27 July 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 261

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 261
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Thursday, 23 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
BKS Air Transport Ltd, Northeast Airlines (UK), British Airways (BA), and British Air Ferries (BAF).


Photo of Viscount c/n 261
Hanningfield Metals


England flag England

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

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by British Air Ferries (BAF) and stored at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England on the 23 September 1987. It was gradually robbed of all useful spares. Remains purchased by Hanningfield Metals in February 1993, cut up into sections and moved to their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England for final processing.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

February 1958 to May 1968

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOYL - c/n 261 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

January 1956
This was the 7th Type 806 and the 30th 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.

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

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

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

14 February 1958
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Lord Joseph Lister'.

13 November 1958
RDa7 Mark 520-3 Dart engine S/N 7173 installed in the No.2 (port inner) position at 1552 total airframe hours.

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

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

6 December 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

16 February 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, 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.

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.

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

31 July 1959

The Rolls-Royce Dart time between overhauls (TBO) was then approved by Rolls-Royce to increase it from 1,500 hours to 1,700 hours.

15 December 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, 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.

9 April 1961
East Fortune airfield in East Lothian, Scotland, was temporarily re-opened in early 1961 to act as Edinburgh's airport while Turnhouse was closed to allow Runway 31/13 to be extended in order for BEA to commence Vickers Vanguard operations there.

The early afternoon BEA Viscount service from Jersey via London Airport (Heathrow) landed at 13:15 on East Fortune's slightly downward sloping runway and ran off the end slewing sideways on the wet grass about 20 yards / 18 metres beyond the end of the runway.

There were no casualties to the 4 crew and 50 passengers on board, who were evacuated down the rear door slides.

Some passengers were not even aware that there was a problem, until they were asked to leave by this unusual method.

A later BEA Viscount service from London at 15:15 was diverted to Renfrew Airport as the earlier Viscount had not yet been recovered.

After recovering the aircraft under its own power the nose undercarriage wheels needed replacing as the tyres were worn down when the pilot tried to use these wheels turned sideways on the wet runway in order to try and stop in time.

The cause of the incident was thought to be poor braking action due to the wet runway or a possible brake defect.

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

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

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

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

28 May 1968
Sold to BKS Air Transport Ltd.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of BKS Air Transport Ltd Viscount G-AOYL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1968 to November 1970

BKS Air Transport Ltd

G-AOYL - c/n 261 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

28 May 1968
Purchased from British European Airways (BEA).

BKS relates to the surnames of three company directors: - James W Barnby, Thomas D Keegan, and Cyril Stevens.

1 November 1970
Transferred to Northeast Airlines (UK) due to a corporate name change.


Photo of Northeast Airlines (UK) Viscount G-AOYL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

November 1970 to April 1974

Northeast Airlines (UK)

G-AOYL - c/n 261 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 November 1970
Transferred from BKS Air Transport Ltd due to a corporate name change.

April 1971
Noted with small 'British Air Services' logo on the forward lower fuselage.

1 April 1974
Transferred to British Airways (BA) due to a corporate merger.


Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-AOYL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1974 to January 1984

British Airways (BA)

G-AOYL - c/n 261 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 April 1974
Transferred from Northeast Airlines due to a corporate merger.

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

27 and 28 March 1982
British Airways (BA) operated special flights from Abbotsinch Airport, Glasgow to Kirkwall Airport, Orkney Islands, Scotland with Viscounts G-AOYL (C/N 261), G-AOYM (C/N 262), G-AOYO (C/N 264) and G-APIM (C/N 412), to mark the airline's withdrawal of the type twenty-five years after it had first visited Kirkwall and following twenty years of scheduled services. Three hundred passengers, many of whom were British Airways (BA) air crew and ground crew, past and present, took part in the occasion, which included a celebratory dinner and dance at Kirkwall.

The instigator and chief organiser of this very popular and fondly remembered event was Jack Ridgway, who was to serve for nearly twenty years as BEA - British European Airways and British Airways (BA) Station Manager at Kirkwall Airport. Hundreds of spectators watched as the four aircraft departed at lunchtime on Sunday 28 March, each making a low flypast of the airport and the town.

7 May 1982
Operated its last service for British Airways.

12 May 1982
Ferried to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales and stored.

Total time 39,023 hours and 39,391 total landings.

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

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1984 to February 1993

British Air Ferries (BAF)

G-AOYL - c/n 261 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

27 January 1984
Purchased from British Airways (BA) and named as 'Viscount Churchill'.

30 March 1984
Delivered to British Air Ferries (BAF) from Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.

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

Painted with 'Jersey' titles.
Painted with
'Jersey' titles

30 May 1984
Rolled out at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England with 'Jersey' titles and the 'three lions passant guardant' coat of arms on the tail.

There are no reported services operated in this livery. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

December 1984
Noted painted in a new British Air Ferries (BAF) livery.

23 September 1987
Withdrawn from service and stored at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England. It was gradually robbed of all useful spares.

Total time 42,259 hours and 39,632 total landings.

2 August 1988
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) expired.

February 1993
Remains sold to Hanningfield Metals for scrap.


Photo of Hanningfield Metals Viscount G-AOYL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

February 1993 to April 1993

Hanningfield Metals

G-AOYL - c/n 261 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

February 1993
Remains purchased from British Air Ferries (BAF), cut up into sections and moved to their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England for final processing.

22 June 1994
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.


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.