Viscount - Part Seven - V. I. P. Farewell

Vickers Viscount G-APEY at London Southend Airport, June 1996.
A special celebration flight to mark the end of the Viscount's passenger carrying career, with invited guests from the aviation, travel and business world, together with representatives from local authorities .
Guest of honour was the renowned test pilot Gabriel 'Jock' Bryce OBE, who flew the prototype Viscount for Vickers Armstrong Aircraft.
Several 'farewell' events were held during 1996, with public flights from Southend at the end of June, and another series of flights around the country in 1997.
Acknowledgement and thanks for background information used in this series to Nick Cox of Southend Airport Aviation Database, (saadonline.uk/) and members of Facebook group 'London Southend Airport Then & Now'.
Music;
Triumphant Return by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
Artist: audionautix.com/
VHS-C recording with linear mono sound.

[@fernandomesquita7610]

i was the last Marshaller to park G-APEY in Europe when it made a pit-stop at Faro in January 1998 on delivery to SAFT Gabon. Never returned from Africa.

[@merc340sr]

The Vickers Viscount is the first plane I have ever been on. It was in 1969, sunny, clear skies, Air Canada. Great flight, very smooth. Remember that distinct Viscount sound. Great memories!

[@mariospanu159]

My first flight as well ,still my fave.

[@chadscott9329]

I was fortunate enough to fly on a Vickers Viscount in 1970. Aloha Airlines flew these beautiful planes inter island in Hawaii. They also flew the Fairchild F-27, prior to obtaining the Viscounts. I still remember a line used in the Aloha Airline advertisement "fly jetprop, fly Aloha, Aloha Airlines." I love the large oval windows, and can never get enough of the sound of those Rolls Royce Dart engines. I was especially drawn to the F-27 the first time that I saw and heard the sound of those engines. These two planes will always have a special place in my heart.

[@tonysales3687]

growing up in southend. i was always over the airport watching the vicounts and carvairs take off. it was great.

[@edrickoerner2758]

I suppose this opus is over with Part 7. Robin's hands and heart guided it with the unique melancholy only a Viscount passenger knows, for this plane broke with the past and then broke its own mold; there's been no "ticketed" experience like it... since. THANK you, Robin.

[@stratac30]

My first flight in an aircraft was in a BEA Vickers Viscount in 1971 when I travelled from Aberdeen Dyce airport down to London Heathrow. To this day, it’s the nicest plane I’ve ever travelled in, I’ve been in most types of modern jet airliners but they don’t have the same appeal, it was the spaciousness of the Viscount and a very smooth aircraft to travel in.

[@ianjohnson4052]

I flew on this one , G-APEY twice. Once on BEA from Glasgow-Heathrow when the Dehavilland Trident 3 that we should have been on had broke down, and again in 1997 from Southend on its Passenger farewell before being turned into a Freighter

[@VickersV]

I love the viscount, I remember them when I thought I had a apple.

[@richschindler8731]

So sad to see aircraft retiring like this. Even if it was over twenty years ago. As our plane flies off into the sunset, we bid or Viscount farewell.

[@chrisw1018]

I thought part five was the last one, but they keep coming! I assume that's it (but hope there's more!) Thanks again for these, Robin, great footage of a great looking / sounding propliner.

[@jamesidso1748]

The Viscount had comfortable seats (in First Class), and (for then), enormous oval Windows, perfect for ground viewing. Engines were, however, real screamers. They filled a niche very nicely.

[@guillermojimenezcastelblan8456]

The British Aircraft Industry had a real winner with this one. In "Aviaton History Encyclopedia", spanish edition, I read the story of this Viscount, and some photos with american airline "Capital Airlines", the very first ordering company. Great plane, and in Colombia, we saw them in our skies, in the 70`s operated by a small regional Airline called TAO. Such a long time, and I wonder why british manufacturers could not stand in operations, considering this particular very strong and ramarkable product.

[@mrrolandlawrence]

for such an important aircraft, its a shame that none were preserved airworthy.

[@socialray4252]

I completely agree with you

[@dhtelevision]

Roland Lawrence That plane, kicked off the turboprop era.

[@grahamschofield8730]

Oh to bring them back flying again...the sound of those Rolls Royce Dart engines....

[@robinpinnock2678]

The original sound of the departure into the sunset was unusable due to a problem with the microphone connection, so I dubbed sound from the same location that was used in 'The Leaping Lion'.

[@gianninacasalvolone70]

Me recuerda mi miñez

[@richardtowns8948]

I jjoined the mile high club in Echo Yankee somewhere between Aberdeen and the Shetland Isles. I was a BAF Engineer and she was a hostie. Therer were only curtains, and the other hostie kept having a look. Guess what?

[@nigelanthonylc4453]

I love this series, absolutely superb. I loved the Viscount, first went on one in 1958 when I was 9 and a second time in 1960. we flew to Jersey with BEA from Heathrow. Could anyone please tell me which Airline or Airlines operated Viscounts out of Southend Airport to Jersey in the year 1960, Many thanks

[@robinpinnock2678]

saadonline.uk/eafschannel

[@taketimeout2share]

This is slightly weird as I was one of the passengers on a Viscount doing the final flight of the type back in 1991 or 92 from Southend Airport. Obviously it wasn't the final flight but a good time was had by all. It is truly hard to believe this aircraft was designed back in 1949 and in every day service by 1953. Of course no-one gives a hoot now. It is all a very long time ago but really not that much has changed. Most feeder liners fly at the same speed over the same range as this did 60 years ago. The only minor difference being they are a little quieter on the outside and King George VI is no longer on the throne.

[@robinpinnock2678]

taketimeout2 The 'final flights' were so popular, they continued into 1997..!

[@nickolasmallcott4399]

Did a few hours trained on 700 series in the Bahamae in 60's and after.

[@jackyclaiborne2142]

With this being the worlds first turboprop airliner, it is sad to see it retired from passenger service.

[@mikelawrence5428]

In Hunting Clan we did the first route to Africa, ending in then Salisbury. Wonderful aircraft

[@jackyclaiborne2142]

The Viscount, with it's Rolls Royce Dart engines, seems to have much more of a jet sound to it. It sounds much more like a fan jet, like the Boeing 707. On the turboprops that I've known, like the DeHaviland Dash 8, you hear the sound of the props a lot more. The DeHaviland Dash 8 has Pratt & Whitney engines. I guess that the Darts are much noisier than the Pratts, and drown out the sound of the props. The Viscount is the aircraft that was used in the 1979 movie ""The Rose", with Bette Midler.

[@geraldinegovett7461]

Probably got something to do with the dart having centrifugal compressor

[@AccessAir]

I wish I could have flown on a Viscount, 700 or 800 series.

[@saucerman110]

What became of G-APEY?

[@robinpinnock2678]

Another one that finished it's days in Africa; scrapped 2004.

[@saucerman110]

@@robinpinnock2678 Thank you for the info

[@apexxxx10]

*Impressive PORTHOLES or You prefer to call them WINDOWS? Bangkok-Johnnie*

[@robinpinnock2678]

John K Lindgren. Portholes are for ships!

[@apexxxx10]

Robin Pinnock *Just like Nautical Miles, Starboard, Port, Bulkhead and Air PORTS not Airfield or Airstrip. I believe the Germans call it Flughafen, the French L’aéroport. You may call it WIndow! Please do. They not will understand you if request at the check-in counter:“Porthole, starboard side, please” Keep up the Good Work. Bangkok-Johnny*