Caravelle
 

Dear friends

I would like to know, if there have been attempts to restore a Caravelle to flying condition (besides the Caravelle 3 in Sweden).

I know it is a tremendous task, but people keep restoring all kinds of aircraft around the world - from DC7s to Lockheed Starliners.

Personally I would prefer the 10B or 10R, but I am not sure, if there are any airframes around, that would suit the project.

Brgds

SE210

I seem to remember a company called Transavia (Baltic? Scandinavian?) offering three low time and well maintained examples about 10 -12 years ago. Think they had just been D checked so they might be candidate airframes. They may even be the Swedish ones referred to.


Conan

What's the story with the Caravelle in Sweden?

Lovely aeroplane the Caravelle, love the chance to go for a ride in one.

Transavia ???

I wonder, what company that could have been. And with complete D-checks ???

I really can not think of any. Sterling sold retired their last 10B in 1992 and then leased a couple of planes to Air Toulouse. Later they were sold to Colombia.

I do not recall, what happened to Air Syria´s Caravelles, but may be those were the ones.

Aero Lloyd had 10R´s, and I know that one was stored outside. And later damaged by another airplane. Do anybody know, if this plane still exists??

Brgds

SE210

The memory is vague - but it might have been that Transavia were flogging the Sterling examples. Dunno... so long ago now...

Conan

I'll also have to confess a shakey memory here, but...

Transavia (Holland) certainly operated Caravelles many years ago - I'm going back to mid 70s before they re-equipped with 737s, but was there not a TRANSAIR in Sweden - or even Transwede? that also operated Caravelles. Might it have been they who offered the aircraft for sale?

It IS a long time ago!

Getting excited at Treadigraphs post here... Yup, it was one of them! Know they had three up for grabs and were I am sure, fine examples of the genre.

It WAS a long time ago... Maybe 89 to 90?

Conan

Would love to see one flying again too - but would they need a noise abatement dispensation? :}

Wasn't their an Air Scibe or Scibe Airlift from the Congo who operated some sub charters for the I/T industry in the 70s/80s with a couple of Caravelles? Colour scheme was red and white as I recall.

Ah the Caravelle - Cockpit and Nose designed by de Haviland, Power by RR Avons. I would love to wander around a restored one as many happy hours and one very scary 10 Minutes despatching Caravelles out of Gatwick in the 1970's.

Although to some extent the Happy bit is due that era being viewed through the rose tinted filter of memory!

At take off power made a 1-11 seem quiet :-)
DIH

Caravelle's
 

Adding to the nostalgia on Caravelle's there is another outfit, need to cast your minds back to Intercontinental of Nigeria who gained that adverse publicity of try to land a DC8 in dense fog at Stansted and flying into the top of a light standing on the old cargo stands.

Saw one at Stansted on a coupl of time, but as you say memories are very hazy, many moons ago !!!

I'm pretty sure, about a year ago, I saw a Caravelle parked at Columbus Ohio airport. Looked all in one piece and in fair nick. Anyone from Columbus?

There was one at CVG (Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky) too - at the DHL freight operation. Maybe it's still there.

I only rode a Caravelle once - on a United recruiting flight in '63 to/from ORD. I remember the crew demonstrating an emergency descent over Lake Michigan!

In regard to the Columbus Caravelle, this must sound a bit sad I know, but if you have Earth Google (mentioned elswhere recently in Jetblast), have a look at position 39.59.26N 82.52.26W. Difficult to say for certain but I wonder if this may be the machine in question. Seems to be lacking starboard engine.

Think the image may date to mid 2002 from evidence elsewhere.

Incidentally my first two flights ever were on SAS Caravelles from Gatwick to Bergen and back in the summer of 1967. One was OY-KRC if I recall correctly.

Duckbutt, I don't see a Caravelle there but thanks for putting me on to Earth Google. Brilliant!!

PS. Apologies Duckbutt. I was looking at the wrong airport! Not the first time. That is indeed the Ohio Caravelle to which I referred. This internet thing is scary!

Carravelle's seen in Africa
 

At Bujumbura [ Burundi ] a "Burundi Airways " Caravelle languishes under a layer of grime.

At Kinshasa -DRC there's another Caravelle.

Time to bring Google Earth out again!!!!

Here's the most accurate list I know on the web of the extant examples (download the spreadsheet)

http://members.chello.nl/s.c.verbrug...html#caravelle

Remember the last one I saw airborne was a chance sighting in 1992 from a suburban train in Berlin one afternoon of a Syrian Airlines one approaching Berlin Schonefeld. Checked their schedule afterwards, seem to recall it was on a Copenhagen - Berlin - Damascus routing. The above site says the two Syrian ones have been sat at Damascus for the last 10 years and were recently offered for sale, potentially airworthy.

But the type/photo index seems to be a work in progress (and not very far along...)

I think this is the one at CVG: 39.02.35N, 84.39.33W

Just recently visited the Caravelle at Ailes Anciennes in Toulouse.
Seems to be in pretty good condition, all instruments still in place, still pressure on two of the three hydraulic accumulators, just slight signs of corrosion. Might be a candidate for restauration to airworthy condition