Keenair's Six & EFC

[wadoki]

Known to the spotting community as the Keenair Six,C-118 N92860 arrived at Speke on 28/2/78.
She sat beside their hangar,next to Banks Road,for the next four months.
I don't think Keenair ever intended to operate her as she quickly gained UPOLS titles.The acronym was 5 investors intent on the livestock export business.The L was a certain Bob Latchford,Everton's centre forward and an England International at the time.A Goodison legend today,I would say.
After an inactive Spring,she departed to Malta were she languished for some time.She was now owned by a Nigerian outfit.Whether she got that far south is unclear.
She made it back to the USA but was w/o after a forced landing in Arizona on 28/4/84.Her four occupants survived.
I hope Big Bob made a fortune in football because I doubt he made much out of his foray into Aviation.

Thanks due to Steve Mason,our propliner savant,for help and info.

[Airbus A346]

Catching up on some Speke nostalgia, and I had the scanner hooked up, so thought you may like this ........

N92860 by MARTIN CHELL, on Flickr

[wadoki]

Nice photo Martin.Is is dated?
I'm trying to convince SJM that it didn't arrive on 28/2 carrying 'Upols',and that these were added a few days later.
What I need now to box off the story is a photo of Big Bob Latchford in his pomp.

[Airbus A346]

Sadly no date, it was one of the rare occasions that I used print film as opposed to slides. If it helps N7978 the Vernair Skyvan was on the same roll (new resident).

[viscount]

The information I have regarding the aircraft puts her as operating in West Africa between her stay at Liverpool and being in storage at Malta.

Built as c/no. 44619, line number 549 (of around 1040) as a C-118A for the United States Air Force as 55-3248 and delivered 7.2.55.
Withdrawn from use and stored Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona 5.75.
Purchased by Allied Aircraft Sales 12.5.76
Sold to Leland Evans during 1977 and registered N92860.
Numerous short leases followed: to Keenair 2.78, Nigerian Trade Wings 7.78, ret to Leland Evans 8.8.78, Nigerian Trade Wings 23.9.78, ret to Leland Evans again 21.12.78.
Sold to Yankee Aircraft Traders 1979
Withdrawn and stored at Safi, Malta
Bought by Carolina Aircraft Corporation 3.81
Withdrawn and stored Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Bought by Intercontinental Aircraft Leasing 9.83
Destroyed by fire after overshooting a small strip, San Manuel, Arizona 28.4.84.

from: Piston Engined Airliner Production List, Roach & Eastwood, TAHS 2007 edition.

She arrived at Liverpool Airport on Tuesday, 28th February 1978 early in the morning from CYYR (Goose Bay, Newfoundland) and departed Sunday 2nd July for Malta International/LMML. Most of the time she was parked on the western apron beside no.4 hangar, as seen on "Airbus A346's" image. Towards the end of her spell at Liverpool she did spend a few days nose into the side door of No.1 hangar, then performed some engine runs before parking-up for a few days more before departure.

I seem to recall that the proposal was to carry fresh fruit and vegetables rather than meat. Also I think the reference to Keenair in the airframe history is not correct. Certainly Jim Keen always denied that the aircraft had anything to do directly with him.

PS. Having now read the posts generated while I was busy looking thigs up, I agree the 'Upols' title appeared shortly after arrival at Liverpool, but this is the first I've heard of Bob Latchford having any involvement, the story I recall from the time was that it was for operation on behalf of a group of Lebanese fruit merchants. I have a photo which more clearly shows the title, but after the second host 'wipe-out' of my images, I have no image host at present, so unable to directly post.

[Airbus A346]

The Vernair Skyvan arrived 04/05/78 so I suspect it was taken May 1978. "Hells teeth" the C-118 arrived two days after my 23rd birthday - time flies.

[wadoki]

Thanks Martin
...and thanks Brian/viscount.His contribution mentions 'stored Safi,Malta'.
I'd heard of Luqa and Hal Far....but Safi?
Apparently it's on the road between the two and was more-or-less disused by the time our Six showed up.
Those old pistons led interesting lives!

[viscount]

Some more from me:

The March '78 edition of the MAS 'Flypast' has a Keith Price photo of the C-118A on the front cover taken on 4th March, by which time she already had the 'Upols' titles. In the December issue Tony Williams had remarked that an Irish company was looking to carry fruit between the Lebanon and Liverpool twice weekly and possibly meat from Ireland too using a Douglas DC-6 aircraft.

In the March issue he comments that it is thought that Upols is the Lebanese company who are controlling the fruit shipping flights the aircraft is due to make. He then comments that it is not known if Keenair are still associated with the operation, which is described as: "The aircraft is to be used to fly in fruit to Liverpool from Beruit up to three times weekly. Outbound loads are reported to have been negotiated, and there is still a possibility of flying meat out of Dublin. The C-118A will need nav-aid mods and a roller-floor before operation can commence."

So that is what was being said at the time, without relying on 40+ years of memory. Seems we were both right, although initially differed, regarding fruit or meat being the prospective cargo.

Safi is still there and very much involved with aviation still. Safi is a site just across the boundary road around Luqa/Malta International, on the opposite side, sort of facing the terminal. The road is closed, gates opened and aircraft taxi across the road to the hangar complex. Indeed there was a photo post of a visit to Malta on this forum around three weeks ago which partially showed the Safi site. Medavia is the company name that comes to mind for the company trading there. Find LMML on FR24, zoom right in and it is just outside the airport towards the east end of the airport and south(ish) of the terminal.