Travel back in time with the Viscount
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Oman
501 - Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO) - June 1971 to July 1978
Purchased from Gates Aviation Turbine Propeller Sales. Taken departing from Midway Airfield, Thumrait, Dhofar Region, Oman 18 April 1973.
Note the extended range 'slipper' fuel tanks.
The dusty conditions must have caused some maintenance issues, particularly ingestion down the engine air intakes as this can result in low power and blocked airseals.
Photo source - Adrian M Balch collection
Aircraft Summary
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)
This aircraft c/n 435, a V.816, was built for Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) as VH-TVR and first flew on Monday, 24 August 1959 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
During its life it was also owned and/or operated by Union Carbide & Carbon Corporation (UCC), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Alda Corporation, Jetair Australia / Jet Airlines Australia, Brins Finance Corporation, Gates Aviation Turbine Propeller Sales, Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO), Royal Swazi National Airways, British Midland Airways (BMA), Manx Airlines, British Aerospace PLC (BAe), Baltic Airlines, Landhurst Leasing PLC, British Air Ferries (BAF), British World Airlines (BWA), Heli-Jet Aviation Ltd and Planes R Us (Pty) Ltd
Its final owner/operator was Trans IntAir as 9Q-CGL.Its fate:-
Damaged beyond economic repair at Bondo airstrip in the Democratic Republic of Congo after an aborted three engine takeoff from a gravel airstrip. Noted still in existence on Google Earth 24 July 2023 but gradually disappearing into the undergrowth.