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Post by Peter Lewis on Aug 26, 2006 22:38:15 GMT 12
Recently found this pic of BAe146 G-LUXE in Ansett New Zealand colours. This poses a bit of a problem, as this aircraft - c/n E3001 - as as far as I know seems to have had no contact at all with New Zealand! Anyone know anything further about it?  |
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Post by corsair67 on Aug 29, 2006 9:30:18 GMT 12
I wonder if it ever ended up going to Ansett in Australia instead? I have a book about Ansett that may have some further detail in it. I'll get back to you.  |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Aug 29, 2006 18:44:10 GMT 12
I'd appreciate that. According to an internet BAe146 listing, this aircraft has spent all of its life in UK registery. Having said that, the info is on the internet, and therefore may be wrong.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 29, 2006 21:17:23 GMT 12
Peter there's a photo of it here dated May 1989 also in Ansett NZ colours www.airliners.net/open.file/0737213/M/ There are also photos of it in BAe's own colours - I wonder if it were a demonstrator and the colours were added as an enticement? www.airliners.net/open.file/0557854/M/ I'm no airliner expert, but is that one a little longer in the body than the ones we had in service here? |
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Post by Bruce on Aug 29, 2006 22:38:51 GMT 12
As far as I can tell, G-LUXE was the -300 series prototype, coverted from the -100 G-SSSH (which visited NZ in the 1980s on demo to Mt Cook Airlines!) hence the s/n 3001. It is still current with BAe. It has been involved with High Altitude atmospheric research and the NASA Proteus project at some stage - especially after the 146 and Avro RJ production lines were closed in 2001 / 2002.
Ansett NZ started off its 146 ops with -200s which were as you observed shorter than the -300, but they did eventually replace those with -300s. I would suggest that G-LUXE was painted in Ansett colours in order to appear at the Farnborough and / or Paris airshows at the time that order was announced as a publicity exercise for both BAe and Ansett.
still hunting for clues...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 29, 2006 22:45:47 GMT 12
Weren't Bae and Ansett also tied in together financially (maybe not as early as this paint scheme) - didn't they run a flight school together? Or am I confused there?
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Post by Bruce on Aug 29, 2006 22:55:22 GMT 12
Yes Bae and Ansett ran the flying school at Tamworth that uses the ex RNZAF CT-4Bs (see separate thread) but I dont think that the link is particularly strong in the airliner case as BAE is such a diverse corporate monstrosity! It isnt unusual for demonstrators to be repainted in customer's paint schemes - the A380 Prototype has been seen in qantas colours recently.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 29, 2006 22:58:24 GMT 12
I thought it was the CT/4 operator but wasn't sure. Nothing exists of Ansett now though, does it? or is it still going in Aussie?
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Post by corsair67 on Aug 30, 2006 9:39:35 GMT 12
Peter, my Ansett book doesn't go into enough detail (i.e. construction numbers) so I can't say if that 146 ever ended up over here either. I think Bruce is probably correct about it being a sales gimmick to win Ansett NZ over to buying new BAe-146 jets. I was surprised to read that Ansett operated two ex-NZ flying boats: an ex-TEAL Sandringham (1950-74) and an ex-RNZAF MR5 Sunderland (1964-74). Ansett Aviation Engineering Services and the Ansett Flight Simulator Centre are both still in existance, and both are located at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne. Someone in QLD has set up another Ansett airlines to fly regional services in that state, but because he's competing with Virgin and QANTAS most people aren't giving him very long in the business! Ansett sold their share of the Tamworth Flight Training School sometime in the 1990s. Another interesting thing was that at one stage in the 1980s Ansett NZ was loosing NZ$3million/month!!!!!!!!  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 31, 2006 23:08:38 GMT 12
"I was surprised to read that Ansett operated two ex-NZ flying boats: an ex-TEAL Sandringham (1950-74) and an ex-RNZAF MR5 Sunderland (1964-74)."
I think both still exist too - the Sunderland is with Kermit Weeks if I recall right, and the Sandy with Solent Sky in the UK.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Aug 31, 2006 23:52:00 GMT 12
Looks like G-LUXE had no direct link with NZ then. G-SCHH was here for a week 17 - 21 November 1982, and was registered in NZ as ZK-SHH for that brief time. After returning to the UK for some years, it ended up in Oz as VH-NJY in 1991 for National Jet Systems, Adelaide, SA (op by Australian Airlink). Acually I make it four ex-NZ Short boats for Ansett: Short S.25 Tasman ZK-AMD ex TEAL went to Qantas as VH-EBX in 1950, then on to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. in 1954 before capsizing at moorings in storm Lord Howe Island 3Jul63 & scuttled. Short S.25 Tasman ZK-AME ex TEAL went to Barrier Reef Airways Pty.Ltd., Brisbane in 1951 as VH-BRD then to Ansett Flying Boat Services Ltd. in 1951. It was SOC 16Apr53. Short S.25 Tasman ZK-AMH went to Barrier Reef Airways Pty.Ltd., Brisbane in 1950 as VH-BRC, to Ansett Flying Boat Services Ltd. in 1952, to Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. in 1958, and then overseas as N158C, VP-LVE and N158C as we all know. Short S.25 Sunderland Mk.5 NZ4108 went to Ansett ANA Pty.Ltd as VH-BRF in 1963 to be converted to a Sandringham, then to Airlines of NSW, Sydney and off to N185J G-BJHS and finally N185J with Kermit Weeks, Florida. This is a pic of NZ4108/VH-BRF as it arrived at Rose Bay, Sydney, at the end of its delivery flight fron NZ on 18th December 1963. It carried the australian registration but was otherwise still a Sunderland:  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 1, 2006 0:38:09 GMT 12
"G-SCHH was here for a week 17 - 21 November 1982, and was registered in NZ as ZK-SHH for that brief time."
I can recall that visit as it made fairly big headlines being so quiet - those were the days when Boeings were so loud we heard them regularly here in Cambridge taking off from Hamilton Airport. Not any more though.
I recall one Sunday afternoon when the "Whisper Jet" was here in NZ there was a programme on TVNZ about it. I don't know why - but I guess it was promotional. It seemed to follow its tour of the country when it was demonstrating to potential buyers, and I definately recall seeing it could land at the short strip in Queenstown. I think, vaguely... that Philip Alpers may have presented it. Maybe it was part of a magazine style technology show or something, or was it a deicated doco on the tour? I was only 11 then, but it sticks in my mind.
Remember those days when they used to have interesting documentaries on TV? Like the Farnborough Airshow, or the various National Film Unit films on our aviation scene and heritage. We had two stations then, both good. Now there is about 60 stations and 97% of it is trash, with 3% mediocre.
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Post by steve on Sept 1, 2006 1:19:38 GMT 12
Well what a great pic of a sunderaland in Rose Bay...I remember as a child listening to detailed stories by my Grandfather of his good Friend Capt Ken Brownjohn of TEAL and his adventures in crossing the Tasman in storms to been shot at by the americans in WW2 because of the red centre in the roundel...thank goodness we still have MOTAT.. I beleve i saw the last formation flight by RNZAF Sunderlands (three) in 1964 auckland ...not sure ..any
info cheers...
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 3, 2006 22:42:40 GMT 12
The pic of NZ4108/VH-BRF was taken from a yacht by Nev Parnell. It is a scan straight from the original 120-size negative. The mark down the right side of the pic is not a fault, but the guy wire of the rigging that got in the way at the crucial moment.
Maybe we need to start a separate thread on Short flying boats?
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