Ian,

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Jamie

JW 411
 

I guess you were involved in what was in the days of the 1-11 euphemistically known as "the Spey Handling course", consisting of RAF crews doing a couple of base sessions a year and then coming out to Berlin to do a tour for route familiarisation - it was VC 10 crews in my day. We were very happy to know that in the event of a "dispute" with the eastern block the RAF would take over and we could retire to the Officers Club in Theodore Heuss Platz!

I too flew the Viscount for 3k hours in the mid 60s by which time the 806s had been given the Mk510 Dart, the same as the 802, thereafter being known as the 806x - ironically it was to provide the higher powered engines to the Argosys, these had the temperature in TGT and were the Mk520 which I came across in the HS748.

Ergonomics? Well, I don't think Vickers had heard of such a thing. I flew 7 different marks of Viscount both in the 700 and 800 series. The only thing common to them all was the position of the throttles and HP cocks. In some the switches were down for on, some up. In the 700D the fire switches were on the glareshield and the 800 as you describe. some had heated windscreens and some as the 800 a drip fed glycol windscreen deicer. The only good thing the BEA a/c had was a cockpit air conditioner mounted in the R/Os seat position during the summer which unfortunately wasn't included in the package when BEA handed them down to the company I was working for.

Whatever shortcomings the aircraft had it was still a magnificent plane to fly or travel in as a passenger.

Flightwatch
 

"Spey Handling Course"

Was that where they taught you to carry an iron bar in the cockpit in case you needed to get out and wallop the 1-11's CSDS starter?

Flightwatch:

In my time it was the Dart Handling Course.

PFR

Grateful thanks for the information.

H49

Thanks to everyone for their kind replies on this superb old machine. I miss watching them climbing out...

PFR,

sorry, I've only now read your June response - can't recall pprune sending an email as they have today, however....

no more pics at present, but she seemed today to have got some brighter red paint on the prop tips. I had to zip past her over to an A330 that was due out and on which I had a tiny job to do, and they kept us for 20 minutes at the Gate, due to today's inauguration of the new tower and all the VIPs etc. The LBA decided to pay the security company a visit, to check they were doing it all correctly, so today it was belts off, watches off, etc and cars really given the once-over (shades of Helmstedt border crossing....shudder:eek:). Back to normal tomorrer, I hope!
english-for-flyaways.de

N7471 is potentially flyable but missing one working engine.(Russ Strine, Mar. 16, 2009) MAAM Reading PA US.

Surely someone would be prepared to swap a good engine from a static example ?

Powerplant wanted
 

Perhaps they (whoever THEY are) would do a swap...:)

North West Air News - vickers viscount in belgium

rgds
Alan

Given the amount of money Lufthansa are dedicating to buying and putting a Lockheed 1649 Starliner back in the air, and given the fact that they still own a Viscount I would keep my fingers tightly crossed.
Who knows what they have planned. Clearly an airline not ashamed of their heritage, they also fly a Junkers JU-52 if I'm not mistaken.
Be lucky
David

Yes David, it's all here...Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Stiftung

brgds
Alan

On December 23rd 2011, Lufthansa 737-530 D-ABJI was retired and ferried to Frankfurt to be used as a ground trainer to replace Viscount D-ANAF. Looking remarkably pristine and mostly complete in it's current Lufthansa colours with "Lufthansa Training" titles and only it's inboard props missing when I saw it on December 20th, the Viscount has been grounded at Frankfurt in the training role for over 40 years.

I wonder what the future holds for this Viscount now it's training role appears to be over? Maybe Lufthansa should be encouraged to ship it over to the USA for a session in the hangar in Auburn-Lewistown, MA once the Starliner is completed? ;-)

I watched yesterday, Tuesday, as 'JI received its new 'LUFTHANSA TECHNIK' decals on the port side. I had permission from the shop manager to take photos but promised the PR manager not to publish them (...yet).

The training manager wouldn't be drawn into making a statement about the fate of the Viscount, but I can't see them keeping her for much longer...space for two trainers is just not available. The next edition of the in-house newsletter will doubtless address the issue!

brgds and Happy New Year to all!

Alan

It would be fantastic if LH Technik were to be able to restore D-ANAF, and of all the major airlines LH seems to have more of a sence of history and preservation than most - especially BA!

I fear however that 40 years grounded will probably result in 'AF being beyond even the skills of LH Technik - certainly to get the aircraft airworthy.

Are there any other Viscounts in any sort of state of repair that might enable them to be made airworthy?

If the history of the Vickers Valiant bomber is anything to go by it will need new wing spars.

@ Fareastdriver

...not to mention a few Darts, plus propellers....! (at least one of the two missing props is in the workshop)...

I have to correct what I wrote about the decals on D-ABJI (I couldn't hang around long enough yesterday). She now sports LUFTHANSA TECHNICAL TRAINING on both sides, as noticed an hour ago in the pouring rain (and my 'memory' reveals 'TT' on the nosewheel doors...)

And for the anoraks among us, 747 ABVH has been divested of her '50 years Boeing/Lufthansa' decals, and 'BVA and 'BVB ceased revenue duties at the end of last year. Bit 'off-thread' - apols:O
brgds
Alan

Viscount spar change was common place in the 1970's.

I was involved in one A/C during my apprenticeship at BAC Hurn. It took about 4 months to do the whole job but I believe people like BAF and Fields used to do the job in about 6-8 weeks.
Not sure if there are enough bods around with the skills to do it now though.

We in BEA used to do twin lower spar changes plus a check 4 on the 700 series in 6 weeks in the late 50s we were lucky in the respect that the planning departments supplied us with the correct jigs and tools to do the job the 2 big tedious jobs were the removal of the main electrical panels under the floor in the center section to gain access to the bolts joining the center section and the wing spar and making the templates from the old spar and then drilling the holes in the in the blank new spar one slip and that was a few thousand quid down the drain but it never happened. Don't think any airline would tackle those type of tasks now it would go back to the manufacturer:hmm::hmm::hmm:

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