Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2009 17:25:03 GMT 1
15th February 2001, G-TDTW DC-10-10 Airtours in early morning mist after a night stop, before transporting LFC fans to Rome.
Thanks again to Viscount who originally compiled the following for the old forum
THE DC-10 and MD-11 VISITS TO LIVERPOOL AIRPORT
The Douglas DC-10 was the first of the wide-bodied jet airliners to visit Liverpool. Unlike many airliner types the first visit was not as the result of diversion from elsewhere, although many arrivals during the Seventies were. Many of the early flights were handled on the apron infront of the art deco '30s terminal. The September '79 and many flights after '82 and before '86 parked on the former north airfield 26/08 runway, after May '86 all aircraft have used the south apron and terminal.
1972
On 20th November 1972 Liverpool Airport entered the age of wide-bodied jet travel when Laker(GK) brought in their brand new Douglas DC-10-10 G-AZZC to operate a demonstration flight to travel agency staff. It arrived from Gatwick, flew a local flight, then returned to Gatwick, using flight number GK001. I was there, at the end of 27 (long before the days of 'the mound') for the return from the local flight.
1975
Although 1974 brought in the first visit by a Tristar, it was not until 1975 that Laker returned with further DC-10-10 flights. Three flights in February diverted due to a Servisair dispute at Manchester, with G-AZZD appearing each time. On 21st it operated Gatwick-New York JFK direct, returning the next day JFK-Gatwick. On 28th operated Gatwick-Toronto, again departing direct trans-Atlantic just to prove it was no fluke a week earlier!
Weather at Manchester brought G-BBSZ in twice on diversion later in the year, on both 11th August and 1st September it operated in from Toronto, then on to Manchester.
1977
During 1976 the Airbus A.300 first made an appearance at Liverpool. In 1977 a British Airways Tristar took part in the Liverpool FC European Cup Final airlift to Rome. On 30th October, five years after its first visit, G-AZZC returned, this time on weather diversion from Manchester and routed Gatwick-Prestwick and onto Los Angeles.
1978
Just six weeks after the first ever Boeing 747 visit to Liverpool, a further DC-10-10 arrived, G-AZZD on diversion due to weather at Gatwick on 22nd December, routing New York JFK-Gatwick.
1979
A month later on 23rd Janaury and G-AZZC diverted in from weather at Gatwick, on the same routing, New York JFK-Gatwick. The April 1979 dispute at Manchester brought just the one DC-10-10 flight into Liverpool, G-GSKY on 3rd routing Gatwick-Prestwick and onto Los Angeles.
The next five DC-10 arrivals were all due to the overnight rebuilding of the runway at Manchester. On 1st May G-BELO routing Los Angeles-Gatwick diverted in during the day-time when the temporary ramp began to break-up. At night G-BBSZ called on 20th June operating Tenerife-Heraklion; G-BELO on 29th June Faro-Barcelona; G-AZZC on 6th July Lisbon-Barcelona; G-BBSZ on 8th August Gatwick-Bangor,Maine and onto Los Angeles.
September 1979 was an exceptionally busy month at Liverpool as for two weeks Manchester was totally closed due to strike action by the firemen, so between 8th September and 22nd, Liverpool faced unprecedented times. However the first DC-10-10 on 8th September was actually a Gatwick weather diversion, G-GSKY brought in 347 passengers and routed Toronto-Gatwick. Laker flights brought into Liverpool by the strike were on 10th G-BBSZ Toronto-Prestwick and onto Toronto, with G-AZZD the same day Gatwick-Gander and onto New York JFK. On 16th G-GFAL operated a combined Gatwick and Manchester flight Gatwick-Keflavik and onto Toronto. However the strike was having knock-on delays, so on 16th Laker sub-contracted Martinair, who brought in DC-10-30 PH-MBN Amsterdam-Palma, to return several hours later, Palma-Amsterdam carrying two BAC-1.11 loads on a combined flight each way. On 17th two Laker flights brought in G-GFAL Toronto-Gatwick, again with combined Manchester and Gatwick flights and G-GSKY Gatwick-Shannon and onto JFK. The following day G-GSKY returned New York-Gatwick and G-BELO routed Gatwick-Gander and onto Los Angeles, to return on 20th from Los Angeles via Bangor and onto Gatwick. The last DC-10 diversion of the strike fortnight.
However, Laker was not the only DC-10 operator caught up in the dispute closure of Manchester, Wardair(WD) and TransInternational(TV) were also affected. Many of Wardair's flights were operated by Jumbos, however on September 9th they brought in the first DC-10-30 to use Liverpool when C-GXRB operated Toronto-Prestwick and onto Toronto, while on the same day TransInternational used one of their DC-10-30s N103TV Prestwick-Prestwick with passengers from and to New York JFK. On 13th Wardair's C-GXRB called again, this time Prestwick-Prestwick with passengers again from and to Toronto. On 16th DC-10-30 C-GXRC arrived direct from Toronto, but departed for Prestwick en route to Toronto, while on the same day TransInternational used N103TV again on their New York service operating via Prestwick both ways. Indeed the 16th was the busiest day for the DC-10 at Liverpool with 5 arrivals (Laker, two arrivals by Martinair/Laker, Wardair and TransInternational).
1980
Like 1979, 1980 was a very busy year for wide-bodies movements and diversions in general, due to the overnight runway work at Manchester and partial closure of Manchester by a week-long strike.
Due to night runway closures at Manchester a number of Laker flights diverted to Liverpool. On 24th May G-GSKY routed Malaga-Gatwick. Due to knock-on delays from the Servisair strike, on 5th June no than three DC-10s in one night used Liverpool, with G-GSKY Heraklion-Prestwick, G-BGXH inbound transAtlantic Prestwick-Gatwick and G-GFAL Rhodes-Gatwick. On 9th June G-GSKY operated a flight from Europe via Gatwick arriving after closure, positioning to Manchester in the morning. On 11th June DC-10-30 G-BGXE routed Rhodes-Manchester, the same was followed by G-BGXH on 10th July and again 31st July. On 16th June, Transamerica was running badly late, so DC-10-30 N102TV routed from Newcastle and outbound to Shannon, then Keflavik and onto JFK with 358 passengers - just why it operated a two stop transAtlantic route is unclear.
The strike by Servisair in late May brought in a higher proportion of DC-10 flights than any other wide-bodied type. Again Laker (GK), Wardair (WD) and the now re-named Transamerica (TV) were affected. On 27th Laker's G-BELO positioned over as the strike started, so operated Manchester-Tenerife and later Tenerife-Heraklion. Wardair brought in DC-10-30 C-GXRC which operated Gatwick-Winnipeg - outbound direct transAtlantic! On 28th May Laker brought in one of its new DC-10-30s in the form of G-BGXH for the first time. It arrived from Rhodes and operated out on 29th direct to Miami! On 31st Wardair used C-GXRB on its Toronto via Prestwick flight and Transamerica N103TV New York JFK-Newcastle and onward back to JFK. On 1st June N103TV reappeared from JFK via Newcastle to Gatwick. 3rd June brought the last DC10 movement of the strike with Wardair's C-GXRB Gatwick-Winnipeg, again operated outbound transAtlantic direct.
Final DC-10-30 movement of the year was a little more exotic, with Malaysian Airlines diverting their flight MH6 into Liverpool due to fog at Heathrow. On 28th September, 9M-MAS arrived from Dubai and later flew down to Heathrow.
1981
After the excitement of 1979 and 1980, 1981 should have been an anti-climax. However there was an increased number of weather diverts and another football airlift. First DC-10-10 of the year was the familiar G-AZZC which routed New York JFK to Manchester on 3rd April, having diverted to Liverpool due to fog at Manchester. In May Liverpool FC reached the European Cup Final in Paris. Laker were the only airline to use wide-bodied aircraft for the supporters airlift, using G-GSKY for three outbound (on 26th)and two inbound (on 27th)rotations, aided by G-BBSZ for the other inbound flight, also on 27th. The remaining Laker DC-10 visit of the year was a strange one, when due to fog at Manchester on 30th July G-GFAL positioned in empty from New York JFK, only then to position out empty across to Manchester. This was also to be the final Laker DC-10 movement at Liverpool, as the airline folded Spring 1982.
The last DC-10-30 movement of the year was, once again due to fog at Heathrow, and again was an exotic one, this time Nigerian Airways(WT) using RP-C2003 from Kano on 10th December, but not leaving until the 14th for Heathrow. Seen by many at the time, parked out on runway 26.
1983
The only wide-bodied aircraft at Liverpool in 1982 were A.300s and a Boeing 747. However in 1983 further strike action at Manchester brought in CP Air(CP) DC-10-30 C-GCPE on 28th January and again 30th January. On both days the aircraft arrived from Gatwick, but departed direct out transAtlantic to Vancouver (the furthest destination that a wide-body has ever flown to direct out of Liverpool), while on the second occasion direct out to Toronto.
On Grand National day, 9th April, British Caledonian(BR) were contracted to operate a VIP 'race-goers' VIP special f&t Gatwick. DC-10-10 G-BJZE was used and dominated the apron all afternoon.
1984
The highlight of DC-10 operations from Liverpool was the weekly season of flight by Wardair that connected Liverpool with Toronto, even if the service operated via Newcastle in both directions. First service of the year on Wednesday 9th May was operated by C-GXRB with C-GXRC first used 23rd May and C-GFHX first visiting June 2nd. Throughout the season the flight operated as WD832/833, operating on Wednesdays in May, then Saturday mornings for the rest of the season. The rotation on 18th August, C-GXRC coincided with the first day of the two day 'Air & Transport Extravaganza', the DC-10 doing a fly-by over the north airfield en route to Newcastle after departure. The 21st week of operation, was the last of the season, 29th September, which was flown by C-GXRC. Full list of visits:
C-GXRB 9/5, 16/5, 16/6, 30/6, 21/7, 28/7, 11/8, 1/9.
C-GXRC 23/5, 7/7, 18/8, 8/9, 29/9.
C-GFHX 2/6, 9/6, 23/6, 14/7, 4/8, 25/8, 15/9, 22/9.
1985
No DC-10s were used in the Everton FC airlift to Rotterdam or the Liverpool FC airlift to Brussels, although other wide-body types were. On 22nd August, Manchester Airport was blocked by the fire that consumed a British Airtours Boeing 737 as it tried to depart. Wardair had to divert into Liverpool, C-GFHX arriving from Toronto and leaving for Prestwick en route for Edmonton and Calgary.
1986
In late March 1986 all Liverpool Airport operations moved to the new terminal and apron on the South Airfield site.
Twice holiday airline, Cal-Air(JB) diverted into Liverpool, on 8th and 15th October DC-10-10 G-BJZD arrived from Palma due to fog at Manchester. The first time it positioned across to Manchester once the fog cleared, the second time it departed for Alicante with outbound passengers.
1987
Again in 1987, fog at Manchester caused Cal-Air to divert into Liverpool, this time on 10th August with DC-10-10 G-GCAL Tenerife South-Gerona. Later in the year fog at Gatwick caused British Caledonian to divert DC-10-30 G-MULL into Liverpool on a flight from Dallas Fort Worth, the aircraft leaving later empty for Gatwick.
1989
It was again fog at Gatwick that brought DC-10s into Liverpool. British Airways on 13th November brought in both G-DCIO from Dallas Fort Worth and G-BHDH from Houston. Both left later for Gatwick.
1990
A shift is use of the DC-10 from Trans-Atlantic (where ETOPS twins now begin to dominate) to European charter airlines and use as freighters. Sole visit in 1990 was by Martinair(MPH) with DC-10-30CF PH-MBP on a Ford's outbound freight charter, Amsterdam-Luxembourg on 19th October.
1995
I'll include it here, although not a DC-10, it is a very close relation. The sole visit, so far, by a MD-11 on 19th October when MD.11CF PH-MCR of Martinair brought in Feyenoord FC supporters for a European match against Everton.
There then started a number of visits by Caledonian(CKT) (British Caledonian had been absorbed into British Airways, their Airtours charter division being renamed Caledonian) on training flights. Many of these flights would land, pull onto the apron, change crews and then taxi out and depart. G-NIUK called on 20th November Prestwick-East Midlands; 22nd November Cardiff-Prestwick and later Prestwick-Cardiff; 18th December Cardiff-Prestwick and later Prestwick-Cardiff; 20th December f&t Cardiff twice, while on 22nd December G-BWIN was used for a change, f&t Cardiff.
1996
Further Caledonian training flights with DC-10-30s. G-NIUK 10th January f&t Cardiff; G-BWIN 25th January Shannon-Gatwick; 1st February Cardiff-Prestwick and later Prestwick-Cardiff; G-BHDH 14th February f&t Cardiff; G-BWIN 5th March Shannon-Cardiff; 25th March Shannon-Gatwick; G-NIUK 1st April f&t Cardiff; G-GOKT 18th June f&t Cardiff; 25th June Cardiff-Prestwick; G-NIUK 3rd July f&t Cardiff.
There were two passenger carrying visits during 1996. On 17th March British Airways(BAW) diverted the rather familiar G-NIUK in while en route Tampa to Gatwick, due to fog at Gatwick. During the summer, Corsair(CRL) of France sub-chartered Challeng Air DC-10-30 OO-JOT f&t Amsterdam to bring in Euro '96 Dutch football supporters on 22nd June.
1997
The Caledonian training flights continued. G-GOKT 10th January Prestwick-Gatwick; 13th February Cardiff Prestwick and later Prestwick-Cardiff; 13th March f&t Cardiff; 21st March Cardiff-Prestwick and later Prestwick-Cardiff; 17th April again Cardiff-Prestwick and later the return; 4th May Cardiff-Prestwick; 3rd November Prestwick-Gatwick - this proving to be the last visit by a Caledonian wide body. Caledonian in March 2000 became part of JMC (Thomas Cook).
2000
On 7th July all white LX-TLD of Cargolion arrived from East Midlands, on sub-contract to TNT Cargo using their NTR flight code. It was impounded at Liverpool for alleged non-payment of EuroControl fees. It was released on the 11th and departed for Leige. Ever since 1975 DC-10s have arrived at Liverpool on weather diversion. Currently the last DC-10 to do so was Airtours (AIH) G-DPSP which diverted in on 17th December due to weather at Manchester. It arrived with passengers from Las Palmas in the early hours and later positioned across to Manchester after 15 hours on the ground.
2001
It was not that long before Airtours were back at Liverpool, this time with DC-10-10 G-TDTW which positioned across from Manchester on February 13th, to operate charter flights out to Rome/Ciampino with LFC supporters on 14th and again on 15th. Both loads returned on 16th in single aisle aircraft. May proved to an active month for DC-10s at Liverpool with a variety of football related charters. On 12th May for the FA Cup Final in the Millennium Stadium, a local company chartered Airtour's DC-10-10 G-DPSP to operate Manchester-Cardiff in the morning then Cardiff-Manchester after the match. Only a few days later and as part of an airlift of supporters to Germany two DC-10s were in use. Aero Lyon(AEY) positioned DC-10-30 F-BTDD from Eindhoven on 15th May to operate out to Munster on 16th, returning on 17th Munster-Paris/CdG. Monarch (MON) on 16th used their sole DC-10-30 G-DMCA, routing Manchester-Munster. The return load on 17th used single aisle narrow-bodies.
2002
On 14th July My Travel(MYT), formerly Airtours, brought DC-10-10 G-DPSP into Liverpool again, this time having rescued I/T passengers stranded in Malaga by a unserviceable Boeing 757. The aircraft arrived from Malaga via Cardiff, before positioning up to Glasgow. Later in the season DC-10-30 G-BYDA operated Manchester-Reus replacing an unserviceable A.320 on 16th September. On 25th September an inbound supporters airlift brought in Basle FC fans for a game against LFC. One of the aircraft was all white DC-10-30 F-GTLZ of Air Lib (LIB), operating f&t Basle. Although not thought of at the time, as the years passed and both Monarch and My Travel disposed of their aircraft, it looked likely that this would be the last visit by the type to Liverpool. However that was to change in 2008 for an unanticipated reason ...
2008
On what now could very easily become the last visit ever to Liverpool by a DC-10, on 11th March, Omni Air International (OAE), a major American civilian contractor to the US military brought British troops back from Iraq via Al Udeid AFB, Qatar on DC-10-30ER N603AX. It departed for Brize Norton at 1132 after nearly an hour on the ground.
Finally, the registration cross-reference list:
C-GCPE, C-GFHX, C-GXRB, C-GXRC
F-BTDD, F-GTLZ
G-AZZC, G-AZZD, G-BBSZ, G-BELO, G-BGXE, G-BGXH,G-BHDH, G-BJZD, G-BJZE, G-BWIN, G-BYDA, G-DCIO, G-DMCA, G-DPSP, G-GCAL, G-GFAL, G-GOKT, G-GSKY, G-MULL, G-NIUK & G-TDTW.
LX-TLD
N102TV, N103TV, N603AX.
OO-JOT.
PH-MBN, PH-MBP, PH-MCR (MD-11).
RP-C2003.
9M-MAS.
There are 37 registrations listed however, G-BELO became G-GCAL, G-GFAL became G-BJZD, G-GSKY became G-BJZE and C-GFHX later appeared as G-BYDA, so 33 different airframes visited.
Airlines operating the DC-10 into Liverpool included:
Aero Lyon (AEY), AAir Lib (LIB), Airtours (AIH), British Airways (BA), British Caledonian (BR), Cal-Air (JB), Caledonian (CKT), Cargolion (using NTR), Corsair (CRL) using a Calleng Air aircraft, CP Air (CP), Laker (GK), Malaysian (MH), Martinair (MP), Monarch (MON), My Travel (MYT), Nigerian (WT), Omni International (OAE), Transinternational/Transamerica (TV) and Wardair (WD).
At 36 years quite a long story this from 1972 through to 2008, with a good number of visits recorded. Once again, I've enjoyed sharing this information, hope it has triggered memories and just a hint of nostalgia. BPJ
