After Laker went bankrupt in February 1982 British Caledonian Airways purchased two former Laker DC10-10 aircraft and initially painted them in the full British Caledonian Airways livery, the titles eventually changed to British Caledonian Charter, then BCA Charter. The two former Laker Airways DC10-10's G-GFAL and G-GSKY we're re-registered G-BZJD and G-BJZE respectively.

BCAL Charter was initially conceived in March 1982 after the sudden demise of Laker Airways which left a large gap in the UK inclusive tour/charter market. The airline was a joint set up between British Caledonian Airways and the Rank Organisation which had it's interests firmly established in the travel industry with it's own tour operators Blue Sky Travel/Holidays, Wings Holidays, Ellerman Travel and OSL Holidays.

However it was not long before British Caledonian Airways realised that it's own high quality scheduled product and image was being somewhat tarnished by the more utility charter product in addition to the general public not being able to differentiate between the two companies. It was therefore decided to make slight changes to the charter company and livery by introducing "BCA Charter" decals to the aircraft and outlining the golden St Andrews lion rampant tail logo with a white shield.

This lasted only a short time when Rank Organisation and British Caledonian Airways completely rebranded the charter arm as Cal Air International with a brand new livery still incorporating the rampant lion but in red. After the rebranding the new airline acquired a third ex Laker Airways DC10-10 and re-registered as G-GCAL.

In August 1988 with the takeover of British Caledonian Airways by British Airways the Rank Organisation decided to buy the 50% share of the company previously owned by BCAL making it a wholly owned company.

After the Rank Organisation held full control of Cal Air International it was decided to change it's name and livery. The airline was totally rebranded again with a modified livery and renamed Novair International Airways. Three brand new Boeing 737-400 aircraft were added to the fleet complimenting the existing three DC10-10's.

Novair International Airways had bases at Glasgow, London Gatwick and Manchester.

The company stopped operating and closed down for good in early 1990 after the Rank Organisation could not find a suitable buyer.

Both DC10-10's G-BJZD and G-BJZE went to FedEx whilst DC10-10 G-GCAL went to Orbis International as a flying eye hospital. The Boeing 737-400's went to British Midland.

Here are a few photos of DC10-10 G-GSKY from it's early beginnings with Laker Airways through to it's career as G-BJZE with British Caledonian Charter, BCA Charter, Cal Air International and Novair International Airways. DC10-10 G-GSKY was originally delivered to Laker Airways in March 1979.

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When first delivered to BCAL for summer 1982 both the ex Laker DC-10-10's (now ZD and ZE) wore full BCAL livery with no reference to ''Charter''...

Then the titles were changed to British Caledonian Charter.
BCAL still on the engines.

Later saw the the L dropped off the BCAL on the engines nacelles - hence just 'BCA'

The last change under BCAL/Rank ownership was a full renaming and titles changed to BCA Charter and the a tail Lion enclosed in a white shield surround.

Followed on by the Rank takeover and Calair was formed....

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Gatwick June 1987

Rog

If you re-read my first sentence I actually stated that the two former Laker Airways DC10-10's we're initially painted in the full British Caledonian Airways livery with no reference to charter 😉

Regards Sean

Yes of course - I was merely following on by doing today's Home-Schooling lock-down history lesson LOL

I was working at BCAL when the charter airline was set up. I seem to recall that the 4 ex Laker BAC 1-11 srs 300s were also used for a while.

Correct dixi

G-AVBW became G-BKAU
VBX became KAV
VBY became KAW
VYZ became KAX

The four former Laker Airways BAC1-11-300's were purchased by British Caledonian Airways on the 01 April 1982. The four aircraft we're registered to British Caledonian Airways as Musket90 rightly points out.

I'm assuming that all four aircraft we're eventually repainted into the full British Caledonian Airways livery as I can't remember seeing any BAC1-11's at London Gatwick Airport during the summer of 1982 still in the former Laker Airways colour's.

The four former Laker Airways BAC1-11-300's didn't last long with British Caledonian Airways and all four we're eventually sold between September and November 1983.

Here is a photo of the former Laker Airways BAC1-11-300 G-AVBW taken on the 01 April 1982 at Manchester Airport, the day it was re-registered as G-BKAU with the Laker details painted over.

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Although I don't have much else to go on but I'm uploading some details of the four former Laker Airways BAC1-11-300's after they were sold by British Caledonian Airways between September and November 1983. As was the case with many former BAC1-11's, they eventually found themselves in Nigeria operated by Okada Air.
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Commemorative stamps for the first flights of the two former Laker Airways DC10-10's acquired by British Caledonian Airways in 1982 and re-registered as G-BJZD (G-GFAL) and G-BJZE (G-GSKY).

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Since we started with A300s, the ex Laker ones were repainted and had an internal refit at BCAL before going to Air Jamaica. IIRC.

I thought this thread was about Orion!

And regarding the ex-Laker 1-11's of which there were five, not four with G-ATPK being sold before the demise, the talk of the time was that BCal never intended to keep them, that they merely bought them up cheap, as if at a bankruptcy auction, to sell them on at a profit, that they never intended upon keeping them.

But what has all this to do with Orion Airways and A300's?

Absolutely nothing, but it's a cracking thread drift. Quite a few familiar names in the BCal lists there - and of the two DC-10 F/Os, there might have been a tenuous link later in life!

Flightrider, you don't happen to have the summer 1988 BHX Orion Flight Timetable by any chance? I know the 2 remaining B737-2T5's, G-BHVH & G-BKHO were based, both in a revised colour scheme. Thanks :ok:

On a Monday, one went to Mahon and did a W to NCL if that helps, a few gaps still to fill in!!!

always wondered why the scheme was revised for these 2, any ideas?

Possibly following lease to America West, just paint over their stripes?

Thanks, you don't know what the flight number was or the times? Long journey for the BHX flight crew to position to/from NCL, I wonder if they flew up or had to travel by road?

I think that was it, 3 B737-200 aircraft G-BGTY, G-BHVH, and G-BKHO were all leased to American West over the winter periods, so on their return they kept the white at the bottom of the fuselage, and the stripes were around the middle of the fuselage, so just changed them from blue to the Orion colour scheme thus saving them money! They never change the livery for the B737-300s and A300's.

What did Orion do for maintenance on all their fleet ? Was everything done in-house or a mix of their own line stations and base/hangar inputs with a third party ?

I will have a look but threw most of my timetables out many years ago pre the internet thinking no one else would ever be interested!

I think Orion had a small/light aircraft that used to ferry the crew around as it would arrive at NCL before the 737.


have a look on the orion airways Facebook group and there are some pictures of the crew positioning around the country in it.

I think Orion owned, or had use of, a Cessna 404 Titan for crew transport. It certainly had their logo on the tailfin.