British World Airlines

British World Airlines
IATA code :	VF
ICAO code :	Business administration
Call sign :	BRITWORLD
Founding:	1963
Operation stopped:	2001
Seat:	Southend , UK
Turnstile :	Aberdeen International Airport; London Stansted Airport;
Home airport :	London Southend Airport
Company form:	Limited
Fleet size:	16 (1997)
Aims:	Central Europe, Ireland
	ceased operations in 2001. The information in italics refer to the last status before the end of operation.

British World Airlines was a British airline founded on January 1, 1963 under the name British United Air Ferries (BUAF).

history

It emerged from a merger of the companies Channel Air Bridge , founded in 1959, and Silver City Airways , which was founded on November 25, 1946 and flew from Lydd to Le Touquet , among others . In September 1967 it was renamed British Air Ferries (BAF).

This name reflects what the airline became famous for. It offered 170 ferry services across the English Channel with aircraft of the types ATL-98 Carvair and Bristol . The cars were loaded through the large front door of these aircraft. There were routes with this service to the Channel Islands, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

In 1972 the company was acquired by Transmeridian Air Cargo , although it was allowed to keep its corporate identity and was able to conduct its business relatively autonomously. The early 1980s acquired BAF the entire fleet of Vickers Viscount of British Airways , which it became the largest operator of the type at that time. The world's last passenger flight by a Viscount took place on April 18, 1996.

In 1988 the aircraft were given a redesigned paint scheme, but this did not last long.

In 1992 BAF acquired eight BAC 1-11 aircraft from stocks of the bankrupt Dan-Air and operated under the final name of British World Airlines from April 1993 , which the company kept until it went bankrupt and ceased operations on December 13, 2001 . The name was acquired by BWA Group plc after the bankruptcy. accepted. However, the EU-wide operating license was withdrawn on March 21, 2002. Former employees of British World Airlines founded the airline Astraeus at the same time .

fleet

Fleet as of 1997

Previously deployed aircraft

In addition, the company operated u. a. the following aircraft types:

Incidents

Incidents involving Silver City Airways

On January 19, 1953, a Bristol 170 Mk.21 of Silver City Airways ( aircraft registration G-AICM ) ran out of fuel. Since a landing at the destination airport Berlin-Tempelhof was not possible due to fog, a crash landing occurred nearby. Both pilots survived the total write-off, which came about due to insufficient fuel reserves.

On February 27, 1958, a Bristol 170 Mk.21E (G-AICS) rented from subsidiary Manx Airlines was on a charter flight from Ronaldsway Airport to Manchester when it came to a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). The plane was leased from parent company Silver City Airways. Since the wrong NDB radio beacon had been selected on the radio compass , a navigation error occurred which resulted in the aircraft being flown 35 kilometers north-northwest of the destination airport in Manchester into the 450-meter-high Winter Hill . Of the 42 occupants, 35 passengers were killed; 4 passengers and the 3 crew members survived. This was the second worst accident involving a Bristol 170 based on the number of fatalities.

On June 30, 1962, the landing gear of a Bristol 170 Mk.21 operated by Silver City Airways (G-AGVC) collapsed on landing at Ronaldsway Airport . The machine was irreparably damaged, the occupants remained uninjured. (Note: In the Aviation Safety Network source, the operator is incorrectly referred to as "Manx Airlines".)

Channel Air Bridge Incidents

On December 28, 1962, with one from Southend coming ATL-98 Aviation Traders of Channel Air Bridge (G-ARSF) in poor visibility and snowfall a visual approach to the airport Rotterdam performed. Due to an approach that was too steep, the aircraft collided with a two-meter-high dam 240 meters from the runway, jumped up again and then hit again very violently 70 meters further. The right wing tore off, whereupon the machine turned to the right on its back and slid another 200 meters. The captain was killed, the other 3 crew members and the 14 passengers survived.

British United Air Ferries (BUAF) incidents

On September 24, 1963, a British United Air Ferries (G-AMWA) Bristol 170 Mk.32 had an engine malfunction when taking off from Guernsey Airport . The machine was supposed to fly to Bournemouth and carried mostly freight and a car. The take-off was aborted at a speed of about 80 knots. When the pilots realized that the remaining runway length was no longer sufficient and that there would be a collision with obstacles, they steered the aircraft to the left, whereupon the machine took off briefly, then rolled through a fence and across a street and finally 200 to 400 meters came to a stop behind the end of the runway. All three crew members and the only passenger survived, but the aircraft was ready for scrap.

British Air Ferries (BAF) incidents

On March 18, 1971, the nose landing gear of a British Air Ferries (BAF) (G-APNH) Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvair coming from Southend collapsed in a crosswind landing at Le Touquet Airport . All 18 occupants survived the accident. However, repairing the machine would have been uneconomical.