A40-AB Sultan of Oman VIP Vickers VC-10 on approach to runway 23 at London Heathrow

On the eve of the Parliamentary vote on a third runway at London Heathrow, some memories of Heathrow's original third runway - 23 ;)
Blue sky on runway 23!
A40-AB - the Sultan of Oman's private Vickers VC-10-1103 is seen here on final approach to runway 23 at Heathrow, sometime around 1985. The view that I used to get from my back garden was quite tricky - I had about 5 seconds to get the right angle before the aircraft disappeared over the house!This must have been the last flying VC-10, as it was only retired to Brooklands Museum in 1987.

I was lucky to have lived right under the flight path of the London Heathrow cross-wind runway 23. Whenever we had a nice stormy south-westerly wind, you would start to hear the familiar sound of approaching aircraft. As we were around 4 miles out, aircraft would call out over the outer-marker just as they flew over the house.

VC-10 survivor A40-AB c/n 820 - Vickers VC-10-1103 - delivered new to British United Airways in October 1964 as G-ASIX. BUA merged with Caledonian in 1970 to form British Caledonian Airways, and the aircraft flew with Caledonian until the VC-10 fleet was replaced with Boeing 707s in 1974. The aircraft was sold to the Omani Government for VIP conversion for the Sultan's Royal Flight. The aircraft flew in this role registered A40-AB from 1975 until retirement in 1987. As the Sultan apparently was keen to see the aircraft preserved, a deal was struck with the Brooklands Museum in which the VC10 would return to its birthplace and remain there as a tribute to all the VC-10s that were built at the site. The aircraft was flown in from Heathrow on 6th July 1987.

A full history of A40-AB here: www.vc10.net/History/Individual/GASIX.html

Visit my VC-10 gallery here - full of superb images of a perfect plane! www.flickr.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/galleries/7215770818...

Taken with a Soviet made Zenith TTL camera and 300mm lens. A bit grainy but a nice angle to show off the lines oft he VC-10.

You can see a random selection of my aviation photos here: flickriver.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/random/

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / London / Southall (show map)

Taken on: May 12, 1983

Tags:

VC10

Vickers VC10

London Heathrow

A40-AB

Sultan of Oman

Oman

Omani Royal Flight

Runway 23 « less

Sets appears in: • Explored on Flickr • Heathrow in the 1980s more » • Heathrow Runway 23 • Aviation Scene 1983 • Vickers VC-10 « less

Groups appears in: • Aircraft • Flickritis: over 87,000 waiting for a vaccine. more » • 500 views + 20 faves - quality AND quantity • Aircraft Spotting • 1000 views + 40 faves - Quality AND Quantity • Plane Spotting • LHR: London Heathrow Airport • Aircraft: Classic Airliners • 250 views AND 10 faves - quality AND quantity • London LHR Airport • Southall • Planes & Airports • Heathrow - Plane Spotters • We Love Airplanes • "Exemplary Shots - Flickr's BEST! (Post 1 Award 3)" • Vickers Aircraft • London Airports - MEGA hub • british aircraft & aviation • Aviation Photography Group • The Hawker Siddeley Group & Associated Aircraft Companies. • Airlines - Extinct, Orphan, Former • Pre Digital Aviation • Executive Airliners (No Biz-jets!) • Aviation Worldwide • ALL AVIATION PHOTOS • Zenit Central • AVIATION ♥ PASSION! • The Heathrow Collection (LHR) • World Aviation Pics and Vids • Heathrow spotter's and photographer's • The Vickers VC10 Group • Planespotting in Britain • Plane Spotting [around the world] • London Airports • 10,000 Views Unlimited 10000 • in explore • Airlines: of the Persian Gulf • Aircraft: State/Gov't Air Transport • Aviones (Sin limite de grupos) • WorldAviation • Aircraft Addiction • Flickr Social • 10000 Views in a day • A V I A T I O N ✈ • Plane-Spotting • ALL JET AIRCRAFT ✈ • Plane in a Frame (unlimited upload) • Rare Aircraft Types • Airport: London | Heathrow [LHR/EGLL] • Aircraft faded glory • #1 The Aviation reference group • AWP # GOV & Presidential • Air transports Aviation [No Limit] • *** Aviation (No 30/60 Limit) *** • Aces in the sky • "Explore" Aviation • AWP # Vintage & Golden Years of Airlines [No 30/60 Limit] • SpottingLog - Aviation Photography • Aircraft Manufacturer # UK • British [No Limited] • London Aviation Photographers • The best photographs from around the world. • Airport # London • Heathrow [LHR/EGLL] UK (No Limited) • Old Aircraft, Old Planes (No 30/60 limit) • British Aviation Heritage • Air Flickr or Flickr Flight (No 30/60 Restriction) • 5 Million Aircraft Photos • Aircraft - Rolls Royce Powered • Aviation 1980-89 « less

Stats: 20,056 views / 25 comments