Janes Aviation/Emerald Airways, 1987-2005 & 2008

[viscount]

JANES AVIATION, 1987-1993
JANES AVIATION (748) LTD, 1992 - 1993
EMERALD AIRWAYS LTD, 1993 – 2006.
EMERALD AIRWAYS CARGO LTD , freight consolidator
EMERALD AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING LTD
JANES AVIATION LTD, 2008

It has been my intention for several years to put together a ‘Liverpool-centric’ history of Janes Aviation and Emerald Airways. Much has been published in the past, but usually around illustrated accounts of the HS.748 aircraft fleet and their dispersal post 2006. My principal source are the monthly accounts of activity contained in the enthusiast members paper magazine ‘North West Air News’, although details are garnered from wider sources too, such as an Emerald distributed 1996 company profile and internet posted aircraft prodution lists. As usual this account is strong on the aircraft activity, but weak on the people, being written ‘from the outside’ some years after the event. Newly compiled late 2011by Brian Jones for ‘publication’ on the nwan forum. Amendments welcome by PM or post on the thread. Notification and due credit to both Brian Jones and this forum is expected if substantial sections copied elsewhere.

I do not know it all (contrary to opinion of some), if others who have ’inside’ experience of working for Emerald want to add their recollections of working for the Airline, some of the personalities involved in ‘making it tick’ or memories of particular aircraft, charters or events, I would really welcome them to post their recollections to fill out my rather ‘dry’ account of the rise, rise, rise and ultimate failure of a major British freight carrier. I would welcome illustrations too of their aircraft in the various schemes, and especially photos of the pre-HS.748/SD.3-60 aircraft operated.

Note that, I have referred to the ‘748 throughout by the generic term HS.748, although correctly G-BEJD, G-BEJE, G-BEKE & G-DAAL are Avro 748s, while G-EMRD and G-OJEM are properly BAe.748s

[viscount]

JANES AVIATION, 1987-1993

This story can be traced back to 1987 and the formation of a small single charter company on 1st December 1987 by Andy James and his wife Hilary, at their local Southend Airport. They soon negotiated their first contract, which called for flights out of Blackpool Airport across the Irish Sea. So in early December 1987, with a BN-2A Islander, G-BJSA, leased from Southend-based Harvestair, operations commenced from Blackpool. The contract with Lynx-Express Delivery Network (part of NFC) called for a single daily week-day rotation from Blackpool at 0700 to Belfast City Airport and back to Blackpool around 0900. From 24th February 1988 the Islander was replaced with a leased Bandeirante G-BHJY.

As a Blackpool based family-run operator, Janes’ were soon looking to the future. Plans were announced for the acquisition of two Douglas C-47A Dakotas, also from Harvestair to be used on freight flights from Blackpool to Belfast City, Isle of Man and on behalf of Leyland-DAF to Holland. Indeed an application was made to operate a passenger service between Blackpool and Eindhoven. The first Dakota, G-AMPZ arrived at Blackpool, in a nondescript white/grey scheme on 21st June 1988, followed in July by G-AMYJ in the yellow and black scheme of its former owner, less titles. However both aircraft suffered severe serviceability problems. G-AMPZ was out of service from July, until ferried to Coventry for attention 21st October to 28th January 1989. As G-AMYJ suffered problems on 1st October a variety of aircraft were leased-in to substitute for short periods, including Short SD.3-30s G-BITX from BAF, G-BNTX & G-BNTY from Fairflight, G-BJUK from Gill and G-AMSV an Air Atlantique Dakota 27-29th October. Serviceability problems with the Dakotas continued into 1989, most flights in February operated by an SD.3-30 of Fairflight, eventually G-AMPZ was back in service during March, by which time G-AMYJ was hangar-bound engineless at Blackpool.

Clearly something had to done. The answer was to purchase a Short SD.3-30 of their own. G-LEDN, a frustrated export to Nigeria, was purchased from Shorts and arrived at Blackpool 21st March 1989 and was used on the regular Belfast run and for ad-hoc charter work. The Dakotas were put up for sale, eventually sold to Air Atlantique early 1990. In the other direction, from Air Atlantique (quite possibly as a part-exchange deal) came Islander G-BELF, although it was sold on to a parachute school by the autumn of 1990.

With the departure of the Dakotas, an acquisition during 1990 was Trislander, G-BDOS from the defunct National Airways, delivered to Blackpool 28th March 1990. It appears not have entered service immediately, and after an overhaul was re-registered G-OJAV (reflecting their 3 letter designator) in June just prior to entering service. A BN-2A Islander G-AXXJ was used from April 1990 for a while. Looking to the future the airline applied again for passenger services, Blackpool to Eindhoven and Blackpool to IoM, along with cargo only Belfast City and/or Belfast International to Blackpool or Isle of Man. Right at the end of the year a new contract was won, to fly daily between Antwerp and Coventry for Honda Motors. To service this contract, two Dart Heralds were acquired, G-BEYF arrived at Blackpool 10th December 1990 and initially relatively inactive. The other Dart Herald, G-ATIG, was delivered direct to Coventry in January 1991. Janes commenced operations on 22nd January 1991 between Ostend and Coventry for Honda and Coventry to Belfast for Lynx. A contract gained in late summer was to provide a night mail service between Belfast and East Midlands, previously operated by Loganair. During the summer scheduled passenger route applications were placed to connect Barrow and Isle of Man, Blackpool and Manchester, and Blackpool to Manchester. These were later withdrawn. However in October further licences were applied for, requesting a passenger service Blackpool to Isle of Man and cargo from Blackpool to IoM and/or Belfast. In March 1991 a Piper Navajo 310, G-LYDD, was registered to Janes, purchased from a Lydd based company. However on departure from Lydd (possibly on delivery?), 17th July 1991, it suffered a explosion in the wing on take-off. The machine was brought to Blackpool by road and later met its fate on the fire-dump.

THE FIRST HS.748 EQUIPMENT

Having operated Islander, Bandeirante, Dakota, SD.3-30, Trislander and Dart Herald aircraft in a four year period, it was clear the right aircraft for types of contract being flown had not been found. A further type was tried, with the purchase in October 1991 of HS.748, G-BPDA. This aircraft had been in store at Exeter owned by a finance company since the failure of Scottish European. It was in service by November, first appearing at Liverpool in December on a mail charter with Christmas post to the Isle of Man on 17th. Both Heralds, G-ATIG and G-BEYK also appeared on extra ‘Spokes from Speke’ flights Christmas 1991. The Trislander was sold around November 1991, the SD.3-30 probably departed in January 1992, with the Dart Heralds leaving during 1992 also. Clearly the HS.748 must have impressed right from the start, as Andy James in early 1992 was in discussions to take-on big new contracts and acquire a fleet of HS.748s.

On 15th July 1992 Andy James signed a contract with Dan Air for the purchase of their remaining 6 HS.748 aircraft, along with a large spares inventory. A new company Janes Aviation (748) Ltd had been incorporated in June as a vehicle to permit the large acquisition. Immediately, G-BEJD was delivered Manchester to Blackpool on 17th July, with G-BEJE following the next day. Series 2 aircraft G-ATMI was delivered Manchester to Exeter 21st July, with G-ATMJ following the next day, neither entering service for some time. Two aircraft were retained by Dan Air to complete their BP Oil contract between Aberdeen and Scatsta, with the youngest, a series 2A, G-BIUV leased back until September and G-BEKE a series 1 delivered to Blackpool on 14th October. These aircraft were needed as Janes’ had won two valuable contracts for the re-vamped night mail network, “Skynet”. The new flights started on 28th September, with one aircraft routing Leeds/Bradford-Liverpool-Stansted (JAV168/169), and the other Edinburgh-Liverpool-Edinburgh (JAV144/145). The two aircraft used during the first month were G-BEJE in a full red and yellow ‘Royal Mail’ scheme with ‘Skynet’ titles and G-BIUV all white. During November G-BEKE appeared at Liverpool still in basic Dan Air colours, with titles and logo removed along with G-BEJD (all white). It would appear that G-BPDA operated mainly on the Coventry to Ostend contract as it did not appear at Liverpool on night mail contracts until February ’93. Early in 1993 the 3-letter ICAO designator was changed from JAV to JAN.

OPERATIONS MOVE TO LIVERPOOL AIRPORT
During early 1993 many of the route applications lodged with the CAA were withdrawn. However a fresh application was made for passengers, mail and freight between Liverpool and IoM, this was due to the IoM being outside of new EU ‘Open Skies’ route legislation. This new application was due to a decision to move its operational base from Blackpool to Liverpool, with effect from 1st June 1993. The airline’s registered office, administration and financial staff remained at Blackpool, with operations, crews and line engineering at Liverpool, while deeper engineering was contracted to an Exeter company. This move provided the airline with greater operational flexibility, as a result of Liverpool Airport being open 24 hours.

On 1st June, the active fleet consisted of 5 HS.748 aircraft, all capable of carrying freight, but only G-BIUV could be used for passenger flights. Regular contract flights on 1st June called for:
Edinburgh based, JAN144/145, EDI-LPL-EDI five nights per week for Post Office
Liverpool based, JAN167/168, LPL-LBA-LPL-STN-LPL five nights per week for Post Office
and then an early morning, JAN812/813, LPL-BFS-LPL Tuesday to Friday for Lynx Parcels
Liverpool based, JAN361/362, LPL-IoM-LPL early morning newspaper flight seven days a week
and then a second mid-morning LPL-IOM-LPL, JAN244/245, Tuesday to Friday for Lynx Parcels
Coventry based, JAN240/241 COV-Ostend-COV five nights per week for Honda
With the spare aircraft either on stand-by at Liverpool, Blackpool or on maintenance at Exeter

The first aircraft to arrive at Liverpool on 29th May as a ‘based’ aircraft were G-BIUV from Stansted on JAN170P at 02:05, followed by G-BPDA from IoM on JAN362 at 07:37. G-BEJE was the Edinburgh based aircraft for much of June, G-BEJD at Coventry and G-BEKE the fleet ‘spare’. The active fleet increased during June with the arrival at Liverpool from storage/maintenance at Exeter of G-ATMI on the evening of 22nd June carrying Reed Aviation titles and colours and G-ATMJ the following evening, 23rd. The two extra aircraft were needed, as from 1st July as Janes had gained the former BAF Viscount contract from Reed Aviation to carry newspapers from Manchester to Belfast overnight. Two aircraft required Sunday to Thursday, three aircraft on Friday night, operating LPL-MAN-BFS-LPL. No operation Saturday night with the Sunday newspapers as this is a different contract. After just a month, with effect from 1st August, the Reeds MAN-BFS contract operated direct from Liverpool as JAN620 & JAN710, with JAN530 the extra Saturday morning and a new flight on Saturday evening as JAN410. Although earlier, on 13th July, the overnight Lynx Parcels’ Liverpool to Belfast flight (JAN812/813) moved to Coventry, now operating COV-BFS-COV.

The reason why G-BEKE was never painted out of its basic Dan Air scheme became apparent, as it operated its last flight, arriving from Belfast International as JAN531 at 04:13 hours on Saturday 24th July 1993. On 1st August ‘KE was towed around to the north airfield apron and the aircraft’s engines and other re-usable parts removed. Although intended for the fire dump, it was eventually broken up into pieces February 1995 and taken away as scrap, with the last chunks departing during the first week of March.

Janes Aviation (748) Ltd, trading as Janes Aviation, changed name to 'Emerald Airways Ltd', with effect from 27th September 1993.
The history of Emerald starts on reply post #3 below, continues into post #4 with fleet lists beyond that.

JANES AVIATION, 2008

Note that 'Janes Aviation' was reformed by Andy Janes in 2008, with two former Emerald HS.748-2A aircraft, G-AYIM and G-OSOE. Scroll to reply post #7 for details.

[viscount]

JANES AVIATION, FLEET:

  
Regn.   Type          Delivery   Departed  Comment
.
G-AMPZ  C-47A         21.06.88B     09.90? owned, ex Harvestair
G-AMYJ  C-47A            07.88B     02.90? owned, ex Harvestair
G-ATIG  Dart Herald   10.12.90   early.92  leased
G-ATMI  HS.748-2A     22.06.93L      ISNC  owned
G-ATMJ  HS.748-2A     23.06.93L      ISNC  owned
G-AXXJ  Islander         04.90B       .90? leased, short term
G-BEJD  Avro 748-1    17.07.92B      ISNC  owned
G-BEJE  Avro 748-1    18.07.92B      ISNC  owned
G-BEKE  Avro 748-1    14.10.92B      ISNC  owned
G-BELF  Islander      27.02.90 before9.90  owned
G-BEYK  Dart Herald      01.91B  early.92  leased
G-BHJY  Bandeirante   24.02.88B     05.88  leased from Euroair
G-BIUV  HS.748-2A       .09.92B      ISNC  owned
G-BJSA  Islander         12.87  end.02.88  leased from Harvestair
G-BPDA  HS.748-2A        11.91B      ISNC  owned
G-LEDN  SD.3-30       21.03.89B     12.91  owned
G-LYDD  Navajo 310     c.03.91B  17.07.91  owned, engine exploded Lydd on take-off, to dump at BLK
G-OJAV  Trislander       04.90B     12.91  owned, acquired as G-BDOS
.
B = del to Blackpool  L = del to Liverpool      
ISNC = In Service on company Name Change 27.09.93.
It is thought that none of the fleet ever wore 'Janes Aviation' titles, or a logo (although  
G-BPDA did have the 'Lynx Parcels' logo on the tail).
.
Plus other aircraft, mainly SD.3-30 leased-in on a daily basic to cover for unserviceable Dakotas, 
some noted in the text during 10.88 and unknown SD.3-30s from Fairflight 2.89.
The 7 x HS.748s appear again in the Fleet Lists following the Emerald history post (reply #5).
.
Can anyone 'tighten-up' any of the dates in the table above, or indeed add to it eg did they 
lease Islander G-BDWG in 1988?  My thanks to 'Cityflyer' for his help.

[viscount]

EMERALD AIRWAYS, 1993 – 2006

NAME CHANGE, INTRODUCING ‘EMERALD AIRWAYS’

With effect from 27th September 1993 Janes Aviation (748) Ltd, t/a as Janes Aviation, changed their name to Emerald Airways, reflecting their focus on Irish Sea operations. The first aircraft noted wearing ‘Emerald’ titles and tail logo was G-BIUV on 11th December. In the summer two aircraft acquired individual names, G-ATMI ‘old Ben’ and G-BEJD ‘John Case’.

An addition to the fleet, bringing the number of aircraft back up to 7, was a series 1A aircraft, G-DAAL, acquired from Euroair and delivered to Liverpool on 4th October via Belfast. Channel Express damaged one of their Dart Heralds in a landing accident 5th October, so from 6th October they used an Emerald aircraft daily, usually between Edinburgh and Coventry. As a result for three days Emerald in turn leased in a BAF Herald G-ASVO for the LBA-LPL-STN mail operation. In the lead upto Christmas extra mail and Lynx Parcels flights were operated from Liverpool, and for the period 6 to 24/12 between Bournemouth and East Midlands.

The number of newspaper flights to Belfast increased during 1994 to three nightly to Belfast and one to Isle of Man. From 18th July with the move of News International’s print production from Greenock to Knowsley, increased the Friday night flights upto five, although back to four during the winter. Other twins, such as Navajo, Trislanders and Dakotas are often hired-in on an ad-hoc basis to supplement the HS.748 operation.

Three more HS.748 aircraft were acquired on 21st June 1994. All three had previously operated with Portuguese airline SATA Air Azores, until traded in for new BAe.ATPs. The aircraft had not flown since June 1990, two stored at East Midlands, the other at Manchester. The ‘748s required much maintenance, so G-AYIM was ferried EMA to Exeter 28th June and after attention and repaint, and delivered from Exeter to Liverpool on 28th December. G-BVOU ferried EMA to Blackpool 30th June, while G-BVOV left Manchester for Blackpool on 12th July. Both require much attention before being ready for service. G-BEJD re-appeared from Exeter 5th December ’94 in Reed Aviation scheme to match G-ATMI. When G-AYIM was delivered from Exeter to Liverpool 28th December 1994 it was in a new variation of the Emerald scheme, with twin fuselage green cheat-lines and ‘Emerald Airways’ titles.

During 1994 a little freight ad-hoc work was undertaken, however from September ‘94 the airline commenced ad-hoc passenger charter operations with G-BIUV in full passenger fit. A route proving flight was operated to and from the Isle of Man during the afternoon of 30th September as JAN200/201, complete with cabin crew in a smart emerald green and blue uniform. The first commercial charter operated between Cork and EMA on 14th October as JAN60. Another notable passenger charter transported ships carpenters from Belfast to Hamburg on 20th November to work on the refit of the QE2. G-BIUV was joined right at the end of 1994 by G-AYIM in the passenger role, although when G-AYIM initially entered service from 13th January 1995 it was in the freighter role.

1995 started with news of another regular newspaper contract, 6 early mornings per week Monday to Saturday between Liverpool and Dublin, replacing an Air Atlantique DC-6 from 22nd January. However, possibly during March, one of the company’s original contracts, for Honda to carry car components Ostend to Coventry ended, the parts now being transported through the Channel Tunnel. Ad-hoc charters both for freight and passengers increased, as did the number of sub-charters for other carriers, including BAC Express, EI Air Exports, Gill Air and Emerald European. G-AYIM’s first passenger carrying charter was on 25th April between Coventry and Luxembourg.

The fleet grew by one, with the delivery Exeter to Liverpool on 12th May 1995 of G-BVOV in full ‘Emerald Airways’ scheme to match G-AYIM. G-BVOV has an advantage in the passenger role with its own rear air-stairs. One of its first jobs was a series of sub-charters to Emerald European (no connection) to operate their passenger schedule between Belfast and Luton during May. G-BVOV also represented Emerald at the Woodford Air Show on 24th June, its appearance helping to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the first flight of the Avro 748. Meanwhile their other HS.748 G-BVOU was ferried Blackpool to Exeter during the summer, although did not enter service during the year (indeed not until summer 1998).

A further new freight contract commenced on 4th July 1995, on behalf of Parceline, Tuesday to Friday routing Belfast-Liverpool-Dublin-Belfast during the night. Previously Parceline had used Channel Express via Coventry. During the autumn the suite of portacabin offices adjacent to the roundabout and Mail Centre was extended upwards with a second storey.

G-BIUV was moved into No.1 hangar at Liverpool 26th October for overhaul, new engines and repaint. With this aircraft out of service for several months, and G-DAAL leased out to BAC Express to operate extra Christmas flights, coupled with extra Christmas flights of their own, for three weeks 3rd to 22nd December HS.748-2A F-GHKA was leased in from Heliglobe Finet Cargo based at Lyon.

Later it would be revealed that in the financial year ending August 1995, Emerald made a profit of £650,000 on sales of £7.6m.

1996 – EXPANSION CONTINUES APACE

At the start of 1996, on January 1st, the fleet consisted of (along with colour scheme notes):
G-ATMI in ‘Reed Aviation’ scheme & titles, named “Old Ben”
G-ATMJ white top and tail, no titles
G-AYIM in full ‘Emerald Airways’ scheme & titles, passenger convertible freighter.
G-BEJD initially white top and tail, now ‘Reed Aviation’ scheme and titles, named “John Case”
G-BEJE in Red and yellow Post Office scheme with ‘Skynet’ titles.
G-BIUV initially white top and tail, then all white with small Emerald tail logo with ‘Emerald’ titles, passenger convertible freighter. Named “City of Liverpool”
G-BPDA initially white top with thin red cheat, then white top with Emerald tail logo, no titles; then ’ Reed Aviation’ scheme and titles, named “John J.Goodall”
G-BVOU yet to enter service.
G-BVOV in full ‘Emerald Airways’ scheme & titles, passenger convertible freighter.
G-DAAL white top and tail, no titles
While G-BEKE had been taken out of service 24.7.93 at Liverpool still in Dan Air colours, less titles and logo

During January 1996 it was announced that Emerald had acquired a further 3 HS.748 aircraft. The first of which was a former BAW machine G-BGMO a series 2A, but currently ZK-MCB of Mount Cook Airlines, New Zealand, with delivery into Exeter 21st February, prior to repaint at Southend. For the record the delivery flight routed: Christchurch-Norfolk Island-Brisbane-Mt.Isa-Darwin-Bali-Singapore-Bangkok-Calcutta-Bombay-Muscat-Bahrain-Luxor-Heraklion-Corfu-Genoa-Exeter! The second, a series 2B aircraft G-BKAL, formerly ZK-MCH, arrived at Exeter in early March. However G-BKAL would mean two ‘Alpha Limas’ in the fleet, so registration G-OJEM was allocated while still on overhaul at Exeter. G-OJEM was delivered to Liverpool 25th April from re-spray at Woodford. The third new aircraft, another series 2B, G-HDBD was another former BAW machine, but more recently operating as a corporate shuttle for BAe at Woodford, however it initially entered storage at Exeter, not joining the active fleet for many months. With 13 HS.748 aircraft ‘on the books’ this made Emerald’s the largest fleet of the type world-wide. G-BIUV, which had spent much of winter on extended maintenance in No.1 hangar was repainted at Woodford between 1st and 11th March in full ‘Emerald Airways’ scheme, then after a few days at Exeter re-entered service 26th March. It also lost its individual name “City of Liverpool”.

Emerald tendered for a three year contract to operate Oil Support flights between Aberdeen and Scatsa for BP from 2nd April, utilising two passenger fitted aircraft. The contract was won by Brymon Airways using Dash 8-300s.

SCHEDULED SERVICE

The need for further aircraft was revealed at Press Conference in January to announce the start of scheduled passenger service between the Isle of Man and Liverpool from 29th April using HS.748 on a twice daily service, with return departures planned from Liverpool at 08:00 Mon-Sat and 16:25 Sun-Fri. Preparations for the scheduled service included an agreement with Interline GSA at Manchester Airport to provide telesales and reservations with dedicated phone lines, with an IATA ticketing code ‘G3’ (an initial offer of ‘7H’ was not accepted, the former Eastern code ‘EA’ was not awarded though). Other slight changes to the airline’s image came into effect from 5th February, the ICAO three-letter code changing from JAN to JEM with the radio call-sign from “Janes” to “Gemstone”. As Emerald would handle their own passengers at Liverpool and the Isle of Man, dedicated check-in desks and ticket sales areas were installed at both airports. HS.748 G-BVOV operated a photographic sortie 27th March for Emerald promotional purposes, with Piper Aztec G-VHFA acting as camera ship. Two of the new HS.748s were delivered from the Woodford paint-shop, G-OJEM on 25th April and G-BGMO on 5th May, both fitted out for passenger operations, joining G-BVOV in this role. On 27th April G-OJEM carried airline officials and official guests to the IoM for a naming ceremony, as ”Tashy’s Kite”. The inaugural Liverpool to Isle of Man schedule, JEM101 was operated by G-OJEM on 29th April. G-BGMO operated its first revenue flight on 13th May on the JEM103/104 rotation.

The passenger configured aircraft were also kept busy on charters or substitute flights on behalf of Gill Airways, Community Express, Brymon and Air UK. Between May and August G-BGMO and G-BVOV were to be seen at: Newcastle, East Midlands, Rotterdam, Vitoria, Woodford, Prestwick, Stansted, Exeter, Waddington, Cardiff, Leed-Bradford, Manchester, Amsterdam, Birmingham, Derry, Teesside, Haugesund, Bristol, Aberdeen and Norwich. G-OJEM attended the open-day airshow at Hawarden on 7th July for publicity purposes.

Meanwhile passenger numbers on the Isle of Man route were building. Demand was such that a third weekday rotation was added from 25th May. While from 13th September the winter timetable introduced two extra rotations a week, outbound on a Friday evening and back Saturday morning, the other outbound Saturday evening, returning to Liverpool Sunday afternoon. By the end of the year they had carried nearly 36,000 passengers on the route in 8 months.

However, the good news on the passenger front has to be balanced against the loss of the Edinburgh mail contract to BAC Express from 8th July 1996. The red ‘Skynet’ titled G-BEJE operated the last flight of the EDI mail contract on 7th July. During July a number of newspaper contracts were drawn-down due to industry re-organisation resulting in new presses opening in Ireland. However during the summer mail flights were operated regularly to and from Gatwick each weekday night and from 11th November a nightly return to Stansted was started.

Changes to the fleet resulted in G-ATMJ being withdrawn from use. Its last service was JEM366/367 to and from Dublin on 30th July, ferried from Liverpool to Exeter on 7th August for storage. While just 10 days later, sister-ship, G-ATMI, aborted take-off while operating flight JEM530 from Liverpool on the morning of 17th August, the wing hitting an airfield structure as the aircraft left the runway, but stopped within the airfield boundary. Thankfully the crew were unhurt, although the aircraft was damaged. ‘Mike India’ was repaired in No.1 hangar, not re-entering service until May ’97. The final aircraft of the trio purchased in January, G-HDBD, but now registered as G-EMRD, arrived at Liverpool 4th November from Woodford in full ‘Emerald Airways’ scheme and passenger configuration. This was shortly followed by G-AYYG, delivered from Woodford 11th November, in basic Mount Cook blue cheat-line and large rose design on the tail. It is in cargo configuration and entered service the following day. However a second retirement of the year saw series 1 aircraft G-DAAL departing to Blackpool on 5th October, the engines being returned to Liverpool by road.

While, amazingly in 1996, after near ten years in the ad-hoc freight market, an Emerald aircraft, was employed on a motor parts charter for the first time, when G-BIUV operated to and from Saarbrucken during June. However, the use of Emerald for motor part charters never became regular feature.

During the financial year ending August 1996 profits were £725,000 on sales of £9.8m. Emerald Airways is now certificated as a CAA-licenced Class A airline, employing in excess of 115 personnel, including over 40 pilots and 20 engineering staff. At the end of the year 11 aircraft were in service, with a further aircraft under repair and 2 in storage. These comprised of 3 series 1, 9 series 2A (1 with a large cargo door) and 2 series 2B aircraft.

A ‘COMPANY PROFILE’ PRESS RELEASE, ISSUED LATE 1996

An Emerald company profile declared …..”that the family, privately owned company, seeks to develop a highly professional, service-orientated and commercially viable business, providing consistent earnings growth and building valuable business have a low cost base, ownership of its aircraft and a strong position in key markets.

Growth will be in carefully selected target areas in which the Company feels confident in securing foothold at minimal risk, however at the same time further expanding the customer base and reducing the Company’s exposure to single contracts or business sectors.

In the medium term, expansion is proposed through the introduction of further scheduled passenger services, satellite contract operations both in the UK and overseas, and via wet and dry aircraft leasing to both established and start-up operators.

Emerald Airways is established for the purpose of conducting safe, reliable and profitable public air services to, from and within the United Kingdom, the business to be operated ethically and with due regard to the interests of all stakeholders. Quality and reliability of service to contract customers and scheduled service passengers alike is viewed as being of paramount importance, ensuring long term loyalty to the carrier.

It is anticipated that the Company will maintain a continuous strength of between 10 to 15 BAe.748 aircraft over the next five years. The Company does not at this time envisage introducing additional aircraft types to its fleet, though is always prepared to review and fully analyse potentially commercially-viable proposals with its customers which may ultimately require investment in new types.

The company’s existing time-critical contract operations comprise night mail services for the Post Office (each of Leeds/Bradford, Stansted and Gatwick to Liverpool) and Datapost (Liverpool to Isle of Man); night newspaper operations for Reed Aviation on behalf of New International and the Newspaper Publishing Association (Liverpool to Belfast, Dublin and Isle of Man); night courier services for Lynx (Coventry-Belfast-Liverpool), ICS (Belfast-Liverpool-Belfast) and for Parcelline (Dublin-Liverpool-Belfast-Dublin).

A daily split-charter cargo service is consolidated by Emerald Airways Cargo Ltd, operating five days a week between Liverpool and Isle of Man, with an established customer base.

Scheduled passenger services commenced between Liverpool and the Isle of Man in April 1996. Other scheduled passenger routes are under longer term consideration, in particular, services over the Irish Sea to eventually include both Dublin and Belfast. Ad-hoc passenger and cargo operations are conducted throughout Europe and the Mediterranean area.”

1997 – A YEAR OF CONSOLIDATION

Emerald Airways operated a basic schedule of three return flights a day between Liverpool and the Isle of Man, with a fourth flight operating on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday from March. Extra flights were also added during Easter and for the TT races. The airline further increased its schedules from October when it added a fourth daily flight on a Monday and Thursday and changed the schedule by night-stopping the HS.748 on the Island, in order to operate the first schedule of the morning from the Isle of Man to Liverpool.

Although early in the year Emerald made it clear that there were plans to operate out of Liverpool to Belfast International from May ’97, these plans failed to materialise. However, a second destination was added for August only, when Emerald commenced a Saturday and Sunday only service between Liverpool and Waterford, commencing 28th July. The service did not appear to be a great success, partly because Emerald only made public the commencement of the service the month before! The passenger configured HS.748s were also used for passenger charter work and for substitute flights for other airlines. Brymon, Maersk UK, British Regional, JEA and Gill Airways all used aircraft of Emerald, usually either G-EMRD or G-OJEM, with a peak of demand during June and July.

In the latter part of the year freight carryings increased with the introduction of new contracts, with four Irish Sea freight flights per weekday. Two flights operated daily to Belfast on behalf of Lynx Parcels and Omega Express (the latter being a new contract from 12th May); one flight to the Isle of Man on behalf of various companies including DHL, Lynx and Omega consolidated by Emerald Air Freight; one flight to Dublin via Belfast on behalf of Parceline. Newspaper flights continued but at a basic frequency of daily flights to Belfast, Dublin and Isle of Man. Emerald often operated extra flights particularly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Keenair Charter often supplemented the Emerald operation whenever the load was too great for the HS.748. The mail flight contracts as part of the ‘Skynet’ system changed during the year. The Leeds-Liverpool-Stansted JEM168/169 contracted ended on 3rd January. The Gatwick contract on 14th April and the Stansted run a week later. For a while this left Emerald without any Royal Mail work. However Channel Express, who had won contracts to carry mail were short of aircraft so from mid April through to late June they frequently used an Emerald aircraft, usually G-BEJD. Emerald won a new contract for two aircraft per night, one routing Cardiff-Bristol-Liverpool-Newcastle, the other in the reverse direction, from 23rd June.

The airline reduced the number of the airworthy 748 fleet to 9 aircraft in January, as G-BEJE was retired from service, with last commercial flight JEM245 from the Isle of Man on 23rd December 1996 and ferried to Blackpool 17th January 1997, for spares recovery and scrapping. However the fleet was back up to 10 aircraft when G-ATMI re-entered service 20th May following rebuild at Liverpool, and increased to 11 when G-ATMJ re-entered service in September following a period of storage at Exeter since August ’96, probably now in full green ‘Emerald Airways’ scheme. G-AYYG operated in basic Mt Cook scheme for much of the year, however departed for Woodford 25th October, arriving back 20th November, re-registered G-OSOE and re-painted into pale blue Securicor Omega Express colours. At the year’s end, three of the ‘748s, G-BGMO, G-EMRD and G-OJEM were passenger configured, with the remaining eight being used solely for freight work. Most of the fleet displayed Emerald’s livery, with the exception of G-ATMI, G-BEJD and G-BPDA in Reed Aviation colours and G-AYYG in former Mr Cook colours, until re-spray into Securicor Omega Express scheme.

1998 –NEAR DISASTER, HOWEVER FURTHER EXPANSION

The company’s HS.748-2B G-OJEM suffered an engine fire on take-off from Stansted Airport late evening of 30th March 1998. Capt. John Hackett and crew managed to land back on the runway safely, with the aircraft sustaining extensive damage. The aircraft was operating a charter, returning Leeds United FC players and officials back to Leeds Bradford Airport after an away game. This was the first loss of an aircraft in just a few months over ten years of operation, however despite this set-back early in the year, 1998 would witness a considerable expansion to the fleet.

Emerald Airways sparked a capacity battle with Manx Airlines on the Liverpool to Isle of Man scheduled service route by increasing flights; with upto five return flights a day, 30 flights per week – rising to 31 during peak summer. To counter this Manx scheduled 36 return flights per week, mainly by larger BAe.ATP aircraft, with regular extras and substitution of BAe.146 jet equipment. While passenger numbers increased, the fare-war could not continue. Emerald effectively conceding defeat when the winter schedules were announced, bringing the frequency down from 2nd November, to just two return flights per day, with rumours that the service could well end in 1999. The airline had planned to commence summer only services to both Waterford (from early May to September) and Galway (from early July to September), but the loss of G-OJEM in late March left Emerald short of aircraft with which to commence the services. G-BGMO was put back into passenger configuration, alongside G-EMRD on the Isle of Man passenger schedule.

Irish Sea freight traffic had built-up, with at the year’s end, four departures each weekday morning to Belfast, one flight each morning to Dublin and one to the Isle of Man. The customer base now included: DHL, ICS, Lynx Parcels, Omega Express (formerly Securicor) and Parceline. In addition four newspaper flights a day are flown to the same destinations on behalf of Reed Aviation.

Despite the loss of G-OJEM, Emerald expanded the fleet to 14 active aircraft during 1998. G-BMFT a series 2A, arrived at Liverpool from Southend 17th February, in white and grey colours. However this aircraft was soon to become G-OPFW in a red ‘Parcelforce’ scheme and titling at Woodford, arriving back at Liverpool 8th July. Next came a further former Mt. Cook Airlines series 2A, re-registered G-SOEI, which arrived at Liverpool from Exeter 8th April still in its former Mt.Cook scheme. Next to enter service was an aircraft acquired four years previous, and stored at Exeter. Freshly painted in bright ’Lynx Parcels’ colours, G-BVOU arrived from Southend 7th August. Finally G-BGMN, again a series 2A arrived from Southend 21st November in white with grey underside ‘colours’. During the year the location for heavy maintenance of the ‘748 fleet changed from Exeter to Southend. There were hopes of bringing the maintenance operation to Liverpool, however the time-scale did not allow for the construction of suitable accommodation.

From sometime during the late autumn, Emerald moved the day-stopping, parked-up aircraft from the ‘spur’ to the west side of the main apron. Until this time the apron had not been large enough to accommodate them at peak times, however a substantial increase in apron area, laid summer ’98, changed this, so bringing the aircraft parking closer to the company ‘operations’ offices.

Particularly early in the year, a number of passenger charters and substitute flights were operated for bmi, Brymon, British Regional or Gill Airways at the rate of several times a month. Later in the year there were some freight charters and substitute flights for Titan several nights. In the reverse direction, Emerald found it convenient, due to shortage of available aircraft at peak demand, to sub-charter the day-stopping Channel Express Fokker F-27 to operate one of the morning Belfast freight flights, JEM815, from 27th April, five days a week.

1999, EBB AND FLOW

On 1st January, Emerald were operating a fleet of 14 HS.748 aircraft. These were in a variety of colours, with only six G-ATMI, G-AYIM, G-BGMO, G-BIUV, G-BVOV & G-EMRD in green ‘Emerald Airways’ scheme and logo. A further three in ‘Reed Aviation’ scheme and titles: G-ATMI, G-BEJD and G-BPDA, and one each in ‘Omega’ scheme and titles, G-OSOE; ‘Parceforce’ overall red G-OPFW; and in bright ‘Lynx Parcels’ scheme, G-BVOU. G-SOEI remained in basic ‘Mt.Cook’ scheme; while finally, G-BGMN remained all white without titles. This latest arrival, G-BGMN, initially proved to be a troublesome aircraft, flying only an ‘air test’ before leaving for Southend 15th March. It returned in April and entered service on 30th April, apparently with the problems solved.

During the year two aircraft were removed from the fleet. The sole remaining BAe.748 series 2B, G-EMRD departed to Southend 9th April before leaving there on 1st June for South Africa and becoming ZS-PLO. Reed Aviation schemed G-ATMI departed to Blackpool 14th May for storage and spares recovery. Two aircraft were acquired during the year from the CAA Flight Calibration Unit. However as both had been heavily modified by the CAA during service, the CAA insisted that all the extensive modifications would have to be removed, at prohibitive cost. So despite being relatively low houred, sound airframes, G-AVXI at Southend and G-AVXJ at Exeter were ‘parted out’ and eventually broken-up. After G-BPDA operated JEM711 inbound from Bristol on 8th August it departed to Woodford. On return, 19th August it was now G-ORAL painted in a revised Reed Aviation scheme, with larger titles on the rear fuselage and modified cheat-lines and logo.

On the Isle of Man scheduled service, initial summer plans released in January showed an increase from two return flights a day in winter to 4 on Tues, Wed & Thurs, with 5 on Mon, Fri, Sat & Sun. However, on 3rd March the Airline announced passenger operations were to cease from 26th March due to falling demand and low advanced bookings. The last service was operated by G-BGMO on Sunday 21st March, although only a few flights had operated during the 10 days previous. The passenger aircraft operated a couple of substitute flights in February for Gill Airways and in March and April for Debonair. As a result of withdrawing from passenger services, G-EMRD was sold and G-BGMO stripped out into freighter configuration mid May. One result of this was a need to charter-in a Danish Air Transport ATR-42 to operate a charter from Liverpool to Jersey on 18th June and return on 20th!

The Irish Sea freight work increased during 1999. The Isle of Man JEM244 and the JEM405 to Belfast and Dublin operated throughout the year. The Belfast JEM915 was often duplicated several days a week with a JEM911 due to loads. Likewise the Belfast JEM815 (operated throughout the year by a Channel Express F-27 Friendship) was backed-up several days a week by JEM911 due to loads. However a number of ’satellite’ freight contracts, away from Liverpool developed. In March and April a number of flights were operated from Coventry to Paris CdG on sub-contract to Air France Cargo, while from May an aircraft was based at Bournemouth to operate Bournemouth-EMA and for Channel Express, Bournemouth to Guernsey. An aircraft was used regularly by TNT during December away from Liverpool.

Newspaper work continued, as before, all year. JEM366 and JEM368 to Dublin, JEM530 to Belfast and JEM361 to Isle of Man six days a week, with more on Saturday night with Sunday papers.

On the Royal Mail ‘Skynet’ JEM02M/03M Cardiff-Bristol-Liverpool-Newcastle and JEM04M/05M in the opposite direction operated all year, as did JEM41M/42M to Belfast; while JEM43M/40M operated six days a week to the Isle of Man. Much extra mail was carried in the period leading upto Christmas, with services Gatwick to Edinburgh, Liverpool to Belfast and Liverpool to Gatwick.

2000, STEADY GROWTH

With the two aircraft removed from the fleet in 1999, the Millennium year both started and finished with an active fleet of 12 HS.748 aircraft. However the situation becomes increasing confusing during the year with further use of Channel Express Friendship aircraft, plus Short SD.3-60s EI-CPR, EI-BPD and SE-KGV of Aer Arann being made frequently throughout the year, with perhaps a peak in September. The use of Aer Arann’s aircraft dropped to one a week late in 2000, eventually ending on 9th February 2001. A complication was created by G-BVOV being damaged at Dublin when the nose wheel collapsed as it taxied out to depart to Liverpool on JEM910 on 28th April. Following on-site repairs it was ferried to Southend, eventually returning to Liverpool 5th July and back in service the next day. With major overhauls of their own aircraft programmed plus new contracts, Emerald leased-in a HS.748 from Canada for five months. C-FDOX a series 2A with a LFD (large freight door) arrived at Liverpool via Reykjavik on the evening of Friday 14th July in full Air Inuit colours and titles. It was based at Cardiff for most of its time in the UK, appearing frequently on night mail flights at Liverpool. The aircraft was returned, with the first leg, Belfast to Keflavik on 28th December 2000.

Emerald decided to undertake much more of the heavy maintenance ‘in-house’. During the summer their 36,000sq ft hangar at Blackpool was refurbished, to be fully operational from the Autumn. Another Company development during the year was the launch in July 2000 of their own website www.emerald-airways.co.uk (closed down 2006).

The pattern of flights from Liverpool was much as during 1999, although a number of extra flights, especially to Belfast became regulars as demand grew. An increasing number of charters took their HS.748s right around Europe during the year. The aircraft based at Bournemouth continued throughout the year, operating mail flight JEM22M Bournemouth to EMA and return, along with a Channel Express flight to Guernsey. Based at Bournemouth were G-ATMJ late Jan, G-SOEI Feb-early Apr, G-AYIM much of Apr-Aug, G-BVOV Sept-Oct & G-ATMJ again Nov-Dec. Another aircraft was at Coventry, Emerald flying a Coventry to Belfast flight on behalf of Parcelforce for much of the year. Another contract won by the company was on the Royal Mail ‘Skynet’ flight from Edinburgh to Liverpool and return, which was won back off BAC Express, JEM144/145 operating from 10th July. There were also a large number of extra flights with freight, newspapers and mail from mid November building towards Christmas.

[viscount]

EMERALD AIRWAYS 1987 - 2006 (continued)

2001, BUSINESS AS USUAL

However the aircraft shortage continued. An Antonov An-26 was leased on a ‘day-to-day’ basis from Latvian operator Raf Avia. Although it had appeared briefly on Channel Express flights early in January, its first use by Emerald was in the very early hours of Friday 15th January, departing in the very early hours on JEM410 to Dublin. An-26 YL-RAA usually day and weekend-stopped at Liverpool. The last operation for Emerald was on Dublin JEM366/367 on 2nd June, ferrying out to Pontoise on 4th June. Emerald were happy to continue utilising the aircraft, but EU regulations on the operation of non-EU registered aircraft meant that this was impossible. It was replaced at Liverpool by Channel Express Friendship G-CEXD from the early hours of 4th June. Later replaced by G-BNIZ, the use on JEM366/367 Dublin newspapers ended on 6th September. Meanwhile to operate a temporary mail contract, Short SD.3-60 G-BLCP was used from 19th to 30th March, based at Edinburgh for a mail flight to Liverpool JEM3198/3199. It was replaced by An-26B RA-26134 of Pskovavia from 2nd to 14th April, when the contract ceased. Other temporary mail flights operated during late April during a series of sorting office strikes. Towards the end of May a Streamline SD.3-60 operated Bristol to Newcastle mail for Emerald. The Bournemouth contract continued throughout the year, using G-OPFW, G-AYIM, G-BVOV, G-ATMJ and G-BVOV again. Sometime during the autumn the operation of the Channel Express flight between Bournemouth and Guernsey using this aircraft ended, although the Bournemouth-EMA mail flight continued. The use of a Channel Express Friendship out of Liverpool on JEM916 continued throughout the year, a different aircraft being used daily.

During the previous year Emerald had been linked with the purchase of Royal Tongan HS.748 series 2A A3-MCA as a way forward out of its shortage of aircraft. A3-MCA made the last leg of delivery to the UK from Kerkira to Southend 22nd December 2000, then onto Blackpool 27th January 2001. Due to a great number of enquiries as to what registration the aircraft would wear, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, it was registered G-OTBA (GOing To Be Arranged)! Still in its former Royal Tongan red scheme it was delivered to Liverpool on 4th May, entering service on JEM990 to Belfast in the early hours of the following day.

During July, Emerald CEO Mick O’Brien spoke to an Air Britain (Merseyside) Branch meeting about Emerald operations. He explained that getting good quality HS.748 aircraft was becoming very difficult, certainly at the right price. While the ‘748s would be likely to remain in Emerald service for some years to come, the airline was looking to acquire SD.3-60 aircraft before the end of the year. They were also investigating Cessna 208 Caravans along with ATR-42s, although no decisions had been made. Capacity out of Liverpool was unlikely to grow any further, future expansion would come from hubs such as Belfast, Coventry and East Midlands, along with the European market. Also with changes in the way newspapers were produced, this market would near disappear during 2002, with great reduction in Reed Aviation contract flights out of Liverpool to Dublin and Belfast as a result.

Further fleet short-falls, brought about the lease of an Antonov AN-26 from Raf Avia again, with YL-RAB arriving on 1st October and into service the same evening on JEM41M the Bristol mail flight, although the aircraft was usually used on the Belfast and Dublin mail flights. The last use of this aircraft by Emerald was on JEM366/367, to and from Dublin on 22nd December, the aircraft ferrying out to Ostend mid-morning of 23rd December.

Emerald took over the British European (formerly JEA) Bristol-Liverpool-Exeter mail route on 29thth October, using their HS.748s. However, the aircraft used by BEE on that mail flight, Short SD.3-60 G-OBHD was purchased by Emerald, arriving at Liverpool from Exeter on 8th November. After a period of training, it entered service on the Edinburgh-Liverpool-Edinburgh mail service 19th November. A second Short SD.3-60, G-ROND (formerly EI-CWG) was delivered to Emerald from Exeter on 27th November. An AOG (aircraft on ground) charter was Emerald using an Air Sofia Antonov An-26 LZ-SFH on 19th November on the JEM105M mail flight Exeter-Liverpool-Bristol. The same aircraft was used for around a week from 30th November when a wing of G-BVOU was damaged by a truck at Newcastle. The aircraft was used mostly on a Newcastle-Stansted run, but appeared through Liverpool on 6th December.

Close ties were being formed between Emerald at Liverpool and Streamline Aviation at Exeter. As a result, a Streamline SD.3-60 was used on the Bristol-Liverpool-Exeter mail flight from 19th November as JEM105M. Also a regular Coventry to Eindhoven Emerald flight used Streamline aircraft.

At year-end the Emerald active fleet stood at 13 HS.748s and 2 Short SD.3-60s.

2002 BUSINESS AS USUAL, AND PURCHASE OF STREAMLINE AVN

The year started with a new contract, a freight flight Dublin-Coventry-Dusseldorf and return on weekdays, using a Short SD.3-60 from 7th January. The other SD.3-60 being employed on Coventry to Liège and Coventry to Eindhoven contracts. However, the newspaper contracts from Liverpool to Belfast and Dublin, so long a ‘core activity’ of Emerald, were lost to Channel Express for six months, by which time the loads had shrunk considerably due to changes in the newspaper industry. Emerald still operated several newspaper flights to Belfast and Dublin on Saturday night, and the occasional weeknight extra (when demanded by loads). Losing the newspaper contract had the effect of freeing up capacity to operate extra mail flights between Liverpool and Edinburgh in January to March period. Another contract gained during the year operated from Norwich-Stansted-Bristol and return from early summer. It was operated by a Short SD.3-60 leased-in from Streamline Aviation, usually either G-SSWO or G-SSWR. From 17th October a new contract commenced calling for a HS.748 on weekdays from Liverpool to Belfast as JEM220/221, although likely to move to EMA in 2003. In the run upto Christmas numerous extra freight, mail and newspaper flights were operated to Belfast, Dublin and Isle of Man.

Emerald’s HS.748-2A, G-ATMJ, was damaged by fire whilst engine running at Ronaldsway, IoM on 11th April. The Starboard engine surged and caught fire, damaging the wing. The aircraft had earlier arrived from Liverpool on JEM43M. While initially thought to be a write-off, work commenced 24th June on a repair. ‘MJ was later ferried to Blackpool, then to Liverpool on 21st November for a return to service. Right at the end of the year came news of a further HS.748 purchased to join the fleet. Former South African operated ZS-OCF flew the final legs of delivery, Cairo-Malta-Southend-Blackpool on 22nd October. Thought likely to become G-CLEW on a 12-month lease, the aircraft required overhaul before entry into service in 2003. The aircraft emerged as G-ORCP (the logic behind the regn lies in the initials of the Company Chief Engineer, Rodney Charles Parfitt). The aircraft was test flown at Blackpool 18th February 2004, delivered to Liverpool on 21st and entered service on the evening of 22nd.

An Antonov An-26 of Pskovavia, this time RA-25044, was used during the middle fortnight of March, but not from Liverpool. The aircraft was used, based at Dublin, for a longer period during June and July, then again in September and between 9th and 16th, then again on 30th November, visiting Liverpool a couple of times.

The big development in 2002 was an agreement to purchase Streamline Aviation, agreed on 29th August and announced on 2nd September. Streamline Aviation operated a fleet of Short SD.3-30 and SD.3-60 aircraft, based at Exeter but with a number of contracts around Europe. The combined fleet numbered 24 aircraft, 13 HS.748s, 2 SD.3-30 and 9 SD.3-60s, thus making Emerald, “the largest operator of dedicated regional freighter/cargo aircraft in Europe”. Integration of the two companies would take 12 months, with the SD.3-60 and HS.748 fleets initially operating in tandem. Expansion plans for the combined operation called for either BAe.ATP or ATR-42 aircraft as being required in the near future.

STREAMLINE AVIATION

Streamline Aviation was founded in 1990 and provided freight charter flights throughout the UK and Europe, principally from bases at Manchester, Coventry, Luton, Southend and Dublin. Southend based Willowair was merged into Streamline on 1st November 1996. In December 2001 it boosted its fleet with three ex-Swedeways Short 360s, which were converted to freighter configuration by RFS Engineering at Southend, and another in 2002 from Chartair Express. Prior to take-over by Emerald it was 100% owned by the Haddican family, with Kevin Haddican as MD, Alan Russell as Flight Operations Director and Capt Mike Pavelin as Chief Pilot and directly employed 65 people.

Aircraft operated by Streamline at the time of take-over September 2002:
G-SSWA Shorts 330-200
G-SSWP Shorts 330-200 (only to be withdrawn from use at Southend, early 2003)
G-SSWB Shorts 360-200
G-SSWC Shorts 360-200
G-SSWE Shorts 360-200
G-SSWM Shorts 360-100
G-SSWO Shorts 360-100
G-SSWR Shorts 360-100
G-SSWX Shorts 360-200
Other aircraft operated in the recent past, but no longer in the fleet include: SD.3-30s G-SSWN, G-SSWT & G-SSWU. There was no Streamline ‘house’ colour scheme, all aircraft wearing different colours. Following the take-over, Emerald’s own SD.3-60s, G-OBHD & G-ROND were soon operationally integrated with the former Streamline aircraft.


2003 CHALLENGING TIMES, AND FUTURE PROMISE

During 2003 the organisations, aircraft, engineering, spares holdings, contracts and staff of Streamline Aviation and Emerald were brought together as one organisation. Small landmarks in this process included a re-vamp of the Emerald website during March. In April the Emerald engineering facility at Blackpool was approved for SD.3-60 maintenance. The Exeter headquarters of Streamline Aviation were closed down. All of the former Streamline aircraft were re-registered to new owner, Emerald, with the C.A.A. on 30th July.

During February, the final HS.748 to be acquired, G-ORCP was put into service. The oldest HS.748 in the fleet, the only serving series 1, G-BEJD damaged its port engine on 14th May when the prop unit ‘auto feathered’. It was back in service 10th June. As a replacement, a Friendship I-MLVT was brought in from Miniliner to cover JEM144/145 for 10 nights. One of the two remaining SD.3-30s inherited from Streamline, G-SSWP was retired at Southend early in the year. In June Short SD.3-60 G-BMLC was purchased from Aurigny Air Services and placed into service, first visiting Liverpool on 21st June on a service from Coventry. Towards the end of the year (in October?), HS.748-2A ZS-ODJ arrived at Blackpool. However this not another purchase by Emerald, but brought to Blackpool by sales brokers Clewer Aviation for servicing. Pskovavia again provided an An-26, this time RA-26120, based at Liverpool 15th September to 31st October, mainly used on Liverpool to Dublin operations. It was replaced by another Antonov An-26, this one leased from Raf Avia, with YL-RAE being used from 2nd November, based at Liverpool, mainly operating JEM366 to Dublin. It was returned after the JEM366/367 run on 31st January 2004.

A number of contracts were won during 2003, but there was worrying indications regarding some of Emerald’s core business from Liverpool. From 27th January Emerald took over the Titan mail flight from Stansted, also using a SD.3-60 as JEM876/875. On behalf of Air France Cargo a SD.360 operated Coventry to Paris/CdG, while on behalf of Air Contractors a HS.748 operated Dublin to Stansted. By June, as well as the regular ‘out-stationed’ HS.748 at Bournemouth, there were 2 based at Paris/CdG. Emerald aircraft operated on a regular basis around Europe. The newspaper contract between Liverpool and Dublin was won back from Channel Express in mid summer. However, in September a major press release from the Royal Mail confirmed that the Liverpool Airport night mail ‘hub’ would cease in early ’04. Bad news for both Airport and Emerald, negotiations involving Airport, local MPs, Union Representatives and the RM saved some flights for a while.

However, an Emerald announcement in September looked towards a bright future, with an agreement signed to acquire 7 BAe.ATPs over a two year period. The first could enter service as early as January 2004, with some being operated in passenger configuration, while others would have a large freight door fitted. The aircraft would feature a new livery for the Airline too. The ATPs would replace some of the HS.748s, with up to 3 likely to be retired in the first half of 2004.

2004 - NEW IMAGE, NEW AIRCRAFT, NEW SCHEDULES

The first 3 BAe.ATPs to arrive were previously operated by Air Wisconsin for United Express and had been in store at Kingman, Arizona. N856AW (to be G-JEMC) arrived Blackpool 21st December 2003, N854AW (to be G-JEMA) on 12th January and a somewhat delayed N855AW (to be G-JEMB) on 17th March 2004. The ferry route flown was Kingman-Duluth-Goose Bay-Keflavik-Blackpool. Two others were ferried Dhaka-Karachi-Baku-Kiev-Prague-Blackpool, having formerly been operated by Bangladesh Biman, arriving Blackpool 25th January (to become G-JEMD & G-JEME). The first two from the USA would be fitted as passenger aircraft, the third as a freighter, although with normal passenger doors, while the two former Bangladesh aircraft left Blackpool in July and August for large freight door conversion at Bucharest. They were anticipated to return during December, but this proved wildly optimistic. Later in the year it was announced that a further aircraft would be leased from British Aerospace (G-BTPH, to be G-JEMF) already placed on the LFD conversion line at Bucharest.

All 14 of their HS.748s continued in service all year, although the sole remaining series 1, G-BEJD was slated for retirement, this did not occur until early 2005. The HS.748 fleet was supplemented with a Raf Avia Antonov An-26 YL-RAE to the end of January 2004. Another was leased for three months, with YL-RAD arriving on 12th September and departing on 13th December, mainly in use on the JEM910/911 Dublin freight. Other An-26s used were a Jet Line International of Moldovia aircraft, ER-AFM used sometime around November the service Liège-Eindhoven-Coventry, but did not call at Liverpool. However their ER-AFN was used from Liverpool, mainly on the Dublin run 12th December to 23rd December, taking over from the Raf Avia machine.

Sole retirement from the fleet during the year was a Short SD.3-60 G-SSWO withdrawn from use at Blackpool on 5th September.

Apart from the arrival of the ATPs, main fleet news centred on a smart new colour scheme to be progressively applied across the whole fleet. The predominantly white scheme had multiple green patches on the tail, with ‘Emerald Airways’ titles in lower case. The new website address for scheduled services was www.flyjem.com (now a dead link) was applied low on the rear fuselage. Both passenger ATPs, G-JEMA and G-JEMC were painted in the new scheme in April and March respectively. SD.3-60 G-SSWX became G-JEMX on repaint April 2004, while HS.748 G-BGMO appeared from the spray-shop in December.

It became clear early in the year that Emerald were interested in quickly putting their ATPs into scheduled passenger service, well ahead of the type being introduced into the freighter role. The position on the Liverpool to Isle of Man route had changed since the previous time Emerald operated scheduled services on the route 1996-1999. Manx who then had been the dominant airline and considered the Manx Airline of choice, with superior equipment (ATPs and BAe.146s) had now been taken over by BA CitiExpress (February 2002), who had progressively pulled off the IoM routes. Eventually they also cut-out the Liverpool to IoM route on 29th March 2004, leaving only EuroManx with Beech 1900Ds, partly replaced by ATR-42s once CitiExpress ceased services. Emerald were not ready in February, nor in March, so EuroManx had time to establish themselves as sole operator during April. However, Emerald opened bookings in early May and commenced services on 10th May 2004. By this time both passenger ATPs were in service at Liverpool, the honour of the first schedule falling to G-JEMA, operating the morning rotation JEM300/301. Frequency quickly built up during May from three to four and by June a regular five rotations per day. In June 20,000 seats were released at £37 return, £18.50 single, including taxes and charges, a rate that well under-cut EuroManx. During the summer the scheduled service became well established and created growth on the route. Five rotations a day were flown, although later in the year (September?) the timetable was amended so that the first rotation of the day was from the Isle of Man. By the end of 2004 CitiExpress had carried 18,577 passengers in the first 3 months of the year, EuroManx 113,637 throughout the whole year and Emerald 71,448 in just the last six and half months; an annual total of 203,662 up near 14% on the previous year. Other charter work for the passenger ATPs was sought, although took a while to materialise. One regular operation was a weekly I/T charter, Birmingham to Jersey and return on a Saturday afternoon, operated weekly from 5th June to 4th September.

While matters looked good on the scheduled services, with plans announced in June predicting a further two aircraft from September and destinations from Liverpool to the likes of Southampton, Dublin, Jersey, Edinburgh, Cork and London/Gatwick all considered possible. This optimistic programme of development soon slipped to summer ’05.

On the freight side of the Company, the year did not start so well, with a redundancy warning in January due to the loss of nearly all Royal Mail contracts from mid January, with gap before other freight contracts could be secured. From Monday 12th January only two mail contracts remained, JEM40M/43M from and to the Isle of Man, and JEM41M/42M now to and from Edinburgh rather than Belfast as before. Although the newspaper contracts had long passed their zenith, continued changes in the industry due to digital presses now meant that all British papers were also printed in Ireland. The Belfast newspaper flight JEM900 last operated 9th March 2004, while the last Dublin newspaper flight JEM366 operated 22nd March 2004. Irish Sea freighter flights from Liverpool continued at a rate of six a day, four days a week.

A new scheduled freight service between Coventry and Jersey commenced March 22nd with a Short SD.3-60, with the aim of quickly developing the service through HS.748 to BAe.ATP sized aircraft and running a parallel service Coventry to Guernsey. With a base at Paris well established, plans were well advanced to have aircraft at Marseille, Vienna, Prague and Pisa too. Central to these plans was the introduction of the BAe.ATP-LFD. The programme was slipping though, despite having one (G-JEMB) being prepared at Blackpool as small entrance door freighter, and three at Bucharest for LFD conversion (G-JEMD & G-JEME, plus G-JEMF formerly G-BTPH on lease from British Aerospace). Nearly a year after delivery of some of the airframes, they were still some time away from being ready for service.

2005 – FINAL FULL YEAR OF OPERATIONS

With an increasing commitment to providing services for TNT around Europe, further An-26s were leased-in with a Latvian Raf Avia example, YL-RAD for a week and a half in January, followed by Aero Charter International of the Ukraine’s UR-DWA from mid January to the end of February, being replaced by UR-DWB until mid April 2005. The oldest HS.748 in the fleet, indeed the only Avro 748-1 surviving, was retired from service at Liverpool on 18th February having arrived on JEM916 from Dublin. It was ferried to Blackpool 13th March for storage and spares recovery. Later in the G-BIUV, the HS.748-2A LFD was ferried from Liverpool to Blackpool 9th October for an extended overhaul, so leaving 12 in service over the winter 2005/06.

The two passenger BAe.ATPs, G-JEMA and G-JEMC continued to operate on the Euromanx flights to the Isle of Man from Liverpool, with Emerald flight and cabin-crew and in full Emerald colours and titling. At last, freighter-configured, G-JEMB entered service. It called at Liverpool on 13th January 2006 with a fault while positioning to Marseille to commence service on 14th. The delays continued with the three aircraft at Bucharest. By June delivery had slipped to December ’05 and March ’06, by the end of year delivery has slipped further to spring and summer ’06. G-JEMF, the aircraft earmarked to be leased from British Aerospace was painted in Emerald scheme at Bucharest (circa May ’05), but was delivered on 1st July 2005 to Atlantic Aviation at Coventry as G-BTPH, never entering service with Emerald.

Of the Shorts fleet, a further 2 were retired during 2005 and none acquired. SD.3-60 G-SSWE was withdrawn at Coventry 6th April and the sole remaining SD.3-30, G-SSWA withdrawn at Blackpool during December ’05 pending sale, so leaving 7 in service for winter 2005/06.

The Isle of Man passenger route from Liverpool was operated until the evening of 13th June. The battle for passengers with EuroManx continued. While Emerald had the slightly greater market share, yields were low and the number of passengers on the route had stabilised. Emerald and Euromanx jointly announcing an “agreement to bring some stability and strength to the route”. Wikipedia states that Euromanx bought-out Emerald’s services. Whatever the agreement made, it became clear that for a year, Emerald would provide an aircraft on wet-lease (with crews and maintenance) to EuroManx who would operate the route on their reservations system and flight numbers. Passenger charter work was also undertaken using the two BAe.ATPs, although building a customer base took a while. Football clubs were amongst the first to take advantage of the 64-seater aircraft. Portsmouth FC (flying out of Bournemouth) used Emerald for away games to Newcastle 11th November 2004 and Everton 4th January 2005, and Burnley FC for an away game at Norwich 28th December 2005. Occasional substitute flights were operated for Air Wales, A2B Airways and Air Southwest. As a footnote to the IoM scheduled service in 2005, Emerald carried 53,699 pax in six and half months, EuroManx 139,687 in total during the whole year and Aer Arann 16,074 in the final two months of the year. An annual total of 209,460 which was only 1% up on 2004, and a figure that has not been exceeded since, even with EasyJet on the route!

In January one of the Securicor contracts out of Liverpool ended. Although further inroads into the European market were made, with aircraft noted operating out of both Naples and Vittoria. Emerald applied for a scheduled cargo service between Bournemouth and Guernsey, which was granted. In March freight flights commenced from Bournemouth and Southampton to Jersey and Guernsey, although I’m not clear if these augmented or replaced the Coventry to Channel Islands operation.

Clearly 2005 was not the best of years for the company, with complications due to the delays in delivery of the BAe.ATP-LFD aircraft, withdrawal from the scheduled service market and tough competition driving down contract bid-prices across Europe. The airline made a loss during 2005, although this was reversed back into profit 2006.

2006 – THE FINAL FEW MONTHS OF OPERATIONS

By 2006 employed some 250 people, with a Company annual turn-over of some £25m per year. The Chairman was Andrew James; Chief Executive, Michael O’Brien; Director, Hilary Janes; Engineering Manager, John Jacques; and Commercial Executive, Trevor Caplis. The Airline operated out of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, with aircraft operationally based at Dublin, Belfast, Isle of Man, Bournemouth, Coventry, London Luton, Paris and Eindhoven – from where flights cover destinations throughout Europe and the Mediterranean basin. In-house maintenance is performed by Emerald Aircraft Engineering Ltd, a JAR145 approved Company, with facilities at Blackpool and Coventry. Quite an achievement in less than 20 years. From a single aircraft in North West England in 1988 to a peak of some 25 turbo-prop aircraft operating throughout Europe in 2005.

The passenger fitted BAe.ATPs were still employed for EuroManx on the Isle of Man schedules, now operating nearly the whole service (until late autumn 2005 some flights operated by Dash 8-300 aircraft). A further Irish Sea flight ceased, JEM221/222 last operating 13th January.

HS.748-2A G-BVOV over-ran the runway at Guernsey 8th March, however sustained little damage, returning to Liverpool the following day. BAe.ATP G-JEMC had to divert back to Liverpool on passenger flight EMX424 on 25th March due to smoke in the cockpit. Both incidents became subject to AAIB investigation.

On 5th May 2006 came the shock announcement that the C.A.A. had suspended the Airline’s AOC. Operational flying ceased immediately. The lack of income forced backers Barclays Bank and their management company KPMG into action, so despite being a profitable company, Emerald Airways entered administration in the hands of KPMG on 11th May. The AOC finally being revoked at the request of the administrators on 7th August, when it became clear that they could neither sell the airline, nor attract an investor. There is a highly enlightening post by Andy Janes regarding the actions of Barclays Bank in bringing about the end of Emerald Airways, on: www.pprune.org/freight-dogs/324869-janes-aviation.ltd.html (and now can also be found as reply post # 17 on page 2 of this thread).

Two of the fleet were impounded by the Authorities at Liverpool Airport, ATP G-JEMA and HS.748 G-BGMN. Initially on the main apron, they were moved on 17th July to the far end of Yankee, on the former spur taxiway, to create space. The ATP was ferried to Blackpool on 17th November, the HS.748 followed on 23rd November. Eventually most of the fleet were brought together at either Blackpool or Coventry and sold to PTB (Emerald) PTY of Australia. A few were sold on, many ‘parted-out’, with a couple still in storage and one eventually entering into preservation. An appendix on a following post will detail some of the final flights and subsequent fates of the fleet.

An unanticipated and inglorious end to a company that was both one of the longer-lived and certainly one of the larger aviation concerns based at Liverpool Airport in the post WWII period. This has been an attempt to record aspects of the Liverpool history of the Company, with reference to what was happening elsewhere, when known. Perhaps someday someone will write a proper story of the Company, the people who made it work and of their aircraft.

[viscount]

EMERALD’S, HS.748 FLEET:
The first 7 aircraft, G-ATMI, G-ATMJ, G-BEJD, G-BEJE, G-BEKE, G-BPDA & G-BIUV were all purchased 
and operated by Janes Aviation Ltd until the name change 9.93
.
Regn.  Mark Init.Del.  Del.for service  Fate & Comment
.
G-ATMI  2A  21.07.92E  22.06.93L  To BPL 14.5.99 for storage, later broken-up
G-ATMJ  2A  22.07.92E  23.06.93L  ISOC  
G-AVXI  2A     10.98S    ---      never entered service, broken-up 10.01
G-AVXJ  2A     10.98E    ---      never entered service, broken-up, now a diving attraction in a Somerset lake
G-AYIM  2A* 28.06.94E  28.12.94L  ISOC
G-AYYG  2A  pur 9.96S  11.11.96L   ---  Later became G-OSOE 11.97 qv
G-BEJD  1   pur 7.92M  17.07.92B  to Blackpool 13.04.05 for storage 
G-BEJE  1   pur 7.92M  18.07.92B  to Blackpool 17.1.97 for storage, later broken-up
G-BEKE  1   pur 7.92   14.10.92B  retired at Liverpool 24.7.93, broken up 2.95
G-BGMN  2A  21.11.98S  09.01.99L  ISOC (entered service 30.4.99)
G-BGMO  2A* 21.02.96E  06.05.96L  ISOC
G-BIUV  2A* pur 7.92      09.92   to Blackpool 9.10.05 for storage
G-BMFT  2A          S  17.02.98L   ---  Later became G-OPFW 7.98 qv
G-BPDA  2A     10.91E     11.91B   ---  Much later became G-ORAL 8.99 qv
G-BVOU  2A  30.06.94B  07.08.98L  ISOC
G-BVOV  2A* 12.07.94B  12.05.95L  ISOC
G-DAAL  1A             04.10.93L  to Blackpool 15.10.96 for storage, later broken-up
G-EMRD  2B* pur 3.96E  04.11.96L  to Southend 09.04.99 for sale, to RSA became ZS-PLO
G-OJEM  2B* pur 3.96E  25.04.96L  Written-off Stansted 31.03.98 and broken-up
G-OPFW  2A    ---      08.07.98L  ISOC  formerly G-BMFT with Emerald
G-ORAL  2A    ---      19.08.99L  ISOC  formerly G-BPDA with Janes/Emerald
G-ORCP  2A  22.10.02B  22.01.03L  ISOC 
G-OSOE  2A    ---      20.11.97L  ISOC  formerly G-AYYG with Emerald
G-OTBA  2A  22.10.00S  04.05.01L  ISOC
G-SOEI  2A     02.98E  08.04.98L  ISOC
. 
For the subsequent fates of those aircraft ISOC May 2006, see post #8
.
ABREVIATIONS:
.
Date suffix shows delivery into: B=Blackpool  E=Exeter  L=Liverpool  M= at Manchester  S=Southend 
ISOC = In Service on Closure of Company May 2006.
‘*’ = at some stage in period 9.94 to 5.99 operated in passenger configuration.
G-BIUV is series 2A LFD – fitted with a large freight door.
.
HS.748 AIRCRAFT OUT OF SERVICE FOR A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD:
.
G-ATMI  Acquired then stored Exeter 7.92 to 6.93.   
        Damaged, runway incident Liverpool 17.8.96, reflown 20.5.97
G-ATMJ  Acquired then stored Exeter 7.92 to 6.93.  
        Stored at Exeter 7.8.96 to 15.9.97.  
        Damaged, engine fire IoM 11.04.02, return to service 21.11.02
G-AVXI  stored, never entered service, eventually broken-up
G-AVXJ  stored, never entered service, eventually broken-up
G-BIUV  maintenance in No.1 hangar Liverpool 26.10.95, ret to service 26.3.96 after re-spray
        Taken out of service 9.10.05 at Blackpool, still stored awaiting maintenance 5.06
G-BVOU  although acquired 6.94 was initially stored, del to LPL for service 7.8.98
G-BVOV  although acquired 6.94 was initially stored, del to LPL for service 12.5.95.  
        Damaged, incident at Dublin 28.4.00, returned to service 5.7.00
G-EMRD  acquired 1.96 as G-HDBD, initially stored, del to Liverpool for service as G-EMRD 4.11.96
. 


COLOUR SCHEMES WORN ON EMERALD’S HS.748 FLEET
.
Aircraft listed in order of entry into active service. Date is month of delivery in that scheme.
.
G-BPDA  11.91  white, red cheat; 3.94 Emerald 1st; 2.95 Reed Avn 1st; 8.99 G-ORAL Reed Avn 2nd.
G-BEJD  07.92  white top; 12.94 Reed Avn 1st. Retired 4.05.
G-BEJE  07.92  overall red, yellow trim and ‘Skynet’ titles. Retired 1.97.
G-BEKE  10.92  former Dan Air cheats & tail, no titles or logo. Retired 7.93.
G-BIUV* 10.92  white top; 12.93 Emerald 1st; 3.96 Emerald 2nd. Retired 10.05.
G-ATMI  06.93  Reed Avn 1st. Retired 05.99.
G-ATMJ  06.93  white top; 9.97 Emerald 2nd.
G-DAAL  10.93  white top; Retired 10.96.
G-AYIM* 12.94  Emerald 2nd.
G-BVOV* 05.95  Emerald 2nd.
G-OJEM* 04.96  Emerald 2nd.  w/o 31.03.98
G-BGMO* 05.96  Emerald 2nd; 12.04 Emerald 3rd.
G-EMRD* 11.96  Emerald 2nd. Departed 4.99, then sold as ZS-PLO.
G-AYYG  11.96  basic Mt.Cook scheme; 11.97 G-OSOE blue Securicor Omega scheme; 4.05 amended.
G-BMFT  02.98  white top, grey undersides; 07.98 G-OPFW overall red, Parcelforce titles.
G-SOEI  04.98  basic Mt.Cook scheme.
G-BVOU  08.98  Lynx Parcels scheme & titles.
G-BGMN  01.99  white top, pale grey undersides.
G-OTBA  05.01  basic Tongan red cheat and tail.
G-ORCP  01.03  all white.
.
ABBREVIATIONS & KEY
.
After regn ‘*’ = at some stage operated in passenger configuration in period 9.94 to 5.99
.
‘Emerald 1st’  = white overall, small single green gemstone on tail. 
                    ‘Emerald’ titles G-BIUV.  No titles G-BPDA.
‘Emerald 2nd’  = larger single green gemstone on tail, twin green cheat lines below windows, 
 aka 'Emerald old'  ‘Emerald Airways’ titles above windows
‘Emerald 3rd’  = multiple square green patches on tail, ‘Emerald Airways’ titles in lower case 
 aka 'Emerald new'  (applied to the BAe.ATPs, HS.748-2A G-BGMO and SD.3-60 G-JEMX).
‘Reed Avn 1st’ = thin green & red full length fuselage cheats, ‘Reed Aviation’ on cabin roof
 aka 'Reed old'      'paper dart' logo on fin
‘Reed Avn 2nd’ = altered green & red cheatlines, ‘Reed’ in much larger lettering on rear fuselage
 aka 'Reed new'     'paper dart' logo on fin
.
Other colour schemes are all customised ‘one offs’ as described.
. 
INDIVIDUAL AIRCRAFT NAMES Usually carried on one side of the nose only.
.
G-ATMI ”Old Ben”            First noted 7.93 soon after re-paint into Reed Aviation scheme.  
                              Presumed still named when retired from service 5.99.
G-BEJD ”John Case”          First noted 7.93 on an otherwise white aircraft.  Name survived 
                              re-paint into Reed Aviation scheme 12.94.  Still named mid ’95.  
                              By early 2000 (I would like to trace when) changed to: 
G-BEJD ”Sisypus”            Name still carried when retired from service April ’05.  Indeed still
                              worn when ‘JD brought back to Liverpool for preservation 10.11.
G-BIUV ”City of Liverpool”  First noted 23.2.94 on the initial ‘Emerald’ colour scheme.  
                              Name removed on re-paint into full ‘Emerald Airways’ scheme March ’96.
G-BPDA ”John J. Goodall”    Painted onto aircraft during re-paint into Reed Aviation scheme 
                              and returned to Liverpool 4.2.95. Worn until repaint and re-registered: 
G-ORAL ”The Paper Plane”    Named on repaint of G-BPDA into new Reed Aviation scheme 8.99.  
                              Still worn when Emerald ceased trading 6.06.
G-OJEM ”Tashy’s Kite”       Officially named at a ceremony, Isle of Man, 27th April 1996.  
                              Destroyed in take-off incident and fire, Stansted 31st March 1998.
G-SSWE ”Laura”              Reported early 2005 onwards.

[viscount]

EMERALD’S SHORT SD.3-30 and SD.3-60 FLEET:

 
Regn.   Type     Arrival    Departed  Comment
G-BMLC  360-200  21.06.03L  04.02.05  withdrawn from use at Coventry
G-JEMX  360-200             ISOC      formerly G-SSWX re-regd on re-paint into full Emerald colours 04.04
G-OBHD  360-200  08.11.01L  ISOC      when out of service Blackpool prior to pwfu at Coventry
G-ROND  360-100  27.11.01L  ISOC
G-SSWA  330-200  ISOT          12.05  withdrawn from use at Blackpool, sold 
G-SSWB  360-100  ISOT       ISOC
G-SSWC  360-200  ISOT       ISOC
G-SSWE  360-200  ISOT       06.04.05  withdrawn from use at Coventry
G-SSWM  360-100  ISOT       ISOC      when out of service, Coventry
G-SSWO  360-100  ISOT       05.09.04  withdrawn from use at Blackpool
G-SSWP  330-200  ISOT       early.03  withdrawn from use at Southend 
G-SSWR  360-100  ISOT       ISOC      when out of service, Coventry
G-SSWX  360-200  ISOT                 Later became G-JEMX qv
. 
ISOT = In service on take-over of Streamline Aviation 1st September 2002
ISOC = In service on closure of Emerald May 2006

Subsequent fates of those in service May 2006 are on post #8.

SHORTS FLEET COLOUR SCHEMES

G-BMLC  Grey and red cheats through window linw and up tail
G-OBHD  Thin green cheatlines well below windows; later all white
G-ROND  Dark blue underside
G-SSWA (330) Blue & narrower red cheatlines, well below windows, red tails with blue lower part.
G-SSWB  Mid-blue and yellow cheats below windows, sweeping up tail
G-SSWC  as G-BMLC
G-SSWE  Wide blue line through windows, yellow line below.  Streamline 'knot' logo on tail.
G-SSWM  Multiple blue cheatlines below windows
G-SSWO  As G-SSWB, but with small Streamline logo on nose
G-SSWP (330)  - no notes -.
G-SSWR  As G-SSWM
G-SSWX  three cheatlines below windows, top 2 red, lower black. White tail; reregd as G-JEMX & repainted 4.04 into Emerald 3rd.

EMERALD’S BAe.ATP FLEET

G-JEMA* 12.01.04B  09.05.04L  ISOC
G-JEMB  17.03.04B  13.01.05L  ISOC
G-JEMC* 21.12.03B  16.03.04L  ISOC
G-JEMD  25.01.04B             LFD fitted Bucharest 8.7.04 to .. .05.06B Never entered service though.
G-JEME  25.01.04B             LFD fitted Bucharest 9.8.04 to beyond May ’06, never entered service
G-JEMF                        painted, but never entered service.  LFD fitted Bucharest. 
                              Lsd to Atlantic Airlines 01.07.05 arr COV.

[/size]

AIRCRAFT LEASED-IN/CHARTERED BY EMERALD for more than a week
Where an aircraft operated through Liverpool, the dates are known, only more approximate dates are given for aircraft used elsewhere on the network.

 
F-GKHA  HS.748-2A   Heliglobe Finet 03.12.95 to 22.12.95 due aircraft shortage
C-FDOX  HS.748-2A   LFD Air Inuit   14.07.00 to 28.12.00 due aircraft shortage
YL-RAA  An-26       Raf Avia        15.01.01 to 04.06.01 due aircraft shortage
G-CEXD  Friendship  Channel Express 04.06.01 to 26.07.01 due aircraft shortage
G-BNIZ  Friendship  Channel Express 31.07.01 to 06.09.01 due aircraft shortage                                               
G-BLCP  SD.3-60     Aero Condor?    19.03.01 to 30.03.01 to op a temporary contract
RA-26134 An-26B     Pskovavia       02.04.01 to 12.04.01 to op a temporary contract 
YL-RAB  An-26       Raf Avia        01.10.01 to 23.12.01 due aircraft shortage
LZ-SFH  An-26       Air Sofia       01.11.01 & 30.11.01 to 06.12.01 due AOG
RA-25044 An-26      Pskovavia       2 weeks mid 3.02, 06.+ 07.02, mid 9.02, 9.11.02 to 16.11.02 & 30.11.02 
                                    mostly due AOG. 
G-SSWO/R SD.3-60s   Streamline      for mid summer .02 on a mail contract
I-MLVT  Friendship  Miniliner       21.05.03 to 30.05.03 due AOG
RA-26120 An-26      Pskovavia       15.09.03 to 31.10.03 due aircraft shortage
YL-RAE  An-26       Raf Avia        02.11.03 to 31.01.04 due aircraft shortage
YL-RAD  An-26       Raf Avia        12.09.04 to 13.12.04 & 05.01.05 to 14.01.05, to supplement HS.748s
YL-RAB  An-26       Raf Avia        08.10.04 to 09.10.04 temporary replaced YL-RAD
ER-AFM  An-26       Jet Line Intl.  circa Nov.04 operating Liege-Eindhoven-Coventry only
ER-AFN  An-26       Jet Line Intl.  12.12.04 to 23.12.04, to supplement HS.748 fleet
UR-DWA  An-26       Aero-Charter    17.01.05 to 01.03.05, to supplement HS.748 fleet
UR-DWB  An-26       Aero-Charter    28.02.05 to 17.04.05, to supplement HS.748 fleet
.
Also, from 27th April 1998 until 23rd December 2003, daily use of a Channel Express Friendship from Liverpool, 
aircraft involved changed daily.
Also, regular use on a day-to-day basis of an Aer Arran SD.3-60, probably from early 2000, ended 09.02.01.
AOG = Air On Ground

[viscount]

JANES AVIATION LTD IN 2008

[/size][/center]
Now free from Emerald and KPMG, Andy James set about re-establishing himself in the aviation industry. After much paperwork, on 28th April 2008, Janes Aviation Ltd was granted a Type A Operating Licence and Air Operator’s Certificate by the C.A.A., so could start business again. The registered office was at Benfleet and home-base airport was Southend. Several of the former Emerald HS.748 aircraft were acquired, and a new website established at www.janesaviation.co.uk (now a dead link). Using contacts and experience gained in the past, Andy James headed for Liverpool Airport and the Irish Sea market, where no one had stepped-in on Emerald’s demise (although a An-26 freighter to the Isle of Man did operate from Blackpool for a couple of months). HS.748-2A G-AYIM arrived at Liverpool from Southend, Tuesday 8th July 2006 at 18:33 in a glossy, smart all-white scheme with bright blue ‘Janes Aviation’ on fuselage, engines and diagonally up tail. An all-white G-OSOE arrived from Blackpool on Friday 18th at 13:00.

First revenue flight occurred on Sunday morning, 27th July as JAN601/601P, to and from Isle of Man, quite possibly with newspapers, using G-OSOE. Some crew training was undertaken at Liverpool during August. A short series of regular Isle of Man freight flights commenced on Monday 29th September. JAN361 left Liverpool at around 07:15 each weekday morning, returning as JAN245 around 18:40. The service only lasted for 7 days, ending evening of Tuesday 7th October. All flights operated by G-AYIM. It appears that despite returning to a market that he knew well, only poor loads had been generated, with a lack of commitment shown by previous customers, after initial positive interest. G-AYIM departed for Blackpool on Friday 10th September at 14:32, followed by G-OSOE on Tuesday 14th at 10:23. Both aircraft subsequently returned to Southend, later joined by G-SOEI there. By summer 2011 G-SOEI was being parted out, the other two parked-up, apparently still in reasonable condition.

Janes Aviation Ltd (in 2008)

Regn    Type       Del for JAN service     Delivery dates post JAN ops.
G-AYIM  HS.748-2A  20.03.08S  08.07.08L    10.09.08B  02.03.09S  Alloc. N687AP 2011
G-OSOE  HS.748-2A             18.07.08L    14.09.08B  24.02.09S
G-SOEI  HS.748-2A                                     17.08.09S for ‘parting-out’ as N748D 2011
Delivery to:  S= Southend  L= Liverpool  B=Blackpool

[viscount]

FLEET DISPERSAL & DISPOSAL FOLLOWING SHUT-DOWN, MAY 2006

BAe.ATP Aircraft
.
G-JEMA IoM-LPL on EMX404 4th, LPL-BLK 17.11.06      Still stored inside at Blackpool 2013 in Emerald green
G-JEMB to Blackpool                                 To Atantic Airlines 2.07 as G-OAAF
G-JEMC LPL-IoM on EMX411 4th                        Later to Coventry, still stored there 2011
G-JEMD at BLK, never entered service                To PK-DGA, del ex Coventry 28.07.09
G-JEME at Bucharest, delivered to Kemble 10.07      To PK-DGI, del ex Coventry 06.08.09
.
NB The BAe.ATP in the fire practise compound at Blackpool 2011, is from BAe Chadderton (C/no: 2073), not a 
former Emerald aircraft.
.
HS.748 Aircraft
.
G-ATMJ at Blackpool on ‘C’ check                    Broken-up Blackpool 3/4.09
G-AYIM Kortrijk-COV 4th, COV-BLK 24.11.06           To Janes at Southend 20.03.08, stored there 2011
G-BEJD pwfu at Blackpool since 13.3.05              To Liverpool by road for SAHG preservation 10.11
G-BGMN IOM-LPL on JEM245 4th, LPL-BLK 23.11.06      Sold, to S2-ADW dep 11.05.07
G-BGMO BOU-BLK as JEM888Q 5th                       Sold, to S2-AAX, dep 25.04.08
G-BIUV at Blackpool since 9.10.05, out of service   Sold, to 3X-GEW, 5Y-BXT, dep 12.03.09
G-BVOU LPL-BFS-BLK as JEM916A 4th                   Broken-up, Blackpool mid 2009
G-BVOV LPL-IoM-BLK JEM40M 4th                       Cut-up 5.09 and sunk 23.09.10 in a lake, Capernwray
G-OPFW BOU-BLK JEM910P 4th                          Broken-up, Blackpool summer .09),  Nose to Millom.
G-ORAL LPL-DUB-BLK JEM911 4th                       Broken-up, Blackpool 3/4.09, nose section preserved
G-ORCP at Coventry, COV-BLK 23.11.06                Sold, to S2-AEE 5.07
G-OSOE Marseille-BLK as JEM197Q 5th                 To Southend 24.02.09, stored there 2011.
G-OTBA at Blackpool out of service                  Broken-up, Blackpool 3/4.09.  Nose to W.Yorks Fire 
                                                    Service HQ, Birkenshaw
G-SOEI NCL-BLK JEM04P 4th                           To Janes at Southend 17.08.09, parted-out 2011
'
NB HS.748-2A ZS-ODJ which arrived at Blackpool circa 10.03 (see text), but never owned by Emerald,
 was parked out with the Emerald aircraft post 5.06 and suffered a similar fate, being cut up and 
removed for scrap spring .09
.
Shorts SD.3-60 Aircraft
.
G-BMLC at Coventry since 4.2.05, awaiting overhaul  Broken-up, Coventry 07/08
G-OBHD at BLK out of service, to be wfu at Coventry Broken-up, Blackpool, just when?
G-ROND ABZ-BLK as JEM193Q 5th                       Broken-up Edinburgh 6.08, nose thought saved - where?
G-SSWA (SD.3-30) already wfu Blackpool 12.05        On dump at Blackpool 5.06, later scrapped.
G-SSWB to Coventry                                  To Southend 18.11.06, now G-TMRB
G-SSWC at Southend                                  To G-TMRA 11.06, scrapped Edinburgh 6.09
G-SSWE already pwfu Coventry 6.4.05                 Dismanted, to a Stoke-on-Trent School 30.03.09
G-SSWM at Coventry, out of service                  Broken-up, Coventry 07/08. Nose saved - to Liverpool 5.14.
G-SSWO already pwfu Blackpool 5.9.04                Dismantled 4.08, fuselage to Millom 10.04.08, now sunk in a quarry
G-SSWR at Coventry, out of service                  Broken-up, Coventry 07/08
G-JEMX ABZ-BLK as JEM950Q 5th                       To Southend 01.02.06, broken-up Southend 10.09.
. 
Do PM me with additions/corrections please. 

[RICEY]

thanks for that brian, was a very intresting read. always did like Emerald

[Cityflyer]

An excellent tribute to this local airline, finally there is a comprehensive history, and fleet data as well. Thank you for taking the time to compile the data.

Emerald images cab be found on my Flikr Group @ Emerald Airways pictures www.flickr.com/groups/emerald/

[ian531]

This is an impressive piece of work - well done

Ian

[avro748]

Brian you have been busy! It just took me the best part of an hour (including tea break) to read and inwardly digest that lot. A very in depth, accurate and authorative article (I can’t do it justice by simply calling it a ‘post’). Well done Brian.

I worked for Emerald from December 1997 until its demise in 2006. It was very hard work at times, with some long night duties. But I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Having worked on the ‘748 as an engineer at Chadderton and Woodford, flying the type with Emerald was very poignant for me.

Below is a selection of photos of Emerald/Janes ‘748’s over the years (I may well have posted some of these before; so appols in advance). Its not a complete set of all the ‘748’s operated by them; missing G-BEJE, G-DAAL and G-EMRD.

G-ATMI
Taken at Liverpool June 1993. Wearing Reed Aviation titles and named ‘Old Ben’. The second photo shows it in a very sorry state at Blackpool in November 2002. I believe it ended its days with the Airport Fire Service. As Brian has already mentioned, ‘MI was involved in an incident at Liverpool 17-08-96. The aborted take off was due to control restriction caused by the flying control locks not fully disengageing. This resulted in a modification to the fleet, which gave a red warning if take off was attempted with the locks in place. It also resulted in some changes to the SOP’s.





G-ATMJ
A weekend stop at Belfast was always a good time to get some photos of the fleet in daylight. You could expect to see three or four of the ‘748 fleet day stopping at Aldergrove. ‘MJ in the full Emerald scheme in January 2001.



G-AYIM
The photo was taken at Rome Fiumicino in March 2005. We had a contract to operate mail flights for the Italian Post Office between Rome and Naples, using Alitalia callsigns (AZA978P and 979P). This was the last ‘748 I flew. I was at Kortrijk in Belgium on the fatefull day (04-05-06). I got a message from Ops at Liverpool that we had to be back at Coventry by 2000Z, because the AOC was being suspended and all our aircraft grounded. I stopped the loading immediately, as we were now against the clock. The aircraft was partially loaded but with a fairly aft CG, the load was quickly redistributed. The final load figure was given to me, that figure was 1748kg!. We arrived on stand at Coventry at 1955Z. Game over!



G-BEJD
By the time I joined Emerald ‘JD was the only Series 1 on the fleet. When empty it was a delight to fly. The Series 1 had much lower operating weights than the Series 2A, but could be expected to carry the same payload as a 2A. The result was a compromise on fuel, you would obviously take your minimum fuel requirement but any more would impinge on the payload. So on foggy nights it wasn’t your first choice of aircraft. This photo was taken at Ronaldsway in April 2001. The Reed Aviation titles were removed in 2003.



G-BEKE
Wearing the basic Dan-Air scheme. It was photographed at Liverpool in June 1993. Note the broad chord rounded tip prop blades, a good recognition feature for a Series 1 (The 1A,2,2A and 2B have narrower blades with square tips). Also the rudder trim tab is shorter on a Series 1 rudder.



G-BGMN
Seen here at Nice, in November 2004. It never made it into the Emerald scheme. The South of France was a popular duty with the crews. You would start in Marseille in the evening, fly Marseille Le Bourget and back (JEM888/889). Then early next morning fly Marseille to Nice to day stop (JEM1974).



G-BGMO
The first photo was taken at Ronaldsway in June 1998 shows ‘MO still in PAX config (The airstairs at the back are a giveaway). The second photo is also at Ronaldsway taken in June 2002, ‘MO had by this time been converted to the freight role. Emerald held a competition within the company to design a new colour scheme. One of the First Officers won with the scheme seen in the final shot of ‘MO, which was taken at Bristol March 2005. It was being loaded for the Mail flight to Newcastle (JEM02M). These flights were very time critical and could cost the company thousands in penalties if they were not on time (only three minutes allowed before penalties were incurred).







G-BIUV
The only Large Freight Door equipped aircraft in the fleet. The LFD mod was done by Dan-Air at Manchester in the early eighties. Although modified with parts supplied by HSA/BAe it wasn’t quite the same as the ones installed on production aircraft at Chadderton. It was also the only one in the ‘748 freighter fleet with a (sometimes) serviceable autopilot. All Emerald pilots could hand fly very well! They had no choice. The photo of ‘UV is taken at Ronaldsway in May 2002. If you ever noticed something hanging down under the rear fuselage of a ‘748 whilst it was parked on the apron. It isn’t a tail steady; it’s just a metal pole with a metal loop on the end for removing the external control locks. Some crews used to hang it on the control lock bungies.



G-BMFT
Photographed at Liverpool April 1998, in the non-descript grey/white scheme. Things got rather better in the colour scheme department when it became G-OPFW later in 1998.



G-BPDA
This one became G-ORAL in August 1999. It is seen here at Blackpool in April 1992 with Janes Aviation. Note the Lynx motif on the fin.



G-BVOU
Photographed at Ronaldsway in August 2003. I had flown it in on the JEM43M in the morning with the mail and another crew was about to take it to Coventry that evening.



G-BVOV
Another one in the full Emerald scheme, being unloaded at Nice July 2005. ‘OV was once used on PAX services by Emerald, but was converted to a freighter during 1996. It was the ‘newest’ of the 2A’s and had more modern flight instruments, including an HSI and ADI. One of the concerns raised by the CAA was the lack of standardisation in the cockpit layout/instrument fit of the ‘748 fleet. The aircraft ages ranged from the Series 1 which was built back in the early sixties, to the two 2B’s which were built in the mid eighties. Virtually all leaving Woodford for different customers and built to that customers model number. This gave the flight crew and the engineers quite a few headaches. Channex had a similar problem with the Fk27’s, but put in place a program to upgrade all the Fk27 fleet to the same standard.



G-OJEM
One of the two passenger configured Series 2B’s that saw service with Emerald. Seen here departing on a passenger charter from Leeds in September 1997. Ironically it was departing Stansted on its way back to Leeds on March 31st 1998 when it suffered an un-contained engine failure. With runway still in front of him the Captain landed back on. Various pundits at the time said he should have continued the flight since the ‘748 is a performance category ‘A’ aeroplane. Continueing would have been possible and the correct action if it had been just a power loss on one engine. However, it is generally accepted now that if he had continued the departure the ensueing un-extinguisable fire would have burned the wing off before he could have returned to land.



G-OPFW
My personal favourite scheme. G-BMFT was reregistered G-OPFW (Parcel Force Worldwide) when the scheme was applied in July 1998. The Photo was taken at Aldergrove in April 1999 when it was still quite fresh and clean.



G-ORAL
This was G-BPDA repainted in a new Reeds scheme and reregistered G-ORAL (Reeds Aviation Ltd) in August 1999. The photo was taken at Cardiff in November 2000. The door from either ‘JD or more likely ‘MI was fitted temporarily whilst ‘AL’s door was repaired. The Royal Mail flights originally routed Cardiff-Bristol-Liverpool-Newcastle (JEM01M/02M/03M) with a reciprocal route southbound (JEM04M/05M/06M) at the same time. After initially dropping the Cardiff leg, the route was further rationalised to Bristol direct Newcastle (JEM02M) and Newcastle direct to Bristol (JEM04M).



G-ORCP
This aircraft arrived at Blackpool as ZS-OCF, photographed in November 2002 a month or so after its arrival at Blackpool. Following reregistration as G-ORCP it entered service with Emerald in February 2004. Photographed at Kortrijk in Belgium in April 2006.





G-OSOE
This aircraft originally entered service with Emerald as G-AYYG in November 1996. A year later it was repainted in the Securicor scheme and reregistered G-OSOE. The first photo was taken at Ronaldsway in March 2004. The second photo shows the blue cheatlines painted over and was taken at East Midlands in June 2005.





G-OTBA
Former Royal Tongan Airlines aircraft A3-MCA. It retained the basic Royal Tongan scheme throughout it service with Emerald and was registered G-OTBA in March 2001. Photographed at Pisa in December 2004. During 2004/2005 Emerald operated a feeder route for Fedex from Pisa to Milan Malpensa (JEM7045) and return (JEM8045).



G-SOEI
Formerly with Mount Cook Airlines it retained this scheme throughout its service with Emerald. It was registered G-SOEI in February 1998. Photographed at Berlin Templehof in April 2004 after a Fedex feeder flight from Paris (CDG) via Frankfurt to Berlin. Emerald were very keen to do work for Fedex and finally obtained a two year contract to provide two standby aircraft for the Fedex feeder operation at Paris (CDG). The standby required the aircraft to be airborne to any airfield in Europe within one hour of the initial call out, quite a tall order but the crews achieved it on most occasions. By late 2004 the standby contract had ended and Emerald were flying feeder routes for Fedex; Vienna-CDG-Vienna and Prague-CDG-Prague four nights a week.



I will post some photos of the ATP etc next week.

Cheers

Shaun

[Beemer]

A couple of photos of G-AYIM.

G-AYIM Hawker Siddeley HS.748 2A/27 by Beemer328i, on Flickr


G-AYIM Hawker Siddeley HS.748 2A-27. by Beemer328i, on Flickr

G-JEMC on approach at LPL.

G-JEMC BAe ATP by Beemer328i, on Flickr

G-JEMA stored at Blackpool.

G-JEMA BAe ATP by Beemer328i, on Flickr

[GHB]

Thank you, Brian and Shaun, for taking the time produce an excellent historical piece. Brian for the interesting and informative text, and Shaun for the photos and 'insider' view of things.

Regards Cliff

PS, Congratulations to Brian (or should it be Sir) on becoming 'Moderator', hope you don't have to give out too many 'detentions' or 'lines'.