BCal's B747 Fleet
Where are they now?
Where are they now?
Information Summary
3 No. Stored (BJXN, HUGE and CITB)
2 No. Scrapped (GLYN and NIGB)
Below is the information found to date, current as of April 2013.
3 No. Stored (BJXN, HUGE and CITB)
2 No. Scrapped (GLYN and NIGB)
Below is the information found to date, current as of April 2013.
G-BJXN : Mungo Park - The Scottish Explorer
Serial No. 20527 / Line No. 179
Age : 41 years
Status : Stored
D-ABYG Lufthansa (first flight 09-02-1972 then delivered 25-02-1972)
N611BN Braniff International Airways (bought by ITEL*, leased to Braniff 11-05-1979)
G-BJXN British Caledonian Airways (Leased from GATX 15-04-1982)
G-BJXN British Airways (merged 14-04-1988 and lease taken over)
G-BJXN Middle East Airlines (sub leased from BA 01-07-1998)
G-BJXN Nigeria Airways (sub leased from MEA 02-07-1988)
G-BJXN British Airways (returned 10-1988)
N78019 Bought by Potomac Capital from GATX on 31-05-1990
N78019 Continental Airlines (leased from Potomac Capital 01-06-1990)
N78019 Continental Micronesia (sub leased from Continental 17-11-1995)
N78019 Stored Mojave - Sold by Potomac Capital to First Security Bank -Utah (04-08-1999)
TF-ATA Air Atlanta Icelandic** (leased 05-08-1999) Returned to Wells Fargo Bank
N745LA Private (bought by Aircraft 20527 Trust (Wilmington Trust); 06-08-2002)
N745LA Logistic Air (delivered 03-06-2003)
5U-ACE Logistic Air (reregistered 14-09-2005)
5U-ACE Knight Air (Canada) reported as operating for KNA 01-2006
5U-ACE withdrawn and stored at Roswell 11-2007. Last seen May 2011.
* ITEL taken over by GATX
** While with Air Atlanta seen operating for Tunisair and Saudia
Serial No. 20527 / Line No. 179
Age : 41 years
Status : Stored
D-ABYG Lufthansa (first flight 09-02-1972 then delivered 25-02-1972)
N611BN Braniff International Airways (bought by ITEL*, leased to Braniff 11-05-1979)
G-BJXN British Caledonian Airways (Leased from GATX 15-04-1982)
G-BJXN British Airways (merged 14-04-1988 and lease taken over)
G-BJXN Middle East Airlines (sub leased from BA 01-07-1998)
G-BJXN Nigeria Airways (sub leased from MEA 02-07-1988)
G-BJXN British Airways (returned 10-1988)
N78019 Bought by Potomac Capital from GATX on 31-05-1990
N78019 Continental Airlines (leased from Potomac Capital 01-06-1990)
N78019 Continental Micronesia (sub leased from Continental 17-11-1995)
N78019 Stored Mojave - Sold by Potomac Capital to First Security Bank -Utah (04-08-1999)
TF-ATA Air Atlanta Icelandic** (leased 05-08-1999) Returned to Wells Fargo Bank
N745LA Private (bought by Aircraft 20527 Trust (Wilmington Trust); 06-08-2002)
N745LA Logistic Air (delivered 03-06-2003)
5U-ACE Logistic Air (reregistered 14-09-2005)
5U-ACE Knight Air (Canada) reported as operating for KNA 01-2006
5U-ACE withdrawn and stored at Roswell 11-2007. Last seen May 2011.
* ITEL taken over by GATX
** While with Air Atlanta seen operating for Tunisair and Saudia
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G-HUGE : Andrew Carnegie - The Scottish American Philanthropist
Serial No. 21252 / Line Number 297
Age : 36.3 years
Status : Stored - Roswell
JY-AFB Alia Royal Jordanian (first flight 26-10-1976, delivered 11-05-1977)
G-HUGE British Caledonian (bought from Alia, delivered 18-03-1985)
G-HUGE British Airways (merged 14-04-1988)
N512DC Potomac Capital (bought 05-11-1990) converted to freighter 2D3BF
LX-FCV Cargolux - not taken up
LX-ZCV Cargolux Airlines International (leased from Potomac; 08-11-1991)
N506MC Atlas Air (leased 31-03-1994)
N506MC SAS (sub lease from Atlas 05-02-1997 to 09-02-1997)
N506MC Bought by Well Fargo Bank (21-04-2001)
N506MC Atlas Air (leased from Wells Fargo; 15-12-2003)
N596MC Bought from Wells Fargo by Atlas Air (13-01-2009)
N506MC Withdrawn and stored at Roswell (23-09-2009)
N506MC Registration cancelled 29-11-2010
Serial No. 21252 / Line Number 297
Age : 36.3 years
Status : Stored - Roswell
JY-AFB Alia Royal Jordanian (first flight 26-10-1976, delivered 11-05-1977)
G-HUGE British Caledonian (bought from Alia, delivered 18-03-1985)
G-HUGE British Airways (merged 14-04-1988)
N512DC Potomac Capital (bought 05-11-1990) converted to freighter 2D3BF
LX-FCV Cargolux - not taken up
LX-ZCV Cargolux Airlines International (leased from Potomac; 08-11-1991)
N506MC Atlas Air (leased 31-03-1994)
N506MC SAS (sub lease from Atlas 05-02-1997 to 09-02-1997)
N506MC Bought by Well Fargo Bank (21-04-2001)
N506MC Atlas Air (leased from Wells Fargo; 15-12-2003)
N596MC Bought from Wells Fargo by Atlas Air (13-01-2009)
N506MC Withdrawn and stored at Roswell (23-09-2009)
N506MC Registration cancelled 29-11-2010
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G-GLYN : (not named)
Serial No. 21516 / Line Number 326
Age : 28.7 years
Status : Scrapped - February 2007
C-GXRA Wardair Canada (first flight 15-05-1978, delivered 09-06-1978)
C-GXRA Libyan Arab Airlines (leased from Wardair; 23-09-1980)
C-GXRA Wardair Canada (returned from Libyan Arab Airlines; 13-10-1980)
C-GXRA Libyan Arab Airlines (leased from Wardair; 24-10-1980)
C-GXRA Wardair Canada (returned from Libyan Arab Airlines; 13-11-1980)
G-GLYN British Caledonian Airways (bought; 01-10-1986)
G-GLYN British Airways (merged; 14-04-1988)
N207AE Nora Leasing (bought from BA; 28-02-1991)
N207AE Philippine Airlines (leased from Nora Leasing; 01-03-1991)
N207AE Withdrawn from use and stored Las Vegas; 18-10-1998)
RP-C8850 Philippine Airlines (re-registered; 04-04-2000)
RP-C8850 Withdrawn from use; 27-02-2002. Stored Marana Pinal Air Park
RP-C8850 Scrapped February 2007
Serial No. 21516 / Line Number 326
Age : 28.7 years
Status : Scrapped - February 2007
C-GXRA Wardair Canada (first flight 15-05-1978, delivered 09-06-1978)
C-GXRA Libyan Arab Airlines (leased from Wardair; 23-09-1980)
C-GXRA Wardair Canada (returned from Libyan Arab Airlines; 13-10-1980)
C-GXRA Libyan Arab Airlines (leased from Wardair; 24-10-1980)
C-GXRA Wardair Canada (returned from Libyan Arab Airlines; 13-11-1980)
G-GLYN British Caledonian Airways (bought; 01-10-1986)
G-GLYN British Airways (merged; 14-04-1988)
N207AE Nora Leasing (bought from BA; 28-02-1991)
N207AE Philippine Airlines (leased from Nora Leasing; 01-03-1991)
N207AE Withdrawn from use and stored Las Vegas; 18-10-1998)
RP-C8850 Philippine Airlines (re-registered; 04-04-2000)
RP-C8850 Withdrawn from use; 27-02-2002. Stored Marana Pinal Air Park
RP-C8850 Scrapped February 2007
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Both British United Airways and Caledonian had carried out operational studies on the use of Boeing 747 aircraft, but neither ordered any at the time. British Caledonian also started considering the 747 and licences granted for services starting 1973 included operations with a range of wide-body aircraft types, the 747 included amongst them.
Though as April 1973 came and trans-Atlantic services started with 707s the 747 was still seen as too big for current needs, the tri-jet L1011 and DC10-30 were now favoured. But in March 1976 the Boeing 747SP was being rumoured; also that the DC10 was the front runner.
The DC10 would win that race, but delays in delivery of the 3rd DC10 would see BCal operate a leased 747 between October 1978 and February 1979. But the success of BCal’s routes and DC10 services into Africa soon dictated that larger aircraft were needed and in May 1982 B747 services started to Lagos with G-BJXN.
In all BCal would operate five Boeing 747-200s, all sourced from other operators after full engineering inspections.
Though the 747 fleet was quite small, BCal pushed the engineering boundaries and were the first airline in the world to replace all 10 primary floor beams over the main undercarriage. US operators of the 747 came to Gatwick to see how the work was done; as this work when complete saved frequent maintenance inspections on the beams.
Eventually BCal’s 747s would be seen worldwide, in the USA, the Far East and of course Africa. After 1988, they would continue fly the world for many years, most ended up in freighter service.
Though three survive still; but they are in store, the other two have made their last flights.
Though as April 1973 came and trans-Atlantic services started with 707s the 747 was still seen as too big for current needs, the tri-jet L1011 and DC10-30 were now favoured. But in March 1976 the Boeing 747SP was being rumoured; also that the DC10 was the front runner.
The DC10 would win that race, but delays in delivery of the 3rd DC10 would see BCal operate a leased 747 between October 1978 and February 1979. But the success of BCal’s routes and DC10 services into Africa soon dictated that larger aircraft were needed and in May 1982 B747 services started to Lagos with G-BJXN.
In all BCal would operate five Boeing 747-200s, all sourced from other operators after full engineering inspections.
Though the 747 fleet was quite small, BCal pushed the engineering boundaries and were the first airline in the world to replace all 10 primary floor beams over the main undercarriage. US operators of the 747 came to Gatwick to see how the work was done; as this work when complete saved frequent maintenance inspections on the beams.
Eventually BCal’s 747s would be seen worldwide, in the USA, the Far East and of course Africa. After 1988, they would continue fly the world for many years, most ended up in freighter service.
Though three survive still; but they are in store, the other two have made their last flights.