WHBM

Spot on for the aircraft miniliq, it was indeed the old Swissair DC3. I've seen it a few times over the years at widely different places around Europe. Swissair were a pioneer DC3 operator from 1937 (and DC2 before that), so it's nice to still see it around. Polished aluminium fuselage with the standard Swiss red tail with a white cross (which all Swiss aircraft had to carry until a few years ago, it was not just the Swissair livery).

Location - well, indeed it could have been anywhere but was actually the beach at Theoule-sur-Mer in the south of France, with Cannes airport off to the left. Cannes does not have airline service, which uses nearby Nice, but has a lot of executive jet and GA traffic, as well as a couple of banner tow people who pulled (slowly) big slogan streamers for evening nightclubs across the sky in front of us each afternoon. I can't find anything on why the Swiss DC3 had come down here. The aircraft was departing initially southwards, but I almost felt I heard it again 5 minutes later, climbing northwards towards Switzerland - there are some big coastal mountains there and a DC3 would take quite some time out over the sea to gain height. You can see the airport runway in the upper part of the map here, :

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Th%C...r,+France&z=13

and the parasols in question (well, if we can do lawnmower reports among the Caravelle history, we can do this). Cannes airport is in that low-lying part across the bay, between the two hills

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Th%C...,24.64,,0,6.79

I accept it doesn't have the aviation activity that jlemon recently experienced in St Maarten, but it does have French food , service style , shopping , ..... and driving standards

Now Cannes airport actually has an interesting airline history, because from the early 1930s this was the original French Riviera airport, and developed the first scheduled air services for those who previously had to use the overnight Blue Train from Paris. It wasn't until after WW2 that Nice airport, entirely built on reclaimed land from the Mediterranean, was opened, and then Cannes fell back to be just a GA place.

OK, at last the question. If WHBM's grandfather had flown with Air France in 1939 from London to Cannes, fractionally mirroring our London City to Nice Embraer 190 flight, but departing London Croydon nicely at 11 am on a summer Saturday morning, stopping in Paris and Lyon, and getting to The Riviera nicely in time for afternoon tea, what aircraft type would he be on ? Just to help, here's the timetable :

http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...39/af39-15.jpg

jlemon

Correct! Idlewild Airport (IDL) was constructed on land that was originally the site of the Idlewild golf course, hence the name.

Some notable dates concerning IDL:

On April 18, 1950, the first passenger jet, being a Canadian-built Avro C102 jetliner, landed at Idlewild following a flight from Toronto. This was a demonstration flight and not a scheduled service as the Avro C102 was a prototype and thus not in serial production. However, this aircraft was transported back to Canada by train. The pilots declined to fly it back after "cracking" sounds were noted on the flight down to New York. The Avro C102 project was canceled and never made it to the serial production phase.

On October 4, 1958, BOAC began scheduled passenger jet service into Idlewild with a Comet 4.

Following the assassination of President Kennedy, Idlewild was then renamed JFK Airport.

On November 22, 1977, Concorde service commenced at JFK (although Washington Dulles beat New York in this regard as Concorde service had commenced at IAD on May 24, 1976).

I saw the Concorde for the first time while I was connecting through JFK from the lofty perspective of the old Pan Am first class lounge which at that point had become a Delta Crown Room......

miniliq

You gave it away with the timetable link -- an earlier page http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...39/af39-03.jpg shows a photo of the Bloch MB.220, which was used by Air France in Europe in those days. Interestingly, Wikipedia's historical fleet list for AF makes no mention of it -- reminding me that Wikipedia is not necessarily always correct.
That 1939 timetable is a great reminder of the amazing AF network -- would have loved to experience some of those great routes into Africa.

jlemon

Well, our man in New Orleans beat me to it!

I believe this AF service was operated with a Bloch MB 220 as well. This aircraft was apparently designed and produced in France.

And welcome back WHBM! As it's still too early for the weekend lawnmower and WX report, I'm curious if you have noted any RAF Typhoon interceptor aircraft patrolling the skies over London. I believe this possible aerial activity may have something to do with some type of rather large international sporting event that will be commencing shortly in your part of the world.....

WHBM

We live about 2 miles SE of the main stadium. When the floodlights come on later (opening ceremony 2 hours from when I write) we'll be able to see the glow in the sky. If there's a helicopter shot from overhead look to the edge of the picture for a lawn that was neatly mown .... two weeks ago ! Incidentally, that's not my lawn in the centre of the stadium for the opening ceremony (you'll have to watch the TV to understand).

The RAF Typhoons are at the RAF base at Northolt, to the north of Heathrow. They're just the aircraft normally based for the same instant readiness task about 100 miles north of here, so no great difference. ** 8.10 pm, just had the RAF Red Arrows display team (9 x Hawk aircraft) pass behind the house, trailing red/white/blue smoke.

Not introducing politics at all, but if you are from elsewhere in the world and haven't seen our Mayor Boris Johnson before, just look out for him - he's bound to come out with some witticisms at some stage !

The whole thing has been done in a typically British manner - a few bits stupidly, some OK, and some brilliantly. Lets hope they all fall in the right order.

Seat 2A

We haven't had any questions posted for awhile, so I thought I'd whip up a few along the lines of my last set...

The following questions are all based upon schedules published in the November 1969 International edition of the OAG. Anything beyond that is based upon my warped imagination and suspect memory from past travels...

1. Whilst yachting off Biscayne Bay, a wicked gust of wind effectively divests you of your prized Panama hat. Your hosts quickly deposit you on a dock in Coral Gables where a waiting taxi delivers you up to Miami International just in time to catch this airline’s 2:15am Lockheed Electra departure nonstop to Panama City, Panama.

2. One can only imagine your chagrin upon discovering that Panama hats are originally from Ecuador. Continuing on to Guayaquil, you purchase your new hat, then head off to Simon Bolivar International Airport to catch this European airline’s 707 up to Bogota, Colombia. Later, whilst visiting the Plaza de Bolívar, your new hat provides you a small measure of refuge from the flocks of pigeons that dive-bomb most everyone within 50 yards of the square.

3. Three days in the high, thin air of Bogota has left you rather short of breath so it’s high time to return to your seaside home outside Miami aboard this airline’s one stop Electra flight routing via Barranquilla.

4. The Seaboard Coast Line’s crack streamliner The Champion delivers you in style to Washington, D.C.’s beautiful and stylish Union Station. After three days at the Smithsonian and two nights in a corner suite at the swank Hay Adams Hotel, you’re ready to continue on to London, England where a dart tournament awaits. You’ve chosen to fly aboard the one airline that operates a DC-8 on this route. Which airline would this be?

5. Flush with cash after your stirring come from behind victory in the City of London World Darts Tournament, you celebrate until the wee hours before calling it a night at one of the many Holiday Inns that ring Heathrow. Following a large pot of coffee and a full English breakfast (complete with grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, sausages and baked beans) you head out to the airport for your flight to New York. You’ve flown across the pond many times aboard the usual carriers such as BOAC, Pan American and TWA. This time you want to try one of the four non-European carriers that regularly fly the route. Which airlines would these be?

6. The next two nights are spent in midtown New York at the fabulous Helmsley Park Lane Hotel. Your elegant suite offers panoramic views of Central Park and the iconic New York City skyline, whilst dinner and drinks with Harry and Leona have made for some memorable if not expensive evenings. Now, after having spent the past week in the cool autumn climes of London and New York, you’re ready for a return to the tropics. This afternoon you’ve booked a First Class seat aboard the only airline offering service between New York and Port Au Prince, Haiti. Win the admiration of your fellow contestants by providing both the airline and the aircraft flown on this route.

7. Avid rail fan that you are, you couldn’t help but pay an extended visit to the best of Haiti’s Iron Markets, the Marché de Fer. This exuberant and exotic red-metal structure dates from 1889 and looks more akin to something from the Arabian Nights than tropical Haiti. In fact, it was originally destined to be the main hall of Cairo’s train station (hence its minarets), but when the sale from the Parisian manufacturers fell through, Haitian President Florvil Hyppolite snapped it up as part of his plan to modernize Port-au-Prince.

Now it’s time to return home to Miami. Air France offers a nonstop Caravelle between Port Au Prince and Miami, but you’ve logged plenty of miles on the little French jetliner and are instead looking to fly aboard something a bit different. Two airlines offer nonstop service to Miami using the comparatively newer DC-9. One airline operates the DC-9-10 while the other flies the even newer stretched DC-9-30. Name these airlines and match them with their respective aircraft.

8. You started out today very much looking forward to your first ever flight aboard Hawker Siddeley’s twin-engine turboprop, the HS 748, operating out of Ft. Lauderdale nonstop to Nassau. Unfortunately, the only seat available in the 54 seat cabin was right beside the engine. The noise level was downright excruciating! The stewardess explained that the high pitched whine was coming from the low pressure compressor rotating assembly of the airplane’s Rolls Royce Dart engines. The reason for the noise was that the tips of the rotating parts were travelling at virtually supersonic speed. You thank her for the explanation but swear never again to fly a Rolls Royce Dart equipped aircraft without earplugs and a helmet. By the way, what airline operated that 748 between Ft. Lauderdale and Nassau?

9. Faced with a three hour layover at Nassau International, you head straight for the airport bar where a brace of refreshing Bombay Sapphire Gin & Tonics and a plate of freshly fried conch fritters await. Early this evening you’ll settle into a First Class seat aboard the three stop direct flight from Nassau to Nadi, Fiji. It’s not every day you get to enjoy the convenience of a three stop, direct flight between two tropical islands nearly 8000 miles apart. What airline and aircraft provide this service? Bonus points if you can describe the route.

10. A week at the new Fijian Hotel has left you almost as dark as the locals. Thankfully you learned early on that the local grog known as Kava is not to be trifled with – at least not in excess. Now it’s off to Nadi International to board your colorful DC-8-63 for a six and a half hour overnight flight to Honolulu, Hawaii. Only one airline operates the “Stretch 8” into Nadi. Name that airline…

TO BE CONTINUED FROM HAWAII AS ANOTHER 10 QUESTION QUIZ

WHBM

OK, on from the Olympics. Oh, for jlemon the helicopter that The Queen and James Bond parachuted out of in the Olympics ceremony was AW.139 G-OLYM, on loan from Westlands, the UK helicopter manufacturer. Yes, they did fly it through Tower Bridge, filmed about two months ago. Now for S2A’s questions.

1. Electra Miami to Panama. Likely one of Ecuatoriana’s, operating on through to Guayaquil and Quito. Hopefully the hat blunder is discovered quickly enough to jump back on board and continue with it.

2. European 707, Guayaquil to Bogota. Well this is a toss-up between Air France and Lufthansa. I’d go for the latter. If it was Air France, you were very lucky to get off at Bogota, as Boeing 707-328B F-BHSZ operating this exact route crashed into the sea departing Caracas, Venezuela on December 4 1969 (thus mostly ticketed from the November OAG), having routed from Santiago, Chile up through Lima, Guayaquil, Bogota and Caracas, heading back to Paris.

3. Bogota-Barranquilla-Miami in another Electra. There were two Colombian Electra operators in 1969, Aerocondor and SAM, and I think they both served Miami.

4. There were still various long-distance US trains in 1969, but I doubt the accolade “crack” still applied to many/any. Steve Goodman’s “15 cars and 15 restless riders” in 'The City of New Orleans' (written two years later) sort of sums it up. What a shame (incidentally, I rode by chance, the last week’s operation of traditional Roomette cars in 1980 on the Southwest Limited, Chicago to LA, in 1980. I doubt the cars had had any maintenance since before 1969). Anyway, to the DC8 from Washington to London. This would be the Pan Am-Delta interchange flight from Atlanta up through Washington to London. Operated for years just by pan Am aircraft, the arrangements had changed and the last Pan Am DC8-33 had been sold to Delta just a couple of months before, whose aircraft therefore started appearing in London, quite a novelty.

5. Oh dear. Well, firstly Holiday Inn weren’t trading in the UK in 1969, notwithstanding that they have been UK-owned corporation for the last quarter-century. Try The Excelsior, facing Heathrow (nowadays incorporated into the Park Inn), it’s brand new in 1969. But the bar won’t be open by the time you get back, so you had better have a bottle or two in your room. Oh, and darts matches “for money” would have been against UK law at that time without a licence – which were never granted ! Anyway, off on that Transatlantic oddball flight. I presume by “non-European” we don’t include Pan Am or TWA (well, Pan Am long had a London crew base). Air India had a longstanding daily flight, Qantas operated this way to Australia, then (really scratching my memory here) El Al routed through London a couple of times a week. I’m guessing Kuwait Airways for the last, who were on the route later but don’t know the start date. However, I just cannot believe anyone would choose a 707 flight on this route when BOAC were operating VC-10s !

6. New York to Port au Prince. I think Pan Am only went there from Miami at this stage, so I’ll go for …. Air France, on another 707. They had doubtless got their First Class caterer in New York up to top notch for the Paris flights, so these would be an experience as well (note that AF have long had great service in First Class, and pretty much the opposite in Economy).

7. Back to the Caravelle – or not. Who had DC9s around the Caribbean in 1969 ? Well, there are several to choose from. Dominicana, Air Panama and ALM had the DC9-10, while Caribair had the DC9-30. That takes care of my choice for the larger sized aircraft, as for the baby – hmm, put the names into that Panama hat – Dominicana.

8. Could start this one by commenting on it being the propeller tips that were near-supersonic on the 748 (the real one, not the recent Boeing imposter). Anyway, Bahamas Airways had a good fleet of them, deployed on short routes from Florida to the islands like this.

9. Conch fritters. Well if they’re like the ones in Key West you can keep them. Disgusting ! But we’re off on the flight from Nassau to Nadi. Ah, it’s THAT flight, which we have mentioned upthread I think. Qantas 581, left London on Saturday afternoon for many years, went through Nassau in the evening, then Mexico, Acapulco, Papeete to Nadi, where it’s just sunrise the next morning – except it’s Monday. Last stage was on to Sydney. You’d be sat with groups of UK emigrants to Australia, Qantas liked to put this one-way low-yield, Australian government paid-for traffic on this flight, to avoid them using seats sold for real money on the main route. I wonder how many crew changes there were along the way on this once-weekly flight, and how long therefore the crew were away from home.

10. Last leg. CP Air, operating Sydney-Nadi-Honolulu-Vancouver.

jlemon

Good Afternoon All!

The Agusta Westland AW 139 operation as part of the opening ceremonies for the XXX Olympics in London is duly noted, WHBM! The company I'm with currently flies seven (7) AW 139s with more to come as this rotorcraft type will most likely by and large replace our Sikorsky S-76 series helicopters as time progresses. BTW, we currently operate a fleet of seventy (70) S-76s worldwide. Also BTW, the Queen of England is usually transported in her very own Sikorsky S-76C series rotorcraft!

We were also quite pleased to see that Agent 007 took time out from his busy schedule of thwarting international ne'er do wells and their various and sundry nefarious plots in order to escort the Queen to the opening ceremonies for the Olympics. In addition, I was very impressed to see that the British monarch remains current with regard to her parachuting skills....

Overall, we found the opening ceremonies for the Olympics to be absolutely superb. :-: Well done! ^^^

And now back to business....

Well, it appears that the illustrious WHBM has thoroughly and completely polished off the latest set of questions posed by the intrepid Seat 2A, who is apparently now on his way to Hawaii at this very moment. So as we await his second installment, I shall jump into the fray in the interim and thus fire off a bunch of questions.

And speaking of Hawaii......

1) This airline operated a direct, no change of plane service three (3) days a week between Miami and Honolulu. There was a different routing flown between MIA and HNL on each of the three days. Name the air carrier and the jet equipment operated. And for bonus points, also identify the three different routes flown in terms of the specific intermediate stops.

2) What airline operated BAe 146 service into Redmond, OR (RDM)?

3) What airline operated BAC One-Eleven service into Redmond, OR (RDM)?

4) These three (3) airlines were all based on islands not all that far away from either MIA or SJU. All three air carriers operated BAC One-Eleven aircraft. Name these three airlines.

5) Five (5) different airlines based in Central America operated the BAC One-Eleven. Name all five air carriers.

6) What was the Official Airline Guide (OAG) aircraft code for the BAC One-Eleven series 500?

7) Name four (4) air carriers that operated jet service into Redding, CA (RDD). And for bonus points, identify the specific jet equipment flown by each airline.

8) Name six (6) airlines that operated jet aircraft into Arcata/Eureka, CA (ACV). And for bonus points, identify the specific jet equipment operated by each air carrier.

9) It's 1968 and you wish to fly first class from Curacao, Netherlands Antilles (CUR) to Paramaribo, Suriname (PBM) on the coast of northeast South America. You have your choice of two airlines; however, they operate their respective flights on different days of the week. Identify both air carriers and the aircraft type operated. Also, what was unique about these respective services?

10) It's the spring of 1981 and you wish to fly the short hop from Reno, NV (RNO) to South Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL). What airline and what type of aircraft would you fly on?

11) You have now had a nice stay in the Lake Tahoe area in the spring of 1981 but you have a meeting you must attend in Newport Beach, CA. The closest airfield with airline service to the location of your meeting is Orange County Airport (SNA). You have discovered that one airline offers nonstop service between TVL and SNA. Name the air carrier and the aircraft operated on the route.

12) It's 1984 and Wien Air Alaska has changed its name to Wien Airlines. You wish to fly on this air carrier from Fairbanks (FAI) direct to Denver (DEN) in business class with no change of plane. What type of aircraft would you travel on and where would the flight stop en route?

13) It's the late summer of 1986 and you wish to fly in a jet nonstop from Midland/Odessa, TX (MAF) to Albuquerque (ABQ). Name the airline and the equipment flown.

14) What airline operated nonstop jet service between Stockton, CA (SCK) and Reno, NV (RNO)? Also identify the aircraft type.

15) In the spring of 1962, Trans-Canada Airlines (TCA) operated Vickers Vanguard turboprop service featuring first class and coach on nonstop routes from Toronto (YYZ) to three (3) U.S. cities. Name all three U.S. destinations.

16) What airline operated B727 Combi service into Inuvik, NWT, Canada (YEV)? (BTW, YEV is located above the Arctic Circle)

17) What airline operated Fokker 100 service into Inuvik, NWT, Canada (YEV)?

18) During the winter of 1980, this airline operated B747 flights between Boston (BOS) and four (4) different cities in western Europe. Identify the airline and the four European cities served.

19) Back in the summer of 1963, this airline operated a "Businessmen's Special" flight nonstop between Chicago (ORD) and Houston (HOU). The first class cabin also featured "Silver Service" with complimentary cigars in addition to the finest wines and spirits. Name the airline and the equipment flown. This air carrier also had a special name for their jet aircraft. So, for special bonus points, what was this name?

20) What airline operated Airbus A300 service nonstop between Los Angeles (LAX) and New Orleans (MSY)?

21) What airline operated Airbus A300 service nonstop between New York (JFK) and Ponce, PR (PSE)?

22) What airline operated Douglas DC-9-50 service twice a day nonstop between McAllen, TX (MFE) and Brownsville, TX (BRO)?

23) What airline operated "Silver Dart" service on a transcontinental route in the North America? Also identify the aircraft type and the cities served.

24) What airline offered "Star Jet" service on board its aircraft? Hint: this airline operated two (2) different jet aircraft types. Identify both types for extra bonus points.

25) It's the fall of 1979 and you wish to fly nonstop from Los Angeles (LAX) to Miami (MIA) in first class on board a B747. What airline would you choose?

26) You've completed your business in Miami in the fall of 1979 and it's now time to return to Los Angeles. The 747 flight you traveled on LAX-MIA was just fine but you would like to try another airline in first class for your journey back to Los Angeles. You discover that every nonstop flight back to LAX is operated exclusively with wide body jet equipment by all of the airlines serving this route except one. This flight only operated three (3) days a week as the air carrier flew a wide body jetliner on the same flight on the other four days. Identify the airline and aircraft type.

27) This airline operated direct, no change of plane service once a week between New Orleans (MSY) and Hilo, Hawaii (ITO). Name the airline and the type of jet aircraft flown. And for bonus points, identify the one (1) intermediate stop between MSY and ITO.

WHBM

Nothing to do with old airlines, but here's when it was filmed a while ago. jl will probably identify for us the camera helicopter following as well. Incidentally, you won't believe (unless you're in the business) what the coincidental name of the helicopter operator for this was ..... !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VedDvH_PPT4

Meanwhile I'll just have a stab at the BAC One-Eleven questions, I've probably done too many this weekend.

4) Three MIA/SJU operators. Well, Bahamasair, LIAT and Cayman Airways were mainstream ones. Additionally Out Island Airways from the Bahamas were another one, and Dominica from the Dominican Republic bought one but never seems to have got it into service.

5) Five Central American operators. This was real One-Eleven territory for many years with the main national operators of these small countries, who operated routes connecting each other, and often leased the aircraft back and forth as well. BAC apparently had a good sales agent in Miami who was behind much of it. Six main operators I would mention, LANICA of Nicaragua, TAN of Honduras (who shared the aircraft with LANICA, in dual markings), Aviateca of Guatemala, LACSA of Costa Rica and TACA of El Salvador were the main ones. Then in the 1990s Tikal Jets of Guatemala brought it back into service.

I can recall my last One-Eleven flight, in Spring 1993, it was British Airways, Birmingham to Edinburgh, in their final weeks of operation. Now you may imagine what a 25-year old aircraft in its final weeks would be like - and you would be wrong. On the inside it was absolutely immaculate, not a spec of dirt or wear, everything straight and in perfect order. I guess engineering were using up all their remaining cabin furnishing spares keeping things good.

There was a classic moment some weeks later when the last aircraft was ferried away from Manchester (always the One-Eleven home base, back to BEA days) for storage. The crew called up "Ready for departure for the last BA One-Eleven from Manchester". A senior voice from the tower replied "Before you go, can you please just pat that aircraft on the nose on my behalf, and wish her well whatever her future is. I have been speaking to her since she first arrived here a quarter of a century ago when I was a trainee controller". The response : "Tower, we have done as you requested, the aircraft replies that it is very grateful for all the professional assistance you and your colleagues have given her over that time". And off it went .....

jlemon

Well, WHBM, we had the opportunity to watch (via the NBC-TV network) an excellent 155 mile bicycle race this morning from London out to the country and back to the city again.....and please know we were rooting for the British team!

But please.....Kazakhstan!?!?

At least the gentleman who won the gold medal now has a very fitting possible conclusion with regard to his bike racing career as he is apparently in his late 30's!

And with regard to your answers concerning questions 4) & 5) and the venerable and iconic BAC One-Eleven, you are correct on all counts, sir! I was not aware of the respective Out Island Airways and Tikal Jets operations.....

Your narrative concerning the last BAC One-Eleven departure from Manchester is very much appreciated as well. My final One-Eleven flight was on Pacific Express from SFO to SBA. This particular aircraft also appeared to be in excellent condition inside and out.....

P.S. - Concerning the video you were kind enough to provide, the camera ship helicopter in the chase position behind the AW 139 flying through the bridge is definitely a Eurocopter AS-350 "AStar". I'll also guess that it is actually the AS-350B2 version of this French manufactured rotorcraft equipped with a SpaceCam gyrostabilized camera system.....

cs57

18) Service from BOS in 1980 to Europe. Braniff used 747s on flights to AMS,BRU,Paris, and FRA. Service was less than daily, and depending on the day of the week you might make a stop. For example, on Monday BN606 was BOS/BRU/FRA, and nonstop BOS/FRA on SA,TH.

jlemon

Absolutely correct, cs57!

cs57

6) OAG code for BAC111-500. Would it be "S11" vs. the "B11" code for the older 1-11s?

jlemon

Correct! The "S11" code actually referred to the stretched version of the BAC One-Eleven, being the series 500 (or "Super One-Eleven"), which could transport more passengers than the standard version of the aircraft.

To the best of my knowledge. no U.S. or Canadian airlines operated the "S11". BAC One-Eleven operators such as AA, AL, BN and QB, for example, all operated the "B11" version. A good general analogy here concerning the "B11" vs. the "S11" is the DC-9 series 10 (DC9) when compared with the stretched DC-9 series 30 (D9S).

There were at least several operators of the "Super One-Eleven" in Europe (please chime in, WHBM!). Here in the western hemisphere, Cayman Airways (KX), LACSA (LR) and LIAT (LI) all operated the stretched BAC One-Eleven series 500 as well. In fact, I think LIAT's "S11" aircraft came from Court Line in the U.K. as this company had purchased an interest in LIAT.

WHBM

There were a very large number of One-Eleven 500 operators in Europe, must have been getting on for 40 over time. If Western Hemisphere also includes South America then Austral of Argentina, and Sadia/Transbrasil of Brazil were also large and long-standing operators, along with Faucett of Peru.

The stretched One Eleven originated with a BEA request to buy early Boeing 737s ! This was unacceptable to the UK government at the time who funded (minimally) BAC to do the stretch. This ended up as a typical BEA special (like th Trident) of having too little range through being underpowered, but BAC and Rolls-Royce then re-worked the engines and came up with a very acceptable aircraft for Northern Europe to the Mediterranean holiday charter companies, where it became the dominant type for many such operators. From the US perspective, where you are used to scheduled operators handing the bulk of passenger demand, you cannot imagine how this sector of "holiday charter flights" was so widespread in the 1970-1995 period, at many UK airports outside London it was the principal traffic, and for a high percentage of families who never stepped on scheduled services it was their way to the sea every year.

Probably the most spectacular was Court Line, based at London Luton airport (nowadays Easyjet HQ). They bought a large fleet of One-Eleven 500s and painted them in all-over "holiday" colours, very well done with multiple shaded bands of the relevant colour down the aircraft, more stylish than Braniff's single slab of dark colour on their aircraft with a plain white tail. One of the issues was it was a summer seasonal business, in overcoming this Court bought up the aforementioned LIAT in the Caribbean, and a few of the One-Elevens were sent over there each winter, along with a purchase of Tristars, similarly coloured, to link the two. It couldn't last, and Court went bankrupt spectacularly in the peak August 1974 week. The One-Elevens, though (unlike the Tristars) readily found new homes with other operators, and just carried on with different and less colourful paint schemes.

Just time for quick personal recollection. A One-Eleven was my very first jet flight, British Eagle G-ATPI, Liverpool to London in autumn 1968. My aunt from Canada had flown over to visit, connecting at Heathrow to Liverpool, and found a teenaged nephew, interested in aviation, who has only ever done a couple of Viscount flights. Returning to Vancouver a couple of weeks later on a Saturday morning, so no school for me, “would you like to come with me on the plane down to London ?” Now, we all need moments like that in our lives, don’t we ? A real roar up against the brakes this cold, damp morning on Liverpool’s old, short runway, now abandoned, and a rocketing departure. First jet ! I also recall a package of a full plastic cutlery set, napkin, salt/pepper, etc being initially distributed, then nothing more than coffee in those small plastic cups, so nothing from the package except the teaspoon got used. What a wasteful airline, we said to one another, glossing over the fact that there were only about 15 other passengers on board. Domestic air travel in Britain in those days was expensive, so I came home that afternoon on the train, and four weeks later British Eagle, one of the UK’s pioneer independent airlines from the immediate post-war era, went bankrupt as well.

Oh, and ending with a question after all of this. What were the four different Court/LIAT colours ?