New book on Short Skyvan

[aeroflight]

I am currently in the process of writing a new book on the Short SC.7 Skyvan. The last dedicated book on this unique type appeared in 1977.

I am interested in hearing of your experiences of flying, servicing and generally operating the Skyvan. Humorous anecdotes and serious incidents are all welcome. (Note: The Shorts 330/360 and C-23 will be a separate book in the future).

While I am here. Does anyone know of a flight test/pilot's report type of article on the Skyvan in an aviation magazine? I haven't been able to find one in Flight, Pilot, Flying etc.

Thanks for your time.

John

[DaveReidUK]

One of the most interesting missions flown by the Skyvan was the regular BHD-GLA-BFS-BHD round trip.

I can't tell you what was carried on the GLA-BFS leg, or I'd have to kill you ...

[l.garey]

I had an interesting experience when I lived in Singapore some years ago, wanting to spend a couple of days on Tioman Island in Malaysia and finding that there was a short flight there from Seletar, so we took it. It was via Skyvan, that we discovered was a hardly tarted-up Singapore Air Force version (the 3M) 9V-BNJ. This was in March 1989, and took 45 minutes, with the return a couple of days later. The spartan interior had a very military feeling, and was graced by a large luggage net for the bags. Great fun in spite of the noise. I've got a photo somewhere.
Laurence

[DaveReidUK]

I remember being told that regular pax on the short-lived BEA/BA Skyliner services between Glasgow and the Hebrides knew to bring their own earplugs.

[421dog]

Exactly one million years ago, when I was a student at the University of Illinois institute of Aviation, there was a motley crewe who came by on a regular freight run in the middle of the night in a flying boxcar. In exchange for a couple of beers (when not flying of course&#128526 one could bum a ride in a real turbine twin. I availed myself of this opportunity and had the experience of having the crew turn off my O2 at 21K. (Just for giggles). When they turned it back on, it was like Dorothy getting to OZ.
Louder than hell, but a lovely freight dog

[packapoo]

I can recall paxing around North Queensland back in the early 00's in those things.

[Sue Vêtements]

I jumped out of one once and the most interesting part of that was we did the entire sortie with the ramp down and all the jumpers facing aft (with a blanket for comfort I might add). This meant I could see out of the back and was very surprised when we taxied out to see us reversing and basically doing a three point turn at the end of the runway

I didn't know about beta at the time, so it just seemed ... odd (and funny)

[Captain Dart]

I recall a London flight where ATC told us to ‘…follow the Shed on Taxiway Delta’.

[Herod]

I'm not sure, but I don't think the Skyvan was ever called the "Shed". That was the 3-30 and 3-60. "Shed" and "Super Shed"

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Herod

I'm not sure, but I don't think the Skyvan was ever called the "Shed". That was the 3-30 and 3-60. "Shed" and "Super Shed"

Added to which, Skyvans were a pretty rare sight at Heathrow.

[Captain Dart]

It must have been a 3-something then, and may have been Gatwick or MAN. It was still funny, though 😀

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by DaveReidUK

Added to which, Skyvans were a pretty rare sight at Heathrow.

Aer Turas used to operate racehorse flights to Fairoaks (for Kempton, Sandown, Epsom or Ascot) and could have ended up at Heathrow on a wx div.
One day at Farnborough shortly after EFW moved out to Boscombe, Shorts company hack came in for some reason shortly before we closed for the day; quick turnaround then off again.
Next morning on airfield inspection, I found a piece of perspex with rounded off corners on the runway. It looked roughly the size/shape of a Skyvan window so we phoned Shorts and they checked; yes there was a hole in the fuselage where there should have been a window. Must've made a helluva noise but nobody noticed.

[DuncanDoenitz]

ISTR the SC.7 demonstrating at Farnborough, early 70s. Finale was the aircraft being bounced by a Lightning; Skyvan lands, soldier disembarks the rear door and "fires" a Company Blowpipe!

[Self loading bear]

Originally Posted by chevvron

Aer Turas used to operate racehorse flights to Fairoaks (for Kempton, Sandown, Epsom or Ascot) and could have ended up at Heathrow on a wx div.
One day at Farnborough shortly after EFW moved out to Boscombe, Shorts company hack came in for some reason shortly before we closed for the day; quick turnaround then off again.
Next morning on airfield inspection, I found a piece of perspex with rounded off corners on the runway. It looked roughly the size/shape of a Skyvan window so we phoned Shorts and they checked; yes there was a hole in the fuselage where there should have been a window. Must've made a helluva noise but nobody noticed.

Must have been the only decompression incident on the Skyvan.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Self loading bear

Must have been the only decompression incident on the Skyvan.

The Skyvan is the only aircraft known to have suffered a bird strike from behind ...

[ETOPS]

I co-piloted a Skyvan for three years - very different machine to almost everything else. Ruined the hearing in my right ear and gave me a healthy dislike of the TPE331 engine

[Compass Call]

I didn't know that Skyvans had a ramp! The ones I worked on had an upward opening rear door.
Learn something new every day.

[Bergerie1]

Large jet following a Shorts Skyvan at a very busy US airfield. Pilot of large jet comes on the blower, ''What type of aircraft is that?''

Answer in a very proud voice, ''It's a Shorts Skyvan.''

Response from large jet in a slow lazy Texan drawl, ''Hey, fella. Don't ya know you have to unpack it before ya fly it.''

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Compass Call

I didn't know that Skyvans had a ramp! The ones I worked on had an upward opening rear door.
Learn something new every day.

I'm pretty sure no Skyvan was ever equipped with a ramp. Of course that doesn't preclude one being used for loading purposes on the ground.

[Killaroo]

The SD330 was the worst aircraft I ever flew. The Skyvan must have been even worse.