02 November 2024
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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 153

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 153
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

This V.802 series Viscount was built for
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AOJD

It first flew on Thursday, 29 November 1956 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
British Airways (BA)


Photo of Viscount c/n 153
Jersey Airport Fire & Rescue Service


Jersey flag Jersey

Its final owner/operator was
Jersey Airport Fire & Rescue Service as G-AOJD.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service at Jersey Airport, Channel Islands 31 March 1976 and used for fire and rescue practice from circa May 1976. It wasn't broken up for scrap until circa March 2003.


Operational record
Photo of British European Airways Corporation (BEA) Viscount G-AOHD

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1956 to March 1956

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHD - c/n 153 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

11 February 1953
An order was placed for the first 800 series Viscount which was specifically designed for British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Initially the order was for twelve Type 801 aircraft, which was actually longer than the Type 802 which BEA finally decided to receive.

This was the 4th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

2 January 1956
Allocated registration G-AOHD for British European Airways Corporation (BEA) but not taken up, to avoid confusion with G-ANHD (C/N 64).

6 March 1956
Re-registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AOJD.

G-AOHD was finally used on a Hunting-Percival P.84 Jet Provost T.2.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

March 1956 to September 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOJD - c/n 153 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

6 March 1956
Re-registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA) from G-AOHD.

Although the reason for this registration change is not known, it is likely to have been done to avoid conflict operationally with V.701 Viscount G-ANHD (C/N 64).

Production Aircraft No. 4 - the 4th production V.800 series Viscount built,
was the 4th V.800 Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 4th V.800 Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F04/802. Sales Order No. F04/63B. Stock Order No. F04/26B.

11 May 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

July 1956
Fuselage transported by road from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England to Weybridge, Surrey, England.

13 July 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

29 November 1956
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.

29 December 1956
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

10 January 1957
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

11 January 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Sebastian Cabot'.

19 January 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport weather diversion.

13 February 1957
Operated the first BEA V.802 Viscount service from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England to Abbotsinch Airport, Glasgow, Scotland flown by Captain MacKeown.

15 February 1957
Operated the first international V.802 Viscount service from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands, flown by Captain Werner and carrying 26 passengers.

31 March 1958
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 2,297 hours.

This was the highest total amongst the Viscount V.802 fleet which had all been delivered by this date.

16 November 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport weather diversion.

February 1959
Noted at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England awaiting overhaul with Marshall's.

March 1959
A new BEA 'Red Square' livery was adopted and aircraft were repainted during the early 1960s when they next went in for overhaul.

Sadly, after repainting, the aircraft no longer carried a name including the nameplate on the forward cabin bulkhead.

31 March 1959
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 4,312 hours.

This was the highest total amongst the Viscount V.802/806 fleet for the second year running.

A new BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery was adopted.

31 March 1960
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 6,612 hours.

This was again the highest total amongst the Viscount V.802/806 fleet for the third year running.

18 December 1960
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

15 October 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

25 January 1963
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

31 March 1963
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 13,154 hours.

This was again the highest total hours in that year for the BEA Viscount V.802/806 fleet.

25 January 1964
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

A new BEA ‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery was adopted.

circa 1968
A new BEA ‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery was adopted and most aircraft were repainted when they went in for major overhaul, which took some of them into the early 70s before this was accomplished. ‘Juliet Delta’ is believed to have been the first Viscount painted in this livery.

21 December 1969
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Jersey Airport, Channel Islands weather diversion.

3 June 1970
Total time 28,402:15 hours and 22,377 total landings.

16 January 1971
Operated BE3146 from Heathrow Airport, London, England to Guernsey Airport, Channel Islands with a flight time of 62 minutes.

It was flown by Captain A E Ayris and a limited edition (125) first day cover was issued to commemorate the 20th anniversary of this service.

20 January 1971
Operated BE3358 from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England to Guernsey Airport, Channel Islands with a flight time of 36 minutes.

Captain Leighton-White was in command and a large number of first day covers were carried on board with a special BEA stamp affixed along with an Alcock & Brown Vickers Vimy commemorative 5D stamp.

April 1971
The V.802 Viscount fleet was split into two entities at this time. The then Chairman of BEA, Henry Marking, split the airline into several divisions as part of his profit centre philosophy, with each division being responsible for its own financial performance.

The ‘Scottish Airways' division sub fleet was based at Abbotsinch Airport, Glasgow, Scotland with eight Viscounts. The ‘Channel Islands' division sub fleet of twelve had four Viscounts operated from Jersey Airport, five from Birmingham International Airport, West Midlands England and one from Guernsey Airport, Channel Islands. The remaining two aircraft were used on charter to GB Airways to operate the Gibraltar to Tangier, Morocco service and as operational spares. All aircraft had either ‘Scottish Airways’ or ‘Channel Islands’ titling applied to the upper fuselage for the allocated division.

G-AOJD was allocated to the 'Channel Islands' division.

19 April 1971
Total time 29,940:55 hours and 24,179 total landings.

Mid 1971
Allocated to the 'Channel Islands' division and ‘Channel Islands' titles were applied alongside the ‘BEA’ titling on the upper fuselage.

In practice to maintain operational flexibility, there was considerable mixing of the aircraft. On one occasion in August 1971 it was noted as one of two ‘Channel Islands’ Viscounts present at Sumburgh, Shetland Islands, Scotland, some 750 miles (1250 km) from their normal island base.

31 March 1972
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 31,720 hours.

This was the last year that individual aircraft flying hours were reported.

31 July 1973
‘British Airways’ adopted as the trading name for all former companies. During this month or shortly thereafter, all aircraft had ‘British Airways’ main titling applied to the fuselage and therefore effectively became operated by British Airways (BA).

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-AOJD

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1973 to May 1976

British Airways (BA)

G-AOJD - c/n 153 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

31 July 1973
Transferred from British European Airways (BEA) due to a corporate merger.

The trading name of ‘British Airways’ was formally adopted at this time, however the full merger of its forming companies (BEA, BOAC, Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines) did not take place until 1 April 1974 when BEA formally ceased to exist and the entire Viscount fleet became part of the new British Airways Regional Division.

The 'BEA' titling has been removed and small 'British Airways' titles have been applied to the lower forward fuselage.

The full integration of pilots and remaining aircraft from the previous fleets did not occur until 1 April 1976. Some Viscounts had small ‘British Airways’ titles applied to the forward lower fuselage from mid 1973 and for the former BEA Type 802 fleet the ‘BEA’ part of the main upper fuselage titling was painted over, leaving only 'Scottish Airways' or 'Channel Islands'. After September 1973 the main titling on the upper fuselage was painted over with ‘British Airways’ and the former operating division or company (Channel, Scottish, Cambrian or Northeast) was applied to most aircraft as a small title to the lower fuselage adjacent to the propellers.

Also during September 1973 the first aircraft to be painted in the new British Airways (BA) corporate livery appeared that also included the 'Cambrian' or 'Northeast' small title to the lower fuselage adjacent to the propellers for ex Cambrian and Northeast aircraft. These were retained past the mid 1970s.

There followed a period of several months where 22 of the 33 Viscounts transferred to British Airways were gradually painted in the new British Airways livery. The remaining 11 Type 802 aircraft retained the basic BEA livery with ‘British Airways’ main titling and ‘Channel’ or ‘Scottish’ sub-titling until retired in 1975/76.

1 April 1974
BEA – Channel Islands Airways Division officially became part of British Airways Regional Division.

31 March 1976
Withdrawn from service and stored at Jersey Airport, Channel Islands.

Total time 37,959 hours and 33,927 total landings.

7 May 1976
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

circa May 1976
Donated to the Jersey Airport Fire Service for training use.

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of Jersey Airport Fire & Rescue Service Viscount G-AOJD

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1976 to March 2003

Jersey Airport Fire & Rescue Service

G-AOJD - c/n 153 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa May 1976
Donated by British Airways (BA) and used for fire and rescue practice at Jersey Airport, Channel Islands.

Painted matt grey/green with a 'Fire Service Training Aircraft' title on the port side.

13 June 1977
Certificate of Airworthiness expired.

circa March 2003
Broken up for scrap


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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