27 July 2024
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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 34

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 34
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines


Ireland flag Ireland

This V.707 series Viscount was built for
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines as EI-AGI

It first flew on Wednesday, 24 March 1954 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Tradair Ltd, Kuwait Airways, British European Airways (BEA) and BKS Air Transport Ltd.


Photo of Viscount c/n 34
Channel Airways


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Channel Airways as G-APZC.

Its fate:-
Final service from Linate Airport, Milan, Italy to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England and withdrawn from service by Channel Airways and stored 29 September 1968.

Certificate of Airworthiness expired 24 June 1969. Broken up for scrap in December 1969. Registration cancelled 26 February 1970.


Operational record
Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount EI-AGI

Country of Registration Ireland

April 1954 to January 1960

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

EI-AGI - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
Ireland registered

February 1951
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd announced that Aer Lingus were negotiating the purchase of four Type 700 series aircraft.

9 November 1951
An order was placed by Aer Lingus for four Type 707 aircraft which would have a two crew cockpit and a 48 seat cabin.

The order for these four aircraft was worth £800,000.

At that time British European Airways Corporation (BEA) held a 30% stake in the airline.

Production Aircraft No. 30 - the 30th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 4th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 6th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F04/707. Sales Order No. F04/86A. Stock Order No. F12/21B.

9 November 1953
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

31 December 1953
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

14 March 1954
Engine ground running commenced.

24 March 1954
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

3 April 1954
Delivered to Aer Lingus named as 'St Lorcan O'Tuathail' / 'St Lawrence O'Toole'.

On delivery it was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines with serial numbers 1178 and 1179 on the port side and 1180 and 1181 on the starboard side.

1955
The cabin seating capacity was increased from 48 to 53.

18 March 1955
Temporarily withdrawn from service after the crash of BEA Type 701 G-ALWE (C/N 4) and replaced by two Douglas DC-3 aircraft on their routes.

22 March 1955
The Type 707 fleet returned to service after the completion of flap modification work.

Painted in the Aer Lingus 'green top' livery.
Aer Lingus 'green top' livery

1955/1956
Painted in the Aer Lingus 'green top' livery that had a Winchester green cabin roof and an English green cockpit roof. The rudder was all white.

Painted in the Aer Lingus 'green/white top' livery
Aer Lingus
'green/white top' livery

19 May 1957
Ferried from Dublin to Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England via Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England for flap modification work with Vickers-Armstrongs.

At this time the cockpit roof was painted white.

26 May 1957
Attended an air show at Shannon Airport which was organised by the Shannon Aero Club including a flying demonstration.

4th Aer Lingus Viscount livery.
Aer Lingus
'green/white top Viscount' livery

circa 1957
The word 'Viscount' was added to the cabin roof.

November 1957
Ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for wing spar replacement work by Mashall's in order to extend the cycle fatigue life.

January 1958
Returned to service.

April 1959
Withdrawn from service at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland on the North Apron.

Later on it was ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for storage together with Viscounts EI-AFV (C/N 30) and EI-AFY (C/N 32).

They were cared for by Marshall's. At some point it was returned to Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland before eventually being sold.

Total time 8,427 hours.

circa October 1959
Aer Lingus considered converting this aircraft and EI-AFV (C/N 30) and EI-AFW (C/N 31) to carry freight to replace their Douglas DC-3 freight fleet, but nothing came of it.


Aer Lingus advert selling four Type 707 series Viscounts Artwork by Willem M van Velzen


1 January 1960
Sold to Tradair Ltd.

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



Photo of Tradair Ltd Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1960 to June 1960

Tradair Ltd

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 January 1960
Purchased from Aer Lingus.

29 January 1960
Registered to Tradair Ltd.

29 January 1960
UK Certificate of Airworthiness issued.

1 February 1960
Departed from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland on delivery to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England together with G-APZB (C/N 30).

It was still in full Aer Lingus livery and still carrying the Irish registration.

2 February 1960
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training ILS approaches and overshoots.

Subsequently ferried to Stansted Airport, Essex, England for repainting in Tradair livery by Aviation Traders and the application of the UK registration.

19 February 1960
Entered service from Stansted Airport, Essex, England to Côte d'Azur Airport, Nice, France flown by Chief Pilot Captain Allen.

19 February 1960
Operated a charter service from Stansted Airport, Essex, England to Treviso Airport, Italy flown by Captain Russell.

1 June 1960
Leased to Kuwait Airways.


Photo of Kuwait Airways Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1960 to July 1960

Kuwait Airways

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 June 1960
Leased from Tradair Ltd in full Tradair livery. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

It departed the same day to Kuwait via Brindisi, Italy.

19 July 1960
Returned to Tradair Ltd.


Photo of Tradair Ltd Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1960 to September 1960

Tradair Ltd

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

19 July 1960
Returned from Kuwait Airways lease to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England via Rome, Italy.

23 July 1960
Re-entered service with Tradair Ltd on a service from Southend to Côte d'Azur Airport, Nice, France.

7 September 1960
Leased to Kuwait Airways for a second period.


Photo of Kuwait Airways Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1960 to October 1960

Kuwait Airways

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

7 September 1960
Leased from Tradair Ltd for a second period, still in Tradair livery.

4 October 1960
Returned to Tradair Ltd.


Photo of Tradair Ltd Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

October 1960 to June 1962

Tradair Ltd

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

4 October 1960
Returned from Kuwait Airways lease to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.

15 January 1961
Withdrawn from service for a scheduled overhaul at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.

25 March 1961
Returned to service after a scheduled overhaul.

10 July 1961
Started operating feeder services on behalf of BOAC from Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland to Manchester and London due to BOAC staff strike action which lasted for 10 days.

22 August 1961
Noted at Dublin, Ireland operating a service for Aer Lingus.

29 August 1961
Noted at Dublin, Ireland operating a service for Aer Lingus.

23 September 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Southend weather diversion.

2 November 1961
Withdrawn from service and stored at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.

24 June 1962
Test flown at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England after the storage period.

29 June 1962
Leased to British European Airways (BEA).


Photo of British European Airways Corporation (BEA) Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1962 to October 1962

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

29 June 1962
Leased from Tradair Ltd in full Tradair livery.

It was operated on the German internal services to Berlin.

7 October 1962
Returned to Tradair Ltd.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of Tradair Ltd Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

October 1962 to December 1962

Tradair Ltd

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

7 October 1962
Returned from British European Airways (BEA) lease.

It was ferried from Langenhagen Airport, Hannover, West Germany to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England and stored.

20 December 1962
Transferred to Channel Airways due to a corporate merger.


Photo of Channel Airways Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1962 to July 1966

Channel Airways

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

20 December 1962
Transferred from Tradair Ltd due to a corporate merger.

Channel Airways first ever turbine powered aircraft.
Channel Airways first ever
turbine powered aircraft

3 April 1963
Test flown from Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England after a period in storage.

4 April 1963
Noted at Stansted Airport, Essex, England carrying out crew training flights.

11 April 1963
Entered service from Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England to Luxembourg as Channel Airways first ever turbine powered aircraft.

In the early 1960s it was used to fly troops for the B.A.O.R. (British Army of the Rhine) between the UK and West Germany.

31 March 1964
Withdrawn from service at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England for a scheduled overhaul.

23 April 1964
Registered to Channel Airways.

9 May 1964
Returned to service after a scheduled overhaul on a service to Jersey, Channel Islands.

May 1965
Noted at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England painted all white with Channel Airways titles. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

June 1966
Sale proposed to Treffield International Airlines but not completed.

21 July 1966
Leased to BKS Air Transport Ltd.


Photo of BKS Air Transport Ltd Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1966 to September 1966

BKS Air Transport Ltd

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

21 July 1966
Leased from Channel Airways and delivered to Heathrow Airport painted in full BKS Air Transport livery.

BKS relates to the surnames of three company directors: - James W Barnby, Thomas D Keegan, and Cyril Stevens.

When it entered service it was often used on B.O.A.R. (British Army of the Rhine) trooping contracts between the UK and West Germany.

27 September 1966
Returned to Channel Airways.


Photo of Channel Airways Viscount G-APZC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1966 to December 1969

Channel Airways

G-APZC - c/n 34 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

27 September 1966
Returned from BKS Air Transport Ltd lease to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England from Heathrow Airport, London, England and stored.

November 1966
A proposed sale to Irelfly in Ireland was not completed.

23 March 1967
Re-entered Channel Airways service from Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England to Zestienhoven Airport, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

29 September 1968
Final service from Linate Airport, Milan, Italy to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England and withdrawn from service and stored.

Total time 16,881 hours and 13,201 total landings.

24 June 1969
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) expired.

December 1969
Broken up for scrap.

26 February 1970
Registration cancelled as aircraft destroyed.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

The Vickers Viscount Network is always interested to hear from anyone who has information or photographs to help complete the story of the Viscount. If you can help please contact us at
Information@VickersViscount.net.


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This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.