ICAO Callsign: Ascot/Kittyhawk
IATA Code:
ICAO Code: RRR
Known As: RAF-HQSTC (Air Transport)
Full Name: RAF-HQSTC (Air Transport)
Country: United Kingdom
Web Site:


ICAO Callsign: Kittyhawk
IATA Code:
ICAO Code: KRF
Known As: UK Royal / VIP Flights
Full Name: UK Royal / VIP Flights (in military aircraft)
Country: United Kingdom


Who is HRHTQ? - HMQ?

The Saudi C-130s are a regular night-stop feature at LBA now, as well as Manchester.

They're ferrying arms to the USA for re-certification. They don't want to buy new weapons.

This is all I know, but it'd be nice if someone knew more and could tell. God knows why they don't use somewhere like Leeming or another military base.

The press would love this if they got hold of it, just because they'd make a real meal of it. It'd make a great sensationalised tabloid story.

Bring out the NIMBYs!

I had the honour of flying on the flight deck jump seat of VC10 XV101 in 2003 AKT/HAJ/BZZ. Simply a wonderful and unforgetable experience. The noise, the power and the knowledge that I was experiencing a very special couple of sectors.

Ah, those were the days....

I know why the VC-10 was there. I was on the crew . .. . . .

It was indeed a compassionate case from Germany. As mentioned, it's one of the good things the Forces do. Depending on how severe the emergency, aircraft will be re tasked or even diverted on route to pick up people and drop them off at the most convenient and practical airport.

As for the turnaround, we carried enough fuel out of Hannover to be able to hop back to Brize Norton afterwards, so the GE had a quick look around outside and we we're off. Being 6000` long, we needed to make sure we we're light going in so we could stop in time. Herc was scheduled to do the task, but was unable in the end for a variety of reasons.

Tried to be as quiet as possible when we left, but she's a noisy girl and it's difficult. We have procedures that help to minimise the noise and keep as much as possible on the airfield, but she was light and went up damn quickly !!

Did anyone get any pics ??!??!?!

VC-10
 

For me always has been and will remain my favourite aeroplane. Remember seeing them as a common occurrence at LHR and LGW in the late 60s and 70s. BOAC/BA, Ghana, EAA, MEA, BUA, British Caledonian, Air Malawi, have I missed anyone?

My father flew as a PAX quite a lot in that period and has always said that his flights in the 10 were far and away the best for ride and comfort.

I travel regularly myself now but will always likely be limited to an Airbus or Boeing variant. Have since childhood only really wanted to fly on only two types, a Tu-134 (I know, :8 ) and by far and away the most, a VC-10. Achieved the former a couple of years ago as part of a 40th birthday pressie but sadly more chance of winning the lottery than achieveing the latter.

I agree it will be a sad day when the last of these graceful ladies lands for the last time but hey, thanks for memories :)

What have a VC10 and a Choirboy got in common ?

..They've both been f****d by Vickers

Gulf Air, Nigeria Airways.

It was a Nigeria Airways aircraft that crashed at Lagos on a flight from London, in 1969 or 1970. I helped to check it in at LHR.

I had forgotten those two. Gulf Air's beginnings, of course.

I see from airdisater.com that all souls were lost on the Nigerian. Not a pleasant memory for you I guess...

Foxile

On the re engine sub thread .......there was one with a RB211 hanging off one side instead of the 2 conways............

Any of the crew of that one care to comment?

I can remember seeing the 3 engined VC-10 at RAF Kemble around 1978. If I remember correctly it was due to be scrapped because of the airframe being twisted, the RB-211 overpowering the 2 Conways.

Sorry I can't offer any more.

There was a plan to re-open the VC10 line with the build of 2xRB211 powered '10s; I believe the Chinese were particularly keen on them.
There was also one parked at RAE Bedford for many years; I seem to recall it had experienced a heavy landing and was deemed unairworthy; it was an ex BUA one with the cargo door.

VC-10 and RB-211
 

My Father was one of the team from Weybridge who, with the RR team, put the RB211 on G-AXLR ( I forget the mil reg). Work was done at Hucknell.

I still think the VC-10 is best looking aircraft around (Us guys like curves !!).

Cheer's

M5DND

I think the military reg was either XR807 or XR809, certainly one of the XR's.

I too love the VC10. I flew on them a lot as an Air Cadet based at Bampton/Brize Norton, sometimes three times a week in the summer holidays.... sad but true.
My last VC10 flight was by BA from Cairo in 1980. It is a pity they were not re-engined with RB211's but at the time Twin Engine Ops over the pond was not allowed.

Yes, it was XR809. Often saw it flying fairly low around the South Leicestershire countryside. Guess it was going to/off Bitteswell at that time?
You guys next to the stations were always the lucky ones. We just had one 15 min stint in a Chippy from Newton per year. Not that I am ungrateful but no comparison to your experiences. :{

It was scrapped because after the trials some numpty filled the cockpit and cabin with ready mixed concrete to keep it from bouncing around in the wind........... from what I have been told by a Rolls Member involved, they went back to look at using it again and were told to look in through the DV window only to find the tops of the seats and instruments poking out through a layer of solid concrete..........

Worked on the C1 for some 6 years plus....... all of em at Brize............. Queen of the skies, And yup it was me, :D I fitted the trim cover over the baggage shelf fitting that fell off and hit Maggie Thatcher on the Head :D:D:D:D:D:D

one of these just flew at about 500 feet over Eastleigh, heading roughly north. any clues why - we are not that close to fairford and they cant land at SOU unless i'm mistaken?

Queen of the Skies
 

Had the pleasure of flying in one in 1980 one of the best rides ive ever had :D :D :D :D :D

I remember one came into Liverpool a few years back to drop some troops off,and when it powered up to move off the ramp it blew over a few boxes of live lobsters,ended up all over the apron with loaders wetting themselves with laughter as the airline staff rounded them (lobsters) up

I was fortunate enough to travel on a VC-10 in April 1977 which routed MAN-PIK-YMX-YYZ and return. I remember very little about it, apart from the sight of an AC 747 at a snowy Mirabel, and throwing up on the way home to MAN.

Flew out to Muharraq in 1970 on one. Lovely and quiet, lovely and smooth..........

Flew on the jumpseat on one in the Brize circuit in about 1987...

Lovely, noisy & bumpy! Loved the voice activated autothrust....

The 'fastest'???
 

As a 'kenya cowboy' missed the East Af VC10's, saw the BOAC & BUA one's through Nairobi & Entebbe, even knew various 'uncles' who flew them - DAD was East African High Commission ATCO in Entebbe from '64 to '66;
Was SLF to Dubai in '71 - '73 and also back from Freeport, Bahamas via Bermuda in '74;
But most memorable trips were LHR via DOH to SIN in '74 & 75 (& return), flight was allegedly fastest to OZ (Melbourne) at that time - chief problem was dry run from DOH to SIN - OK the Gin ran out, but we had our DF's, the problem was the lack of Tonic - BA as it had become reckoned that apart from no liquor pick up in DOH they couldn't uplift Tonic :ugh:
PZU - Out of Africa

Overstress- we used to love the voice-activated autothrust. Impressed so many people. We used to have visitors say 'No.4- reduce power!', and it so amazed them when No.4 started moving backwards. Nobody ever noticed the Flight Engineer had his own thrust levers!

Because the close engines would throb like a piston twin if slightly out of phase, there was a gauge on the F/Es panel with three little needles going around to show engine speed on 1, 2 & 3 compared to No.4, the baseline engine. They were each labelled FAST and SLOW. This helped the F/E get the engines operating at exactly the same speed. We had a tubby kid on the flight deck once, and when we got fed up with them we'd stuff a headset on them and leave them to listen and watch. Eventually this kid tapped the F/E on the shoulder and said imperiously 'No.2's a bit slow'- without having any idea what it meant. It affronted the F/Es professional pride pride, they used to get very protective of 'their' engineering department- he was seething. If he could have opened a window, he'd have slung the kid out. For the rest of the trip, we could spoil his day be repeating 'No.2's a bit slow' to him!

Hated F/Es. It was always their job to conduct the new pretty and innocent young stewardesses into the Electronics bay to show them the fabled 'Golden Rivet' when the rest of the crew put them up to it. Always involved bending right over in a cramped compartment looking through the periscope (used for undercarriage inspection) blackened with shoe polish so they had a nice blackeye when they walked through the cabin. Ah nostalgia!

Rather unbelievably, in those pre-INS days, we used to navigate with a pilot taking sextant readings, with his eye stuck to the sextant and unable to move a muscle. That was usually a cue for the most attractive stewardess on the crew to come up to the FD and grab him by the meat and 2 veg and shake him about screeching.

It was pathetic what used to make us laugh. You have to do something to relieve the boredom while you wonder how you will ever find Bermuda using sextant navigation and Loran fixes. We didn't lose any (well not many).

(Having just been banned for a week 'for making a public pronouncement', this may be my last post for a while)

Came back from Khormaksar(Aden) in one in 1967. A real beauty of an aircraft, British United Airways. I was only 7 then but I can still remember taxying out and looking down the wing as it gracefully moved up & down as we crossed the apron. I remember my Dad balancinmg a thrupenny bit on the fold down table /tray as we flew along so smoothly and quietly. the take off was quite amazing !! I know it would not count for much now, but such a steep take off in a very hot place was pretty special in those days.

She has to be the most majestic jet airliner ever built bar none. Empress of the skies.

I'd love to see one of the original RAF examples back in the 'shiney fleet' colours before the sad day comes.

Can anyone point me to any photos of BUA VC-10s on the web?

Go to www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and put in g-arta or g-asiw or g-asix

Oh happy days

Lysander (ex Caledonian, Caledonia//BUA and British Caledonian)

Sorry, missed g-atdj, the fourth one we had

Cheers

Lysander

Thanks Lysander, some nice pics there of the Ten looking just gorgeous in British United colours, most majestic.

I can still recall my flight from Aden despite it being in 1967 and at the tender age of seven!

The flight was great but weather in Uk was abysmal. We were diverted into Le Bourget due to most of the UK being fogbound. Lyneham was intended destination I believe, but eventually ended up in Manchester!!
We arrived in winter with no suitable winter clothes and wanted to go back to Aden, despite the natives being restless.

I wonder if any ex BUA aircrew might read this and recognise the details of the journey?

Edit: spellnig corerctnoi

Microlight,

Have a look here. Exclusive VC10.

http://www.vc10.net/index.html

My one bad memory was sitting under a skycot for the 8 hour overnight leg Cyprus-Gan hoping the canvas was waterproof. On the return leg we thought we had the VIP seats at the back (they had curtains around them). 30 mins into some ZZZ's we were awoken and told to move; we were in the seats used by nursing mothers for breast feeding!