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 256

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 256
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

This V.806 series Viscount was built for
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AOYG

It first flew on Friday, 4 October 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 520 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd, Cambrian Airways, British Airways (BA), Alidair, British Air Ferries (BAF), Guernsey Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways


Photo of Viscount c/n 256
Hanningfield Metals


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Hanningfield Metals as G-AOYG.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by British Air Ferries (BAF) and stored at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England in December 1992.

Sold to Hanningfield Metals in January 1994 for metal recovery. Sectioned remains transferred to their yard at West Hanningfield, Essex, England in late January 1994. Registration cancelled 7 March 1994 as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use. Fuselage sections noted still in existence in June 1994.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1956 to January 1958

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

January 1956
An order for eighteen Type 806 was placed by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

The first (C/N 255) was not delivered as it was loaned to Vickers-Armstrongs for Type 810 development work.

Production Aircraft No. 35 - the 35th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 29th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 35th 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F02/806. Sales Order No. F02/98B. Stock Order No. F25/33B.

20 December 1956
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

20 March 1957
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

May 1957
Fuselage transported by road from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England to Weybridge, Surrey, England.

21 May 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

4 October 1957
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It landed back at Brooklands but after a few more flights it went to Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and more test flying.

19 November 1957
Local test flight from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England with Captain W D Jarvis and John W Charles Judge which lasted for 1 hour 45 minutes.

They were carrying out propeller strain gauge tests.

1 January 1958
Loaned to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd for tropical trials.


Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1958 to March 1958

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 January 1958
Loaned from British European Airways Corporation (BEA) for tropical trials.

It was repainted in the 'VICKERS VISCOUNT 806-810' livery previously worn by G-AOYF (C/N 255), which was damaged in South Africa in October 1957.

30 January 1958
Noted at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa the day before the tropical trials commenced.

14 February 1958
This was the final day that tropical trials were conducted from Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.

29 March 1958
The aircraft was finally delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Charles Darwin'.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

March 1958 to September 1970

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

29 March 1958
Finally delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Charles Darwin'.

2 September 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

2 December 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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

Painted in the BEA 'Red Square' livery.
BEA
'Red Square' livery

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 time of 2,214 hours.

24 October 1959
Departed from Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England to Fiumicino Airport, Rome, Italy, returning to Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England. This was a Vickers trials flight.

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

18 November 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

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

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

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

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

14 October 1965
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

31 January 1966
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

circa 1969-1970
Operated the Tangier, Morocco to Gibraltar service for Gibraltar Airways Ltd. BEA had a 49% share in Gibraltar Airways Ltd. With the other 51% and controlling interest being with the old-established Gibraltar shipping and travel company Blands. Because of the closure of the Spanish frontier with Gibraltar in 1965 BEA had been ferrying passengers from London to Tangier using the DH Comet 4B and later the DH Trident 2E.

8 September 1970
Sold to Cambrian Airways / British Air Services.

Total time 22,947 hours.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of Cambrian Airways Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1970 to July 1973

Cambrian Airways

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

8 September 1970
Purchased from British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Painted at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales in the Cambrian Airways 'Orange' livery.
Cambrian Airways
'Orange' livery

13 January 1972
Painted at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales in the Cambrian Airways 'Orange' livery.

1 April 1972
Cambrian Airways came under the control of British Airways (BA).

1 September 1972
Cambrian Airways became part of the Regional Division of British Airways (BA).

31 July 1973
Transferred to British Airways (BA) due to a corporate merger.


Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to February 1975

British Airways (BA)

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

31 July 1973
Transferred from Cambrian Airways due to a corporate merger.

Operated on the old Cambrian Airways routes.

17 February 1975
Leased to Alidair.

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of Alidair Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

February 1975 to April 1975

Alidair

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

17 February 1975
Leased from British Airways (BA) in British Airways (BA) livery with Alidair titles.

26 April 1975
Returned to British Airways (BA).


Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1975 to January 1984

British Airways (BA)

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

26 April 1975
Returned from Alidair lease.

27 May 1975
Noted at Rhoose, Cardiff, Wales re-painted in full British Airways (BA) livery.

circa 1981
Painted in British Airways (BA) 'British' livery.

27 March 1982
Last service for British Airways (BA) from Dyce Airport, Aberdeen, Scotland to Abbotsinch Airport, Glasgow, Scotland.

Total time 37,265 and 41,107 total landings.

Ferried from Glasgow, Scotland to Cardiff, Wales and withdrawn from service and stored.
Stored at
Rhoose, Cardiff, Wales

2 April 1982
Ferried from Abbotsinch Airport, Glasgow, Scotland to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales and withdrawn from service and stored.

27 January 1984
Sold to British Air Ferries (BAF).

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of British Air Ferries (BAF) Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1984 to March 1984

British Air Ferries (BAF)

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

27 January 1984
Purchased from British Airways (BA).

14 February 1984
Ferried from Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.

March 1984
Leased to Guernsey Airlines.


Photo of Guernsey Airlines Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

March 1984 to August 1986

Guernsey Airlines

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

March 1984
Leased from British Air Ferries (BAF) in full Guernsey Airlines livery named as 'Viscount Guernsey'.

August 1986
Returned to British Air Ferries (BAF).


Photo of British Air Ferries (BAF) Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

August 1986 to June 1987

British Air Ferries (BAF)

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

August 1986
Returned from Guernsey Airlines lease and went back into BAF service in full Guernsey Airlines livery.

It was not repainted in BAF livery before it went on lease to Virgin Atlantic Airways.

23 June 1987
Leased to Virgin Atlantic Airways.


Photo of Virgin Atlantic Airways Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1987 to July 1988

Virgin Atlantic Airways

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

23 June 1987
Leased from British Air Ferries (BAF) in full Virgin Atlantic Airways livery.

23 June 1987
Delivered from Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England to Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, England.

July 1988
Returned to British Air Ferries (BAF).


Photo of British Air Ferries (BAF) Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1988 to January 1994

British Air Ferries (BAF)

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

July 1988
Returned from Virgin Atlantic Airways lease.

24 July 1988
First service for British Air Ferries (BAF) painted in their 'British' livery.

Named 'Viscount Sir Peter Masefield' at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.
Named
'Viscount Sir Peter Masefield'

28 October 1988
Named as 'Viscount Sir Peter Masefield' at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England with Sir Peter present.

British Air Ferries (BAF) came out of receivership on the same day.

Painted in the final British Air Ferries (BAF) livery.
British Air Ferries (BAF)
'final' livery

circa 1989
Painted in the British Air Ferries (BAF) final livery.

18 June 1992
Certificate of Airworthiness expired.

Noted stored at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.
Stored at
Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England

December 1992
Noted stored at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.

January 1994
Sold to Hanningfield Metals for metal recovery.


Photo of Hanningfield Metals Viscount G-AOYG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1994 to March 1994

Hanningfield Metals

G-AOYG - c/n 256 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

January 1994
Purchased from British Air Ferries (BAF) for metal recovery.

Late January 1994
Broken up into sections and transferred to their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England.

7 March 1994
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

June 1994
Fuselage sections noted still in existence.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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Information@VickersViscount.net.


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