BCal's Boeing 707 Fleet - Where are they now?
Page 1 - The Great Survivors
Page 1 - The Great Survivors
So having undertaken the searches for the 747's, DC10's and most recently the A310's........the searches for the 707 fleet aircraft began. It is always harder to find information on aircraft that flew decades before the advent of the internet and digital photography, and in many cases before the wide use of computers for records etc.
There was also the number of 707s Caledonian and BCal operated over the years - 26 aircraft (but 27 registrations) that I have in my records. Some only on very short leases while others were in the fleet for many years. I have spent a good few months tracking them down, emailing companies, bone yards and air forces around the world and my thanks to them for their assistance especially Tom Swiderek of Omega Air.
I knew some were in service with the Royal Australian Air Force but that was many many years ago. When re-starting the search in 2016 I was not honestly expecting to find them still flying. I was wrong happily. At least 4 are in active service
Here are their histories.......and the pages that follow cover the 707's that did not make it this far with a summary at the end of page 3
But we start with the great survivors:- G-AYEX, G-BDEA, G-BDKE, G-BDLM and G-CDHW.
There was also the number of 707s Caledonian and BCal operated over the years - 26 aircraft (but 27 registrations) that I have in my records. Some only on very short leases while others were in the fleet for many years. I have spent a good few months tracking them down, emailing companies, bone yards and air forces around the world and my thanks to them for their assistance especially Tom Swiderek of Omega Air.
I knew some were in service with the Royal Australian Air Force but that was many many years ago. When re-starting the search in 2016 I was not honestly expecting to find them still flying. I was wrong happily. At least 4 are in active service
Here are their histories.......and the pages that follow cover the 707's that did not make it this far with a summary at the end of page 3
But we start with the great survivors:- G-AYEX, G-BDEA, G-BDKE, G-BDLM and G-CDHW.
G-AYEX : County of Perth / County of Argyll / Loch Leven
Serial No. 19417 / Line Number 582
Age : 49.1 years
Status : Stored
Serial No. 19417 / Line Number 582
Age : 49.1 years
Status : Stored
G-BDEA : County of Inverness / Loch Thom
Serial No. 19296 / Line Number 630
Age : 48.7 years
Status : Active
Serial No. 19296 / Line Number 630
Age : 48.7 years
Status : Active
G-BDKE : not named
Serial No. 19623 / Line Number 671
Age : 48.2 years
Status : Active
Serial No. 19623 / Line Number 671
Age : 48.2 years
Status : Active
G-BDLM : Loch Fyne
Serial No. 19629 / Line Number 737
Age : 47.8 years
Status : Active
Serial No. 19629 / Line Number 737
Age : 47.8 years
Status : Active
| N525EJ | ExecJet - Airlift International | 19.05.67 | |
| N525EJ | Air Bahama | 20.07.68 | rtnd 10-69 |
| N525EJ | World Airlift | 12.69 | leased |
| G-AYEX | Caledonian Airways | 01.06.70 | sub-leased |
| G-AYEX | British Caledonian Airways | 01.09.71 | |
| G-AYEX | Britannia Airways | 01.10.71 | sub-leased |
| G-AYEX | British Caledonian Airways | 16.03.73 | sub-leased |
| N525EJ | Saint Lucia Airlines | 18.01.85 | leased |
| N525EJ | Keyway Air Transport | 02.86 | bought |
| N707HL | HCL Aviation | 03.89 | leased |
| N707HL | E-Systems | 11.89 | bought |
| 64-19417 | United States Air Force | 01.92 | re-registered |
| 64-19417 | United States Air Force | 2002 | stored |
| VH-EBW | Qantas | 10.10.67 | |
| G-BDEA | British Caledonian Airways | 05.75 | bought |
| G-BDEA | Anglo Cargo | 29.12.83 | bought |
| G-BDEA | British Airways | 28.10.88 | leased |
| G-BDEA | Anglo Cargo | 08.90 | |
| EL-AKH | Omega Air | 31.07.92 | bought |
| EL-AKH | Royal Jordanian | 30.08.92 | leased |
| EL-AKH | Race Cargo Airlines | 15.11.92 | leased |
| PT-TCT | TransBrasil | 01.12.92 | leased |
| EL-AKH | Omega Air | 23.01.94 | |
| N6546L | Grumman Aerospace | 03.02.94 | bought |
| 93-1097 | United States Air Force | 10.95 | transferred |
| VH-EAC | Qantas | 05.02.68 | |
| G-BDKE | British Caledonian Airways | 06.10.75 | leased |
| VH-EAC | Qantas | 31.12.75 | |
| VH-EAC | ITEL | 11.78 | bought |
| C-GRYN | Ontario World | 11.78 | leased |
| C-GRYN | Worldways Canada | 05.81 | bought |
| A20-623 | Royal Australian Air Force | 17.06.83 | bought |
| N623RH | Omega Air | 07.04.11 | bought |
| VH-EAI | Qantas | 22.02.68 | |
| G-BDLM | British Caledonian Airways | 09.11.75 | bought |
| C-GGAB | Worldways Canada | 20.01.82 | bought |
| A20-629 | Royal Australian Air Force | 17.06.83 | bought |
| N629RH | Omega Air | 07.04.11 | bought |
G-CDHW : Loch Ryan
Serial No. 21096 / Line Number 900
Age : 41.1 years
Status : Active
Serial No. 21096 / Line Number 900
Age : 41.1 years
Status : Active
| N48055 | Aviation Services & Support | 09.06.75 | |
| 9M-TMS | Malaysian Government | 09.75 | leased |
| G-CDHW | British Caledonian Airways | 05.11.77 | leased |
| A6-HRM | United Arab Emirates | 02.02.79 | bought |
| P4-MDJ | Comtran / Jaro (Romania) | 30.11.95 | leased |
| 272 | Israeli Air Force | 05.09.96 | bought |
Airlift International N525EJ
Air Bahama N525EJ
BCal G-AYEX
SLA Saint Lucia N525EJ
USAF 67-14917
USAF 67-14917 in 2010
Qantas VH-EBW
Anglo Cargo G-BDEA
Royal Jordanian EL-AKH
USAF 93-1097
USAF 93-1097
USAF 93-1097 in 2012
Qantas VH-EAC
Ontario Worldair C-GRYN
Worldways C-GRYN
RAAF A20-623
RAAF A20-623
RAAF A20-623 in 2011
Ex-BCal G-CDHW
UAE A6-HRM
Israeli 272
272 lands in France 28th Feb 2016
Next day leaving Canada on 29th Feb
JSTARS: Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
This aircraft is in the USAF's JSTARS Air Control Wing and is used for battlefield control and management.
This aircraft is in the USAF's JSTARS Air Control Wing and is used for battlefield control and management.
Omega Air are the only civilian operator licensed to conduct Air to Air refuelling of military aircraft worldwide.
N623RH is in use supporting military aircraft around the world
N623RH is in use supporting military aircraft around the world
Omega Air are the only civilian operator licensed to conduct Air to Air refuelling of military aircraft worldwide.
N629RH is in use supporting military aircraft around the world
N629RH is in use supporting military aircraft around the world
As can be seen by the last two photos, this 707 is fully engaged in flights for the Israeli Air Force as of 2016 and is not sat on the sidelines by any means.
Originally registered after Curly Walters, the Head of BCAL Aircraft Trading, it is quite fitting that this aircraft is still busy and flying the world's air routes...it has proven to be a good sound aircraft.
The latest sightings of 272, and I am sure there are many more.
May 2016 - Seen at Madrid's Torrejon Air Force Base
May 2016 - Luxembourg International
June 2016 - Slovakia
Oct 2016 - Brest, France
Originally registered after Curly Walters, the Head of BCAL Aircraft Trading, it is quite fitting that this aircraft is still busy and flying the world's air routes...it has proven to be a good sound aircraft.
The latest sightings of 272, and I am sure there are many more.
May 2016 - Seen at Madrid's Torrejon Air Force Base
May 2016 - Luxembourg International
June 2016 - Slovakia
Oct 2016 - Brest, France