02 December 2024
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Viscount Survivors


59 of the 444 Viscounts built survive as complete airframes or major components. Some are in very good condition and are looked after by museums while others are just wrecks. They can be found in 24 countries.

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

Viscount c/n 182

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 182
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

This V.701C series Viscount was built for
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AOFX

It first flew on Monday, 16 July 1956 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP)


Photo of Viscount c/n 182
Fundação Museu de Tecnologia São Paulo (FMTSP)


Brasil flag Brasil

Its final owner/operator was
Fundação Museu de Tecnologia São Paulo (FMTSP) as PP-SRS.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) and stored at Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brasil in February 1969. Aircraft donated to Fundação Museu de Tecnologia São Paulo (FMTSP) circa January 1971. The actual date and final fate are not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1956 to August 1962

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOFX - c/n 182 - a V.701C series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

20 December 1955
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

This registration was originally allocated to Douglas DC-6A N6813C C/N 44889 but not taken up.

16 July 1956
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

22 July 1956
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Sir Joseph Banks'.

This was the 27th and last Type 701 Viscount delivered to British European Airways (BEA) and the second one delivered with the new flush ventral cabin air intake in place of the ventral cabin air intake as fitted to previous aircraft. This also applied to G-ANHF (C/N 66)

1954 to 1958
The original design propeller blades were gradually replaced by new symmetrical ‘paddle’ blade propeller sets.

From photographic evidence, both propeller types were fitted to Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 505 and Mark 506 engines and many aircraft flew with an ‘intermix’ of both types of propeller blades.

May 1955 to December 1956
All BEA Type 701 aircraft were gradually retrofitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines in place of the original Mark 505 engines, however G-AOFX was delivered as a Type 701C.

The 'C' suffix was used to indicate a BEA aircraft delivered new with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines.

12 February 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training flights.

24 December 1958
Accidentally landed alongside the runway at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England due to poor visibility during a weather diversion from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.

It then ran over a raised pathway and became bogged down resulting in substantial damage.

There were no reported injuries to the 39 passengers or 5 crew on board.

Repaired and returned to service.

28 January 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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.

1959
Converted from 40/47 seats to 60/63 seats in a new high density configuration. This modification also entailed the installation of an 11th standard size window on the rear starboard side and a small window behind the rear entrance door on the port side.

Painted in the new BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery.

31 March 1959
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 5,981 hours.

7 November 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

15 December 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

1 August 1960
Positioned empty to Guernsey Airport, Channel Islands from Jersey Airport, Channel Islands, arriving at 09:20, to take part in the formal opening ceremony of the new 4,800ft concrete runway.

It departed at 16:30 as BE721 to Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England, replacing the scheduled Pionair service (the BEA name for the Douglas DC-3) becoming the first Viscount passenger flight from Guernsey.

Viscount loads from Guernsey were initially restricted to 44 passengers because one end of the new runway had not hardened enough to be used.

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

30 August 1962
Sold to Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP).

Total time 13,009 hours.

FURTHER READING: Books about British European Airways



Photo of Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) Viscount PP-SRS

Country of Registration Brasil

August 1962 to January 1971

Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP)

PP-SRS - c/n 182 - a V.701C series Viscount
Brasil registered

30 August 1962
Purchased from British European Airways Corporation (BEA) along with nine other V.701 from the fleet.

The package deal including spare parts came to a total of £1,550.000 with an initial deposit of £310,000 and the remainder repaid over three years at an interest rate of 6%.

These Viscounts were obtained instead of an uncompleted order for new Handley Page HPR.7 Dart Heralds due to production delays and were used to replace the Saab Scanias.

25 July 1963
Departed on delivery from London Airport (later known as Heathrow), Middlesex, England via Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland in full VASP livery together with Viscount PP-SRR (C/N 66).

25 July 1963
UK registration cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.

28 February 1969
Withdrawn from service and stored at Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brasil.

circa January 1971
Aircraft donated to the Fundação Museu de Technolgica São Paulo (FMTSP).


Photo of Fundação Museu de Tecnologia São Paulo (FMTSP) Viscount PP-SRS

Country of Registration Brasil

January 1971 to

Fundação Museu de Tecnologia São Paulo (FMTSP)

PP-SRS - c/n 182 - a V.701C series Viscount
Brasil registered

circa January 1971
Aircraft donated by Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP).

No more details known. Does anyone know what happened to it? Please reply to information@vickersviscount.net


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.