New book on Short Skyvan
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 138
From: 50+ north
For Firq-Saiq you’d better believe it.
Firg at the bottom of the Jebal Akhdar, Saiq about 6000 Ft above on a plateau.
The Skyvan was originally the primary method of moving just about anything up to the SAF Camp and village at Saiq.
As I mentioned in a past post spent many hours unofficially flying the Skyvan, with the late Kerry Drew and Barry Fullerton before he went to 4 Squadron on Viscounts and 1-11s.
Thanks to Kerry Mrs TCAS also had a very entertaining morning out on the Firq- Saiq shuttle, including an excellent breakfast on Saiq Camp.
Many years later a road was cut up the jebal to Saiq. Took advantage of it to locate our VHF transmitters/ receivers near the top for our then new Muscat FIR.
Understand that things have moved on further with now an asphalt road up the jebal to a five star holiday resort.
Firg at the bottom of the Jebal Akhdar, Saiq about 6000 Ft above on a plateau.
The Skyvan was originally the primary method of moving just about anything up to the SAF Camp and village at Saiq.
As I mentioned in a past post spent many hours unofficially flying the Skyvan, with the late Kerry Drew and Barry Fullerton before he went to 4 Squadron on Viscounts and 1-11s.
Thanks to Kerry Mrs TCAS also had a very entertaining morning out on the Firq- Saiq shuttle, including an excellent breakfast on Saiq Camp.
Many years later a road was cut up the jebal to Saiq. Took advantage of it to locate our VHF transmitters/ receivers near the top for our then new Muscat FIR.
Understand that things have moved on further with now an asphalt road up the jebal to a five star holiday resort.
Joined: Apr 2004
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 2,279
Likes: 186
From: Dorset UK
Joined: Apr 2004
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 2,279
Likes: 186
From: Dorset UK
I remember some very good food on the 1-11s when I travelled as eng. on some VIP flights. The empty return flight was anything left over in the galley you can have. The UK flights were a bit more basic, but got home for two days as I lived in Bournemouth.
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 4
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From: Headcorn
There is a short summary of his career on this website if you are interested:
https://thetartanterror.!!!!!!!!.com/2009/?m=1
https://thetartanterror.!!!!!!!!.com/2009/?m=1
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 367
From: Wildest Surrey
His name was Miles O'Reilly.
Joined: Dec 2012
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 1,155
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From: Co. Down
Sorry I missed this fascinating thread. The Skyvan was indeed based on the Miles Aerovan (above) and it was said that Shorts paid royalties to Miles. The Van was similarly underpowered. We had an early version with Continental engines make a single-engine debut into Newtownards. The Astazou just didn't have the steam but quite a few of the final versions are still in service. Like most Shorts aircraft the Van was generously anointed with yellow anti-corrosion paste on faying joints, perhaps a legacy from Sunderlands. My 'apprentice' Alistair went on to become field service engineer for the Van and 330/360 family and said they gave little trouble despite their hard lives.
Most pilots loved it, Allan Deacon, later killed testing a Tucano over the North Channel, saying a Skyvan was the most fun one could have outside a double bed. The certification test flights were carried out on our 700 yd 09/27 runway at Newtownards, and traces of distance markings could still be seen last time I was out there. Landings were most spectacular into strong easterly winds, the loaded Skyvan descending almost vertically to thump onto the runway with puffs of blue smoke and stopping in a few lengths or so it seemed. Our five ton budgie did the job it was designed and built for and is still doing it very well, have a look at Youtube in Canada.
Joined: Apr 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 2,640
Likes: 300
From: In front of a computer
at Newtownards
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 367
From: Wildest Surrey
Last flight out one evening was a Skyvan on its way home to Belfast (company flight). I duly waited the 15 min then closed the airfield.
Next morning I started runway inspection and discovered an obstruction on the runway a short distance from where the Skyvan had departed.
It was a piece of perspex shaped just like a Skyvan window panel. Phoned Shorts and asked if they had inspected the Skyvan which had departed the previous evening and did they notice if it had something missing. They confirmed there was a hole where one of the fuselage windows should have been.
I dare say the crew wouldn't have noticed any increase in noise levels in the cabin; I don't know if they had any passengers on board.
Next morning I started runway inspection and discovered an obstruction on the runway a short distance from where the Skyvan had departed.
It was a piece of perspex shaped just like a Skyvan window panel. Phoned Shorts and asked if they had inspected the Skyvan which had departed the previous evening and did they notice if it had something missing. They confirmed there was a hole where one of the fuselage windows should have been.
I dare say the crew wouldn't have noticed any increase in noise levels in the cabin; I don't know if they had any passengers on board.
Joined: Apr 2006
Aviation Qualifications: Military
Posts: 508
Likes: 24
From: Oxford
Looks like Butabul North to me? Several entries in logbook at that time but cannot make out SOAF reg. on picture. Must have been there same time!
Bill (ex 2 & 5 SOAF/RAFO)
Bill (ex 2 & 5 SOAF/RAFO)
