24 April 2024
This website is regularly archived by the British Library who selectively archive websites with research values that are representative of British social history and cultural heritage.

Museum search


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.

Viscount history


Discover the history of the Viscount with film, video, contemporary reports from the pages of Flight Magazine, our newsletters, and aircraft operational records and photos from our database.


Share your photos and stories


Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

Contact us


Join the Vickers Viscount Network
for FREE


Featured pages

Our website contains over 20,000 pages of photos and information that can all be accessed from the menu at the top of every page. Here are a few to get you started.



This website does not use cookies or capture your details


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

Viscount c/n 260

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 260
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Monday, 13 January 1958 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 520 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Cyprus Airways and Malta Airlines


Photo of Viscount c/n 260
Mandala Airlines


Indonesia flag Indonesia

Its final owner/operator was
Mandala Airlines as PK-RVK.

Its fate:-
Damaged beyond repair after landing at Mando-Samratulangi Airport, Sulawesi, Indonesia. The aircraft was landing in intermittent light rain and touched down 520 metres beyond the runway threshold but failed to stop before the end of the runway due to poor braking in the wet. It overran, crossed a ditch and three storm drains before coming to rest approximately 180 metres beyond the end of the runway. There were no serious injuries amongst the 3 crew and 13 passengers. After an assessment of the damage, the aircraft was written off as being beyond economical repair.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

February 1958 to October 1965

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOYK - c/n 260 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

January 1956
This was the 6th Type 806 and the 29th 800 series Viscount ordered 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. 46 - the 46th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 34th V.800 Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, England,
and the 46th V.800 Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F06/806. Sales Order No. F06/98B. Stock Order No. F29/33B.

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

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

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

2 July 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

13 January 1958
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

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

12 February 1958
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Edmund Cartwright'.

14 November 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.

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

A new BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery was adopted.
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.

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

7 January 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.

17 October 1960
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England from Le Bourget Airport, Paris, France on a Royal Flight (no details).

20 October 1965
Leased to Cyprus Airways.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of Cyprus Airways Ltd Viscount G-AOYK

Country of Registration United Kingdom

October 1965 to November 1969

Cyprus Airways Ltd

G-AOYK - c/n 260 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

20 October 1965
Leased from British European Airways (BEA).

Noted with 'Malta' logos applied to the ex Cyprus Airways livery.
Malta Airlines

Noted with 'Malta' logos applied to the ex Cyprus Airways livery. The actual date is unknown.

16 November 1969
Returned to British European Airways (BEA).


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

November 1969 to April 1970

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOYK - c/n 260 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

16 November 1969
Returned from Cyprus Airways lease.

18 November 1969
Ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for open storage.

23 December 1969
Ferried to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland for overhaul and a repaint with Scottish Aviation Ltd (SAL).

13 April 1970
Noted outside the SAL facility in full Mandala Airlines livery as PK-RVK.

14 April 1970
UK registration cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.

Total time 20,031 hours.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of Mandala Airlines Viscount PK-RVK

Country of Registration Indonesia

April 1970 to January 1976

Mandala Airlines

PK-RVK - c/n 260 - a V.806 series Viscount
Indonesia registered

14 April 1970
Purchased from British European Airways Corporation (BEA) named as 'Garuda Mataram'.

It then spent 12 days at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland crew training.

16 April 1970
Noted at Abbotsinch Airport, Glasgow, Scotland during a crew training flight.

26 April 1970
Last noted at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.

16 May 1970
Departed from Heathrow Airport, London, England on delivery to Indonesia.

7 January 1976
Damaged beyond repair after landing at Mando-Samratulangi Airport, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The aircraft was landing in intermittent light rain and touched down 520 metres beyond the runway threshold but failed to stop before the end of the runway due to poor braking in the wet. It overran, crossed a ditch and three storm drains before coming to rest approximately 180 metres beyond the end of the runway. There were no serious injuries amongst the 3 crew and 13 passengers.

After an assessment of the damage, the aircraft was written off as being beyond economical repair.

Subsequently broken up for scrap after the removal of all useful parts.


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.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

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