The Short SC-7 Skyvan at Liverpool

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The Short SC-7 Skyvan/Skyliner

Having had the type requested, I laid out my standard starting grid with years and registrations visiting – but got no further. Now not got the time to do any further digging to complete this ‘Type Review’, but felt even the bare list might be of interest to some.

BACKGROUND

The first Skyvan 1, G-ASCN, first flew at Sydenham 17.1.63 powered by two Continental GTS10 piston engines. Immediately proving to be underpowered, a pair of Turbomeca Astazou II turbo-props were fitted, with the first flight as a Skyvan 1A 2.10.63. An intensive period of trials led to the award of the aircraft’s Certificate of Airworthiness awarded 15.4.64. The next aircraft to fly (on 29.10.65) was G-ASCO as a Skyvan 2, with a lowered tailplane position, more pointed nose, square windows and other refinements. The majority of the Skyvans built were to Mk.3 specifications with Garrett TPE-331 turboprop engines - the prototype being a re-engined G-ASZJ flying on 15.12.67. Some earlier Mk.2s were uprated to Mk.3 with the new engine fit. Production spanned the period 1963 to 1986 with 153 aircraft produced being used either as a freighter or with upto 19 seats as a 'feederliner'. The design concept led to the larger Short SD.3-30 and Shorts 360 designs.



An undated visit by Skyvan G-ASZJ. The red wings are from a period when the Skyliner was trialed by BEA's Scottish Division as a DH Heron replacement.


VISITS TO SPEKE

1964 G-ASCN = 1 aircraft.

Just days after the C of A was issued, the first visit by type was on Monday 20th April 1964 when Skyvan 1A G-ASCN landed at Speke, from Sydenham to Bedford, en route to the type’s first appearance in public, at the Hanover Air Show. She returned Bedford-Sydenham on Tuesday 28th April. She landed at Liverpool again on Saturday 23rd May, this time Sydenham-Cardiff en route to Turbomeca at Pau. Return by the reverse route a fortnight later, on Saturday 6th June. In October G-ASCN entered a period of modification and re-engined again, this time with Astazou X power plants.

1965 G-ASCN = one aircraft – now with Astazou X engines and in the colours of Aer Alpi

1966 G-ASCO, G-ASZI, G-ATPF, G-ATPG, I-TORE = 5 different aircraft (annual record, equalled but never bettered)

1967 G-ASCO, G-ATPF, G-ATPG, G-AVGO = 4 different aircraft

1968 G-ASCO, G-ASZI, G-ATPF, G-AVJX, G-AWCJ = 5 different aircraft

1969 G-AWCS, G-AWSG, G-AWWS, G-AWYG = 4 different aircraft

1970 G-ASZJ, G-AWCS, G-AWVM, G-AWYG, G-AXPT = 5 different aircraft (equals the 1966 record)

1971 G-AWCS = just the one

1972 G-AWVM, G-AWYG = 2 aircraft

1973 G-ASZJ, G-BAIE = 2 aircraft

1974 G-ASZJ = just the one aircraft

1975 G-ASZJ = just the one aircraft

1976 G-ASZJ = just the one aircraft

1977 G-ASZJ = just the one aircraft

1978 G-ASZJ, N7978 = 2 different aircraft (N7978 arrived 4.5.78 but did not fly again during the year, although allocated as G-AWWS)

1979 G-ASZJ, G-AWWS = 2 different aircraft

1980 G-ASZJ, G-AWWS = 2 different aircraft

1981 G-ASZJ, G-AWWS = 2 different aircraft

1982 G-AWWS = just the one aircraft

1983 EI-BNN, G-AWWS, G-BJDC = 2 different aircraft as G-AWWS later as EI-BNN, the same aircraft)

1984 G-ASZJ, EI-BNN = 2 different aircraft

1985 EI-BNN = just the one aircraft

1986 EI-BNN, EI-BUB = 2 different aircraft

1987 EI-BUB = just the one aircraft

1988 G-BKMD, EI-BNN = 2 different aircraft

1989 zero

1990 zero

1991 OY-SUT = just the one aircraft

1992 zero

1993 zero

1994 zero

1995 G-ASZJ, OY-JRL = 2 different aircraft

After a couple of years without visits by a Skyvan, there are some to report for 1995. Danish Air Transport brought their Skyvan, OY-JRL, in on Monday 12th June with Fords freight from Dusseldorf at 1924 as DRT784, the aircraft returning there at 0321, only to return again later in the day as DRT785/769, from Dusseldorf and out to Cologne (at Liverpool 1031-1734). Later in the month it arrived from Hamburg, again with car parts, as DRT528 at 1832 on Tuesday 27th June and departed across to Manchester the following day at 1722 as DRT407P. This aircraft, OY-JRL, is the same airframe as G-AWWS, once based at Speke with Vernair (1978-1983) and a regular visitor at times when EI-SNN with Shannon Executive Aviation (1983-1990).

I have to trace the visit in 1995 by G-ASZJ - so, as yet, cannot state which is currently the last visit of type.

1996 marked the final visit (to date) by a Skyvan to Liverpool.


THE AIRCRAFT THAT VISITED LIVERPOOL

underline denotes first visit of that registration (but see note below)

EI-BNN, EI-BUB, G-ASCN, G-ASCO, G-ASZI, G-ASZJ, G-ATPF, G-ATPG, G-AVGO, G-AVJX, G-AWCJ, G-AWCS, G-AWSG, G-AWWS, G-AWYG, G-BAIE, G-BJDC,G-BKMD,
I-TORE, N7978, OY-JRL, OY-SUT = 22 registrations on 19 different aircraft.

Of these G-AWWS, N7978, EI-BNN and OY-JRL were all applied the same airframe.

For some reason I seem to have most of the original photos used in the 1975 MAS book on the Skyvan, however those at Speke have been 'cherry picked' by someone years ago. Who has photos to share of this utilitarian type at Liverpool?



A rather grubby EI-BUB at Liverpool, clearly receiving attention to the nose cone area on a rather chilly day in 1987.



G-ASCO at Liverpool 16th August 1967, cleaned from a very marked negative.



A further shot of G-ASCO at Liverpool, sometime in the period 1966 to 1968.



G-ATPF at Liverpool, also sometime in the period 1966 to 1968.

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Spotted this research in a word folder, when researched probably destined for the FoLA 09/27 editor, but never submitted. With a little updating and hunting down a few images, it now fits happily in this thread with a summary of all Skyvans to visit Liverpool down the years, as this one was the only one to be based at Liverpool Airport and the only one to appear with four different registration identities over a period of time.

Short SC-7 SKYVAN series 3, G-AWWS

This Short SC-7 Skyvan series 3 with C/no. SH.1854 was built by Short Bros at their Sydenham works adjacent to Belfast Harbour in late 1968. With manufacturers’ test serial it first flew as G-14-2 on 3rd January 1969. It was registered as G-AWWS on 10th January and first flew with these marks on 17th January 1969. Still in overall primer paint, G-AWWS called at Liverpool on Monday 27th January on demonstration to Phoenix Airways, a ‘paper’ airline being planned by former British Eagle staff. After a full paint job, the aircraft departed on a sales tour of the USA 11th July, returning to Sydenham 22nd December 1969. After a good check-over, it returned to the USA on 17th January 1970 for a further sales campaign and then delivery to the Canadian sales agents.

It was delivered to Fields Aviation Ltd in Canada on 6th March 1970 and re-registered, rather appropriately CF-VAN. They sold it in turn to AiResarch Aviation Co Inc in July, makers of the PT-6 engines that powered the aircraft, who re-registered it as N7978. It was then leased to Pan Alaska Airways. However it was damaged in a landing on the North Slope, Alaska 18th May 1970. It was repaired and subsequently purchased by Pan Alaska during 1971. They sold it to Air Cargo Leasing June 1972 and then registered to their parent company, International Air Cargo 18th September 1972. It was then leased to, and subsequently purchased by Fairbanks Flight Service in 1974. They in turn leased it to Petco Aviation in 1975.

After 8 years in Alaska it was again placed up for sale, and was purchased by Vernair Transport Company at Liverpool. The aircraft making the final leg of its trans-Atlantic delivery flight on 4th May 1978, still registered N7978. The aircraft was given a full overhaul at Liverpool before returning onto the British register as G-AWWS and first flew as such 22nd January 1979. The aircraft was acquired on behalf of Vernair’s owner, Vernon Sangster to transport his race horses around with the minimum of travel stress. This work did not pay for the keep of the aircraft; one line of regular work was on behalf of the Isle of Man Postal Service to carry mail to and from the Isle of Man each weekday. Indeed in April 1981 I experienced a ride with the mail sacks, stood for much of the flight between the pilot’s for the 37 minute flights at 140 knots at 2,500ft outbound and 3,500ft on the return leg. The slight shock was looking vertically down through a 2 inch gap between the cabin floor and the rear freight door watching the waves passing below.

Skyvan 3 G-AWWS left Liverpool for Shannon 21st May 1983 for Shannon Executive Aviation and re-registration as EI-BNN, although it continued to carry race horses on behalf of several Irish Racing Stables. Although not frequent it continued to call at Liverpool Airport. After some 7 years, during which time the motorway network and ro-ro large ferries had made surface transport for bloodstock smoother and faster, so the Skyvan was on the move again. This time to Danish Air Transport during August 1990 who registered it as OY-JRL and used their Skyvans for transporting packages and freight. Indeed it was back at Liverpool Airport 3 times during June 1995 bringing in just-in-time freight from Germany on behalf of the Ford Motor Company.

Now over 40 years old, when sold by Danish Air Transport, it was purchased for use in Liberia as EL-AHS in February 2000. A few years later in August 2003 it was purchased by Swala Aviation of Swaziland as 3D-AER. It is believed to now be no longer in active service and stored.

N7978 by MARTIN CHELL

N7978 shortly after arrival at Liverpool in May 1978, before taking up marks G-AWWS. A Martin Chell photo.



G-AWWS while with Vernair sat out on the Western Apron on 9th April 1983, not long before departing to Shannon Executive Aviation's care.



G-AWWS at the Isle of man on turn-around while operating the morning mail flight.