
February 1957 to June 1964
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)
CF-THC - c/n 220 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
August 1954
An order was placed by Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) for an initial batch of seven Type V.757 aircraft as a follow on from the previous Type V.724 order.
This order was placed before they had received their first V.724!
This was the sixth one built.
The total order for V.757 aircraft reached thirty six in May 1957.
Production Aircraft No. 176 - the 176th production Type V.700 series Viscount built,
was the 132nd Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 131st Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
Production Order No. F06/757. Sales Order No. F06/76B. Stock Order No. F01/32B.
3 October 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
11 November 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
11 February 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines.
16 February 1957
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery.
This was the first TCA Viscount to be delivered fitted with a weather radar system.
20 February 1957
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '621'.
The delivery route for this aircraft is not known.
21 February 1957
Arrived at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.
The cabin seating was installed in Canada, as the seats used by TCA were of American manufacture.
The cabin was fitted out with 44 seats which was a reduction from the original 48 seat specification and provided more leg room.
This was heavily marketed and resulted in a high load factor compared to the 18 seat Douglas DC-3 that it replaced on some routes.
10 July 1957
TCA issued instructions that all Viscounts would be repainted in a 'White Top' livery when a suitable maintenance period became available.
September 1957
Noted in the new 'white top' livery.
2 February 1959
The starboard undercarriage leg collapsed on landing at Malton Airport, Toronto, Ontario, Canada at 12:15 Eastern Standard Time (EST) whilst operating flight 305-2.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the starboard wing, flaps and also shockload damage to the starboard propellers and Rolls-Royce Dart engines.
The cause of the collapse was the fatigue failure of a bolt holding the hydraulic ram to the starboard undercarriage leg.
The cold weather was also a factor as it affected the material strength of the bolt.
There were no reported injuries to the 27 passengers and 4 crew on board.
Repaired and returned to service.
1 June 1964
Transferred to Air Canada due to a corporate name change.
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