenger configuration for different operators, pending their turn in the conversion queue.