VC10 to Singapore flight time

[kkbuk]

Can anyone remember how long it took to fly from Brize to Singapore in a VC10 in 1972, via Cyprus and Gan? I think it was about 21 hours or so. Thanks in anticipation. kkbuk (Aged ex-Fish head)

[FAL]

19 hours rings a bell, although never been there. Kai Tak was 21 (or 23)?

[benzonar]

I thought it was 22 although this is only based on hearsay and the 1974 flight times, I was only 14 months when I made the trip.


Not wanting you to feel old or anything

[L J R]

I thought that the fun bus was the fastest airliner in the world (ex Concorde) - so why is the UK - Singapore trip some 4 hours longer than Qantas or BA?

[Navaleye]

I didn't think the VC10 had the legs to do a 15hr hop in one go. That came later.

[L J R]

aaah, so it was the fastest airliner - over a short distance then.

[unclenelli]

Not was, IS and for the second time in it's life!

[Art Field]

I think you will find the longer time was that, being military, it was restricted from flying over certain countries. It also provided transport to those bases it used.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Ah, this one again; http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=114439 .

Have a look at the Convair 990 and the TU154 and see what you think.

[Phileas Fogg]

Concorde, was, is (there is still one airworthy in Toulouse) the fastest airliner but only over short distances.

[moggiee]

Maximum sector time on an RAF VC10 was rarely more than 8 hours due to the relatively low fuel load (by modern standards). Of course, at the time of the aeroplane's entry into service, that was the going rate (DC8, B707).

Having to avoid countries who painted red stars on their aeroplanes and anks didn't help!

[adrian mole]

Hi Guys - 16hrs 45 mins flying time plus 90 mins each at Akrotiri and Gan. from my logbook may 7 1973 -
VC10 XV102 Flt No 2086
ATD BZZ 070905 - ATA AKT 071315 (4hrs 10min)
ATD AKT 071440 - ATA GAN 072310 (8hrs 30 mins)
ATD GAN 080025 - ATA TEN 080430 (4hrs 05 mins)
Happy days - hope this helps?
Oh and by the way Phileas - I also flew in Concorde Bombay to Paya Lebar on Aug 20 1975
Concorde G-BOAC Flt No QF236
ATD BOM 201625 - ATA SIN 201930 (3hrs 05 mins)

[Brain Potter]

VC10 figures can be misleading as the indicated mach number overeads by 0.02 - so a quoted speed of 0.925 (the old crew trg limit) is actually 0.905. Limitations imposed in the late nineties reduced the true MNo to below M0.85 and also ended the practice of operating up to the MNe limit (0.92 true) for "operational" reasons. In effect, the reduced MNo has to be treated as an MNe and makes any claims about the aircraft's performance purely historical.

The linked thread mentions very high speeds for the B727, CV990 and Tu-154, but as these are all VC10-era jets they may also include misleading uncorrected IMns.

[MOSTAFA]

Memory is fading now but I seem to remember 5ish to Cyprus, 2ish to Masira, 5ish to Gan, 5ish to Changi = 17ish in 1973 (Ex Talaria - I think it was called).

Back in a Belfast = about a week!

Hope that helps!!!!!

[chiglet]

I remember posting a letter home in 1964 from RAF Kuching [Borneo] on Monday lunchtime, and had a reply [with "Parade" attatched] Friday am Prolly went BOAC, tho'...
watp,iktch

[Lyneham Lad]

Well, Feb 1968 LYN to Changi on a Comet II took an elapsed 24 hrs. Returning Aug 1970 on a BOAC VC10 from Changi took an awful lot longer...........

Why? I hear you ask! Well, taxying out at Tehran the cabin filled up with noxious fumes when a CAU let go. To cut a long and tedious story short, I was transferred to a BOAC 707 that had a fuel leak and could only take on enough fuel to take off from Tehran at night and head for Zurich for refuel then onto LHR.

Typical BOAC - those of us that transferred to the 707 had our luggage left in Tehran whilst those stuck in Tehran had their luggage put on the 707.......

LL

[DON T]

Changi to Brize October 1969 about 20 hours by VC10.

October 1966 Heathrow to Kaitak, British Eagle Britannia (MOD trooper)approx 28 hours. That is Heathrow-Kuwait 10 hours, Kuwait-Columbo 8-9 and Columbo-Kaitak 9-10 hours.

I returned to Kaitak in 1972 by VC10 from Brize 3 days approx. with a very nice 2 day stop over in Gan for an engine change and refreshments.

[cliver029]

October 1963 Heathrow to Changi(or was it Paya Lebar?), (en-route to Tengah) British Eagle Britannia (again a mil trooper)approx 24 hours. Heathrow-Istambul 10 hours, Istambul-Columbo 7-8 (Not sure) and Columbo-Changi 9-10 hours.

Main memories are of landing at istambul and seeing all the crashed and wrecked aircraft scattered around the airfield many with trees and scrub growing through the wreckage

[Warmtoast]

A decade earlier in the early 1960's and in 99 Sqn Britannias, my log book shows flying times averaging between 25 and 26 hours. Typical turnround at the en-route stops was two hours so the pax got a ground meal, could stretch their legs and could buy a drink in the transit mess.

Standard Route:
Lyneham - El Adem
El Adem - Khormaksar
Khormaksar - Gan
Gan - Changi

and vice versa

[kkbuk]

Adrian Mole, your figures tally with those in the creaking old brain, did the flight in 1972. Remember flying home to Britain via Singapore International Airways in 1975 for £120, free beer, free champagne, excellent meals, IFE and much more. Two weeks later VC10 pre-paid flight back to Singers, £140, free orange juice, tea, coffee, argument with Senior Officer on flight (R.N. poser). Happy days!!!! Also, thank you all, gentlemen for your replies.