THE SIGHT & THE SOUND 6/6 : Flight onboard Amerer Air L-188 Electra OE-ILA from Edinburgh to Liege

Daniel’s Travel Log
This video is dedicated to my late friend Dieter Ramthun, who passed away tragically in 2016 and is the enhanced and remastered version of the video published earlier in 2017.
Dieter introduced me to Amerer Air, and to his friend, Thomas Walther, First Officer flying for this unique cargo operator of two Lockheed L-188 Electra and one Fokker F-27 Friendship, based in Linz, Austria.
Amerer Air signed contracts to sell off their L-188 OE-ILA and OE-ILB. OE-ILB was already grounded in April, 2006, leaving OE-ILA the last Electra to fly for Amerer.
If ever, then the last chance, to fly the legendary Electra once again, was right now.
Who was I to refuse another irresistable offer from Amerer Air to join another rotation from Liege to Edinburgh and back in the final week of flight operations of Amerer Air’s Electra ?
However, haunted by tough luck, my old Opel Omega broke down this very evening, when I was about to leave Mainz for Liege.
Luckily Thomas rearranged my schedule for the next day provided my jump seat would not be needed by another flight crew member.
This documentary takes us on board another rotation from Liege, Belgium, the TNT-Hub to deliver cargo to Edinburgh, Scotland.
Again we spent a short and restless night in the crew lounge meeting cargo crews from all over the world, including young female crews, operating the Russian TU-204 for an Egyptian operator, as well as crews from illustrious Atlantic Airways, as well as from Iceland Air, TNT and many others.
I learned the hard way the month before that unauthorized filming on ramp side was strictly forbidden at Liege Airport.
Therefore I obtained the official permission to take pictures on the ramp from the Chief Officer of Public Relations of Liege Airport well before arriving by train and taxi around midnight from Mainz.
However, I forgot to take into account that getting a filming permission from TNT was an entire different matter.
So again, it took hours of persuasion and negotiation and telephoning back and forth to allow me to take some pictures of the operating Amerer Air L-188 on ramp side.
This video is filmed with brand new HDV equipment by that time, and features probably the only footage of Amerer L-188 aircraft in HD quality.
This documentary takes us on board the return flight from Edinburgh, Scotland to the TNT-hub in Liege, Belgium with a full cargo load, on Thomas’ final flight for Amerer and just one week before Amerer sold off OE-ILA to Buffalo Airways.
Enjoy with me the Sights & Sounds of Classic Aviation.
Thank you for watching my channel.
History of Lockheed 188CF Electra OE-ILA
Airframe 1145 was manufactured 1961 and delivered to Western Airlines, registered N9746C on February 9, 1961.
N9746C was converted to L-188AF in January, 1969 and sold to Jetair, Canada on March 30, 1971, registered CF-IJJ.
CF-IJJ was sold to William Edde and registered N5767 on June 1, 1971 and on August 17, 1971 back to Western Airlines, reregistered N9746C on October 19, 1971.
N9746C was stored at Las Vegas and sold to Nordic Air A-S, Norway on August 17, 1972,
registered LN-MOI.
LN-MOI was sold to Fred Olsen in November, 1973 and registered LN-FOH.
LN-FOH was leased to Air de Cologne in February, 1988.
LN-FOH was sold to Amerer Air, based in Linz, Austria on September 20, 1997 and registered OE-ILA on March 2, 1998.
OE-ILA performed her final flight for Amerer Air in May, 2006 and was ferried on May 25, 2006
to Vienna for sale.
OE-ILA was cancelled on June 9, 2006 and sold to Buffalo Airways, Yellowknife, Canada, registered C-GLBA on August 31, 2006.
Both Electra’s C-GLBA and C-FBAQ have been used for cargo and bulk fuel transport, as well as aerial firefighting.
No recent activities reported in 2021.
Flight details
Flight : TAY 26H
Date : Thursday, May 18, 2006
Aircraft : L-188CF Electra
Registration : OE-ILA
Former Registrations :
N9746C (Western Airlines)
CF-IJJ (Jetair, Canada)
N5767 (William Eddie)
LN-MOI (Nordic Air, Norway)
LN-FOH (Fred Olsen, Air de Cologne)
Later Registration
C-GLBA (Buffalo Airlines, Canada)
Built : 1961
From : Edinburgh (EDI)
To : Liege (LGG)
Take off : 21.19 h (2019 UTC)
Touch down : 00.05 h (2205 UTC)
Flying time : 1 hour 46 minutes
Flying distance : 574 nM / 1.063 km
Altitude : 17.000 / 18.000 ft
Speed : 330 knots
Flight Captain : Meixner, Alexander
First Officer : Walther, Thomas
Flight Engineer : Wittenbeck, Konstantin

[@PurpleDreki]

One of the most rugged and beautiful birds ever built!

[@JoseHernandez-xn6tp]

I love those Lockheed Electra 188. Flown on Air Florida in the mid 1970’s inter Florida route and those engines sound were music to my ears 👂

[@timmotel5804]

Good Day. I loved every minute of this video. I have flown on these with American Airlines when I was a kid. My dad worked for American Airlines. Beautiful Airplane. Love the Sound. Thank You for presenting this flight and to the flight crew. Excellent. Beat Regards

[@MrAvjones]

I've flown in these, but they were call P3 Orion, military version.

[@kimobailey2926]

I flew. one across the Atlantic in 1959 I will never forget the sound of propellers , I was 3.

[@RF_NY1]

Never flew in one, a bit past my time, but I did get to see one in action several times back in the very late 80's in Ecuador, operated by "TAME". It would appear maybe once a week on a route mostly covered by an F28 or 727.

[@24062004Fidel]

Vielen Dank !

[@mahakrisna7468]

I love this video👍

[@lewiskemp5893]

My mom flew on them as a stewardess for Eastern airlines. It was her favorite with the Connie a close second

[@johngriecosr8723]

I may have seen this aircraft when it went into service with Western Airlines, if it was at LAX. I grew up in El Segundo, California. I loved those L-188's and all the derivatives afterwords.

[@jamesfaber6959]

Saw many American and Northwest Orient Electras arrive and depart from observation deck at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) in early 60s. Always recall the self-contained stairway folding out to enable deplaning (no jetways at that time). Electra had a distinctive high pitched whine engine sound wise. Those Allison engines were something else. Their profile when witnessed from the ground was equally distinctive. Only plane similar were Capital Airlines Vickers Viscounts. Both had turboprop engines. Viscounts were by Rolls Royce. Frequently saw Viscounts headed to Detroit Willow Run Airport (YIP) as well.

[@Warcrazyness]

Looks quite nice to fly during sunset/twilight hours

[@jrzyboy76]

It sounds like a C-5B taking off in the background at 2:35.

[@thomasisland1]

I got everything about this flight video but what's with the TNT logo?

[@sightsandsoundsofaviation]

It was a rotation operated for TNT by Amerer

[@thomasisland1]

I thought this was a logo for a famous television station that's popular worldwide TNT. Looked online it's a logistics rotation. I've been mesmerized about the accountability in this video. There always had been accountable details in flight videos but never have I saw blueprints and records in flight videos before. I was watching both a flight video and a documentary and it's a first class home made documentary all the way. What's your secret to this mind blowing cargo flight video? Did you use one of them Panavision cameras or something?@@sightsandsoundsofaviation

[@RayhanAhmed-qr3vz]

You can not use a narrow FMC on this Aircraft has to be wide looks like A combi FMC - someone correct me those who have been working on the Ramp - plus 2 baggage belts for the Lower cargo holds .

[@ct1762]

why does the pilot seem to be laughing the entire time...takeoff and landing. unprofessional.

[@sightsandsoundsofaviation]

Very "interesting" and very "professional" question.

[@alexandrereis1393]

You ask "why" but then make a judgement, even without an answer. Interesting.

[@JT-qf4it]

Just a very happy guy