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-   -   Corporate flight departments, UK (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/652170-corporate-flight-departments-uk.html)

treadigraph 4th Apr 2023 22:12

Decca had a Jetstream, Bell 47 and a Prince at Biggin - probably part exec transport and part systems development?
Taylor Woodrow had a Twin Otter for some reason.
Tarmac had a Agusta 109
One of the brewers used to keep a PA-31 at Biggin - might have been Bass as mentioned above.

chevvron 5th Apr 2023 01:57

Then there was the 'Robertsons Jam' owned Navajo registered G-OLLY.

Del Prado 5th Apr 2023 04:55

Scottish &Newcastle Brewery had a citation at EDI G-OSNB and kwik-fit had a king air I think, EDI based too.

GrahamO 5th Apr 2023 07:50

Marconi had two jets at its peak - one which flew every day to its Italian base in Genoa as the commercial routes took a day to get there given the schedules. No idea what type it was, but it seated about 12 and it flew from Coventry airport.

The second one did the Pittsburgh run, and was bought when BA stopped flying to Pittsburgh direct, and the change was a bit of a pain. In good old 'lack of planning' organisation, it turned out that international private jets werent allowed direct into Pittsburgh, so the private jet had to stop at Newark for immigration. I am not 100% sure but the jet was fitted out with large business class style seats only and the story was that they got a good deal on the aircraft as it was destined for Arnold Schwarzenegger, but he cancelled at short notice and Marconi snapped it up cheap. Marconi went bust about a year or so later.

SWBKCB 5th Apr 2023 08:16


Originally Posted by ETOPS (Post 11414742)
Couple of gap fillers...

Systime at Leeds Bradford C421 G-EAGL and Kenton Utilities at Newcastle Beech Kingair G-BHYU
The Vernair fleet in the late 70s was..
G-VRES Kingair 200
G-BAVE Kingair A100
G-BFVX Kingair C90
G-BFVY Kingair C90
G-AVNG Queenair A80
G-AYPC Queenair 70 (my daily driver)
G-AWWS Skyvan
G-AWPK PA-23 Aztec

Weren't Vernair also a charter company rather than just being private ops?

Also Hawker Siddeley had a fleet of Dove's

Sleeve Wing 5th Apr 2023 08:25

Fox's Glacier Mints ran a Rapide (G-AIDL) out of Leicester for many years in the 50s/60s, alongside the English Electric Heron flown by Alan Firmin. Alan had his own Decca approach to cope with the inadequacies of Leicester East ! The Heron had a regular schedule to Valley to cover the construction of an early nuclear power station on Anglesey. (Wyddfa ?)
I also remember first a Beagle 206 then an Aztec, owned by Associated Tobaccos which operated for a few years until it was, I think, written off during an asymmetric refresher.
A long time ago so could be slightly wrong on a couple of aspects.

Asturias56 5th Apr 2023 08:38

Fairey's used a Bristol Frightener to move stuff to and from Brussels

G-MILF 5th Apr 2023 09:25

British Car Auctions
Iceland Frozen Foods

chevvron 5th Apr 2023 09:34


Originally Posted by G-MILF (Post 11414997)
Iceland Frozen Foods

Operates an A109 from Fairoaks.(G-FRZN)

treadigraph 5th Apr 2023 09:42

Wasn't there a Heron operated by British Nuclear Fuels or some such organisation?

Marconi had a Piaggio P.166 for quite a while, remember seeing it over South Croydon one day many years ago - now in the Science Museum collection at Wroughton.

Another corporate twin once seen beating up Purley's "Volkswagen Building" just a stone's throw from where I type this was VW's Islander - used for parts distribution I think!

VictorGolf 5th Apr 2023 09:55

Just as a sideline, you can still fly in the Dragon Rapide G-AIDL, mentioned in post*26 by Sleeve Wing. It is operated by Classic Wings at Duxford..

SimonPaddo 5th Apr 2023 10:35

Lego Citation at Fairoaks in the 80's as in Lego had a Citation, not an actual Lego Citation :)

Level bust 5th Apr 2023 10:45

Whitbread had a Navajo G-BREW

treadigraph 5th Apr 2023 10:55


Originally Posted by Level bust (Post 11415024)
Whitbread had a Navajo G-BREW

Ah yes, that was the one that lived at Biggin...


Originally Posted by VictorGolf (Post 11415008)
Just as a sideline, you can still fly in the Dragon Rapide G-AIDL, mentioned in post*26 by Sleeve Wing. It is operated by Classic Wings at Duxford..

'IDL operated joyrides from Biggin in the 1970s and '80s as Southern Joyrides, owned by the late Mike Hood. Nice guy, had a lovely flight over London in the old bird.

meleagertoo 5th Apr 2023 11:10

I believe Birds Eye Foods had a Queen Air (based Fairoaks?) in the '70s.

chevvron 5th Apr 2023 11:50

De Beers used a Do 228 for transporting diamonds at Fairoaks in the '90s but don't tell anyone.

chevvron 5th Apr 2023 11:54


Originally Posted by SimonPaddo (Post 11415019)
Lego Citation at Fairoaks in the 80's as in Lego had a Citation, not an actual Lego Citation :)

Operated out of Farnborough later; larger Citation (650 I think) whilst they were building Legoland at Winsdsor.
IBM used 3 different Falcons at Farnborough in the '90s too.

Gulfstreamaviator 5th Apr 2023 12:08

I operated G-BREW out of Biggin for many years. Great bunch of guys to work with and the aircraft flew its socks off just as a good corporate should. Real shame what eventually happened to the flight department but thats what comes of listening to "experts".

Mr Mac 5th Apr 2023 12:37

Out of Leeds / Bradford Asda used to have a corporate jet when they were owned by Walmart as a friends wife was their marketing director but not sure of type.

I worked for Saint Gobain and back in the 90,s for a while, and there seemed to be an airforce available to our French opposite numbers, sadly not allowed on them if UK based it seemed.

Cheers
Mr Mac

Dave Gittins 5th Apr 2023 12:45

A construction earthworks company called Cinnamond kept a jet ranger at Luton. It was G-DOFY (Duchess of York) and was the one Fergie bought to learn to fly in.

It was rumoured to be mostly used for the owner to go to French vineyards to buy his wine at source.


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