Viscount c/n 441
Operational Record
Austrian Airlines (AUA)
Austria
This V.837 series Viscount was built for Austrian Airlines (AUA) as OE-LAL It first flew on Monday, 2 May 1960 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 525 engines.
During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by Shackleton Aviation Ltd, Lineas Aereas la Urraca (LAU) and Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC), Aerovias del Cesar / Aerocesar Colombia and Parque de la Vida
Bucaramanga Municipal Cleaning Company
Colombia
Its final owner/operator was Bucaramanga Municipal Cleaning Company as HK-1267.Its fate:- Damaged beyond economic repair whilst owned by Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC) at Palonegro Airport, Bucaramanga, Colombia 14 December 1977 and robbed of all useful parts. Title of the remains were transferred to Aerovias del Cesar (Aerocesar Colombia) due to a corporate name change circa January 1980 but the aircraft remained stored in a derelict condition. Broken up into sections in November 2014 as the airport authority needed to expand the ramp area adjacent to where this aircraft was parked. Forward fuselage section noted lying on its port side with the nose undercarriage leg extended circa November 2015. The remains were donated to the Parque de la Vida (Park of Life) in the Hermoso district of Bucaramanga, Colombia 1 November 2017. Remains transferred to a yard belonging to the Bucaramanga Municipal Cleaning Company, Bucaramanga, Colombia in February 2018. This move was in response to a lot of complaints from local inhabitants about the lack of security in looking after this exhibit in its current state and also when assembled. The local Mayor made arrangements for it to be moved to a more secure area, presumably on a temporary basis. Hopefully a new permanent location will be found so that the reassembly of this aircraft can take place.Still visible on Google Earth in September 2018. Later Google Earth views do not clearly show if the Viscount is still there.
May 1960 to October 1971
Austrian Airlines (AUA)
OE-LAL - c/n 441 - a V.837 series Viscount
Austria registered
2 May 1960
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England as a Type 837.
It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.
Viscount illustrations by David Carter
Movie still from the 'The Day of the Jackal'
6 May 1960
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.
14 May 1960
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England to London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England on delivery to Austrian Airlines (AUA) but not yet named.
It was fitted with integral front 'airsteps' and extended range 'slipper' fuel tanks.
11 July 1960
Named as 'W. A. Mozart' during a ceremony at Salzburg Airport, Austria.
The name was painted on the forward cabin door.
circa 1963
The name was repositioned on the lower forward fuselage after the introduction of a revised livery.
22 August 1968
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion. The passengers were transferred to London by coach.
circa September 1971
Noted being used in the making of the film "The Day of the Jackal" directed by Fred Zinnemann. The film was eventually relased by Universal Pictures in 1973
2 October 1971
Sold to Shackleton Aviation Ltd.
October 1971 to November 1971
Shackleton Aviation Ltd
OE-LAL - c/n 441 - a V.837 series Viscount
Austria registered
2 October 1971
Purchased from Austrian Airlines (AUA) and ferried to Baginton Airport, Coventry, Warwickshire, England in ex AUA livery less titles.
3 November 1971
Sold to Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC).
November 1971 to December 1971
Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC)
HK-1267 - c/n 441 - a V.837 series Viscount
Colombia registered
3 November 1971
Purchased from Shackleton Aviation Ltd.
26 November 1971
Departed on delivery to Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC) in ex AUA livery less titles with the Colombian registration applied together with HK-1347 (C/N 442).
27 November 1971
Noted at Birmingham International Airport, Elmdon, West Midlands and at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland clearing customs and refuelling before travelling on to Reykjavik Airport, Iceland.
circa December 1971
Leased to Lineas Aereas la Urraca (LAU).
December 1971 to September 1972
Lineas Aereas la Urraca (LAU)
HK-1267 - c/n 441 - a V.837 series Viscount
Colombia registered
circa December 1971
Leased from Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC) in ex Austrian Airlines (AUA) livery less titles named as 'Quimbaya'.
29 September 1972
Returned to Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC).
September 1972 to January 1980
Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC)
HK-1267 - c/n 441 - a V.837 series Viscount
Colombia registered
Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC) red and blue striped livery
29 September 1972
Returned from Lineas Aereas la Urraca (LAU) lease and painted up in a blue and yellow TAC livery.
circa 1975
Repainted in a red and blue striped TAC livery.
March 1976
Noted stored at Eldorado International Airport, Bogotá, Colombia with all four Rolls-Royce Dart engines removed.
Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC) blue cheat line livery
circa 1977
Painted in the final Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC) livery with a dark blue cheatline.
14 December 1977
Damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Palonegro Airport, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
The aircraft landed heavily and bounced back into the air and finally landed on the last third of the runway. The pilot realised that he could not stop in time before running off the end of the runway and carried out a violent ground loop. The nose and port undercarriage legs collapsed and the aircraft slewed to a halt with damage to the port wing and also to the No.1 and No.2 propellers and engines.
There were no injuries amongst the crew and passengers.
The aircraft was then robbed of all useful parts.
circa January 1980
Title of the remains was transferred to Aerocesar Colombia due to a corporate name change.
The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
January 1980 to November 2017
Aerovias del Cesar / Aerocesar Colombia
HK-1267 - c/n 441 - a V.837 series Viscount
Colombia registered
circa January 1980
Title of the remains transferred from Transportes Aereas del Cesar Ltda (TAC) due to a corporate name change but the aircraft remained stored at Palonegro Airport, Bucaramanga, Colombia minus any useful parts.
3 May 2009
Derelict remains still noted in existence, but now parked on a slope near the runway.
November 2014
Fuselage section and tail cut off before the aircraft was towed to a new location as the airport authority needed to expand the ramp area adjacent to where this aircraft was parked.
circa November 2015
Noted with both wings removed and the forward fuselage half lying on its port side with the nose undercarriage leg extended.
1 November 2017
Remains donated to Parque de la Vida in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
November 2017 to February 2018
Parque de la Vida
HK-1267 - c/n 441 - a V.837 series Viscount
Colombia registered
1 November 2017
Remains donated by the Palonegro Airport Authority, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
The Park of Life is situated off Street 45 to the west of the centre of Bucaramanga, in the district of Campo Hermoso.
The plan is to reassemble it and use it as an educational facility, particularly for children.
It doesn't look as if the engine nacelles went with it.
February 2018
Remains transferred to a yard belonging to the Bucaramanga Municipal Cleaning Company, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
This move was in response to a lot of complaints from local inhabitants about the lack of security in looking after this exhibit in its current state and also when assembled.
The local Mayor, Manuel Azuero Figueroa made arrangements for it to be moved to a more secure area, until the legal situation regarding the future of this aircraft can be resolved.
February 2018 to
Bucaramanga Municipal Cleaning Company
HK-1267 - c/n 441 - a V.837 series Viscount
Colombia registered
February 2018
Remains transferred from the Parque de la Vida (Park of Life), to a yard near the El Carrasco landfill site on the outskirts of Bucaramanga, Colombia.
20 September 2018
Still visible on Google Earth.
The Co-ordinates are: - 7º04'44.33"N 73º09'05.04"W
This yard is just a temporary storage location until the Mayor of Bucaramanga, Manuel Azuero Figueroa can resolve the current legal issues regarding the future of this aircraft.
Funding for this educational project also appears to be an issue which needs to be resolved as public funds are limited for this type of project.
Hopefully a new permanent location will eventually be found so that the reassembly of this aircraft can take place.
Later Google Earth views do not clearly show if the Viscount is still there.