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Belfast in Cairns
Can anyone out there confirm that GE's are working on the Belfast at the moment, please?:confused:
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Confirmed Bro :ok:
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the last airworthy Belfast
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../5/2084548.jpg
for those who don't see her every day, and a bit of background, interesting history attached to this rare bird... ;) it appears she maybe starting a new chapter..... After being retired from TAC HeavyLift service, several were parked at Southend Airport for a number of years, until one aircraft was refurbished and flown to Australia in 2003. This aircraft is no longer flying; it was often visible parked on the General Aviation side of Cairns International Airport in Queensland, in company with one or two of the company's Boeing 727s. Now registered RP-C8020, it was moved back over to the general aviation (western) side of the Cairns airport on 19 August 2011, after spending the best part of a year sitting on the Cairns International apron where it had been moved prior to the scrapping of the remaining company Boeing 727 (RP-C8016) at the end of September 2010. Short Belfast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://www.pprune.org/freight-dogs/3...d-belfast.html |
It can't be too good for it sitting closed up in the Cairns humidity and heat.
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Airworthy???
How can you call an aircraft that hasn't flown for 4 or more years airworthy?
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Belfast SC5, Cairns
Unfortunately the return to operation of this Aircraft has been more than a bumpy ride, its more a roller coaster of emotions for all involved. It would be great to see this old lady respond once again to the commands of dedicated crew members. No doubt Brian P, Dave D, Alan R and chief fixer and former owner Geoff L and many others remember the lady well.
This Belfast did not deserve to be run into the ground, abandoned and finally substituted by previous owners for other toys. Hopefully the old lady may rise again. |
She would often depart YBBN (2003-2006 roughly) at around 6-7am.....and I lived in Bridgeman Downs at the time, just inside SFC-FLXXX airspace, and at times I wondered if this beast departed in CTA :eek:
I have seen overloaded tiger moths, well furl and two fat fokkers, climb at better rates! Noisy too. But in a way I miss it.:sad: |
Time for a museum methinks...
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You don't need to put it in a museum... it could BE the museum... :ok:
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Belfast ownership
Does anyone know who now owns the Belfast Short 'Hector' that is being worked on?
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I'm currently in the QANTAS lounge at Cairns looking across to the Belfast. Painted all white with no markings at all, the engines are still installed and as far as I can tell through a 500mm lens, the airframe looks to be in good condition.
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Can't comprehend the parking fees it must be currently chewing up...
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Also can't comprehend the corrosion the old airframe is acquiring, added onto the corrosion the thing had before it arrived there. Future for it would be a reef wreck or if someone could afford it, a museum piece. Doubt that it will ever fly again under it's own power. VERY SAD TO SEE A LOVELY OLD AEROPLANE BE LEFT TO THE ELEMENTS IN SUCH A HARSH ENVIRONMENT........ :mad:
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Does anyone actually own it?
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Daisy
don't think it is chewing up parking fees any more...my understanding is that the the beast was abandoned. Used to have a big "H" on the tail, picture on this thread shows that area painted grey. http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...Cargo_Airlines has a picture of it. BTW, (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE HEVILIFT GROUP, totally different company) BTW, there was a company 721 or 2? F that must have gone the same way, believe there is "youtube" video on line of it being chopped up at the CNS airport. |
What's going on? Thought I'd check out how the Belfast was looking today. I see ground power plugged in. Also bloke on ladder tinkering around with engines 1 and 2...
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The power cart seems to always be plugged in.
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What's going on? Thought I'd check out how the Belfast was looking today. I see ground power plugged in. Also bloke on ladder tinkering around with engines 1 and 2... |
Latest status Nov 2014
She is still there, looks OK but in a plane white colour scheme now, I took some pics but not sure how to post them.
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VH-SPY parked next to the Bel-slow . . . . what gives with her?
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../0/1149069.jpg |
http://forum.keypublishing.com/attac...9&d=1411968979
29th September 2014 http://forum.keypublishing.com/attac...1&d=1411969019 http://forum.keypublishing.com/attac...0&d=1411969001 29th September 2014 05:36 IMG_3422.JPG |
Those engines never looked big enough to power it.
I remember when it blasted off from Hedland one day to bali. It blasted off as I landed. 25 mins later when I departed mc were chasing it (cleared to f140. It was only passing through 5000 feet and mc were asking if ops were normal hahaha :) |
I was watching it do circuits in Cairns a few years ago, after every takeoff a Port Authority vehicle was doing a run down the runway on what I could only assume was a FOD inspection...
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Nearly six years since it last landed in Cairns in the beginning of January 2009. Would be nice to see it move again. Who owns it?
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The end is nigh for "Hector"....
Short Belfast status - Cairns Airport - Updated to Feb 2017 :uhoh: :{ :( |
:-( .................
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From the link above
"There were only 10 built - here are their names and fates: Samson - RAF Serial XR362 (used registration G-ASKE for overseas test flight), sold as G-BEPE then scrapped Goliath - RAF Serial XR363, sold as G-OHCA then scrapped Pallas - RAF Serial XR364, sold as scrap to Rolls-Royce who recovered the Tyne engines Hector - RAF Serial XR365, sold as G-HLFT then as 9L-LDQ operating with HeavyLift Cargo Airlines, now RP-C8020 (see images above) Atlas - RAF Serial XR366, sold to RR for engines Heracles - RAF Serial XR367 - sold as G-BFYU then scrapped Theseus - RAF Serial XR368, sold as G-BEPS then in storage at Southend Airport - Began being broken up 22/Oct/2008 Spartacus - RAF Serial XR369, sold as G-BEPL then scrapped Ajax - RAF Serial XR370, sold to RR for engines Enceladus - RAF Serial XR371, preserved as an exhibit at RAF Museum Cosford" And then there was one.... I received news today that Short SC-5 Belfast C1, XR365, [G-HLFT, RP-C8020] is to be cut up at Cairns airport tomorrow, 28-2-17 From Facebook Moggy |
SO Sad to just chop it up. Would make a great holiday house.
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Curious as to what became of the previous owners? I knew he was a controversial character but i knew him years ago as kid.
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passed ycns today Belfast still there.
If and when it goes for the chop....very sad. Where did the DC 3 go |
The Dak went to someones back yard north of Cairns.
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I have received a report from someone in Cairns that as of yesterday the aeroplane was still in one piece with no perceived activity around it.
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I have received a report from someone in Cairns that as of yesterday the aeroplane was still in one piece with no perceived activity around it. No activity anywhere near it. Nothing has changed that I could see,......... cheers. |
I wonder what it's scrap value is? .....someone should start a kickstarter fund to buy it and tow it off the field to an adjacent block of land and convert it to a bar. :)
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Aus Engnr. How far north in Cairns.?? Whats the plan with it...restoration or 'man cave'?
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How far north in Cairns.?? Whats the plan with it...restoration or 'man cave'? Transport wouldn't even have to go on a public road. I'm sure it could be 'walked' by a crane, (wings off) to a barge in the Barron river where the Hovercraft to Port Douglas used to drop into the drink in the 80's. Barge into town and deck cargo on a suitable sized vessel to anywhere in the world. Seems such a shame if it got chopped up and go to simsmetal or similar. |
That would be a nice and fitting end, but who's going to pay.......
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How far north in Cairns.?? Whats the plan with it...restoration or 'man cave'? I believe this quote refers to a DC-3 which used to be parked next to the Belfast. As for the Belfast itself, the sad fact is that there isn't a museum in Australia that can save this aeroplane. Even the cockpit section would be a very expensive wide load. Apart from creating a museum around the Belfast (Australian airports tend to discourage museums) its only chance of survival might be a ferry flight if the aeroplane is up to it. Sad I agree. |
You'd think somewhere on the planet some rich dude would would buy it.
I'd like to know how much the consortium that own Cns airport are owed in arrears parking fees. Might be quite a sizeable sum, and could be a stumbling block. |
I'm sure there are. Just not silly enough- how do you think they would've become rich?
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