Viscount c/n 279 operational record (original) (raw)
Operational record
February 1958 to June 1964
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)
CF-THS - c/n 279 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
September 1955
An order was placed by Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) for a third batch of eleven Type 757 aircraft as a follow on from the previous Type 724 and Type 757 orders.
This was the twenty first one built.
The total order for Type 757 aircraft reached thirty six in May 1957.
Production Order No. F21/757. Sales Order No. F21/76B. Stock Order No………
27 January 1958
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines.
30 January 1958
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery.
It was painted in the later 'white top' livery.
2 February 1958
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '637'.
After refuelling at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland it continued on to Keflavik Airport, Iceland (742 nautical miles) where it stopped for seven and a half hours.
3 February 1958
Departed from Keflavik Airport, Iceland to Bluie West 8 (BW8) Airfield, Sondre Stromfjord, Western Greenland (804 nautical miles), Goose Bay Airport, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada (872 nautical miles), Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada (810 nautical miles).
BW8 was built during WWII to assist the transfer of military aircraft from North America to Europe and was opened in October 1941.
The cabin seating was installed in Canada, as the seats used by TCA were of American manufacture.
The cabin was fitted out with 44 seats which was a reduction from the original 48 seat specification and provided more leg room.
This was heavily marketed and resulted in a high load factor compared to the 18 seat Douglas DC-3 that it replaced on some routes.
24 February 1958
Registered to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) on a permanent basis and a Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.
This would imply that there was a temporary registration issued to cover the test flying and delivery of this aircraft which presumably applied to the other aircraft in the fleet.
31 August 1960
Total time 6,827 hours and 5,818 total landings.
1 June 1964
Transferred to Air Canada due to a corporate name change.
June 1964 to April 1974
Air Canada
CF-THS - c/n 279 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
1 June 1964
Transferred from Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) due to a corporate name change retaining fleet number '637'.
It took several years to repaint the fleet in Air Canada livery.
13 January 1969
Made a hard landing and struck a snowbank at Malton Airport, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
2 June 1969
Noted at Heathrow Airport, London, England. It had returned to the UK for modification work and wing spar replacement by Field Aircraft Services Ltd.
This work may have been linked to the incident in January.
The Air Canada maintenance facility at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada was very busy so this aircraft and CF-TGS (C/N 56) came to the UK.
28 April 1974
Operated its final Air Canada service from Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada via Sault St Marie and placed into storage.
The flights took 2 hours 23 minutes and 2 hours 43 minutes respectively flown by Captain J N Beauchamp and First Officer G Cockburn. It departed Montreal at 09:30 local time and arrived at Winnipeg 13:56 local time.
The final entry in the airframe log book written by Captain Beauchamp stated 'May she treat her new owners the way she has treated us'.
Total time 33,926 hours and 36,278 total landings.
30 April 1974
Sold to Beaver Enterprises Ltd.
April 1974 to September 1976
Beaver Enterprises Ltd
CF-THS - c/n 279 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
30 April 1974
Purchased from Air Canada but the aircraft remained stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.
A total of 24 aircraft were included in this sale.
United Aviation Services Ltd had some role in the processing of these Viscounts. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
The Rolls-Royce RDa3 Mark 506 engines installed were: -
No.1 TCA S/N 61A 137KA 290 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours
No.2 TCA S/N 61A 76K 273 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours
No.3 TCA S/N 61A 53KA 1759 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours
No.4 TCA S/N 61A 159KA 659 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours
11 September 1975
Documentation shows that replacement propellers were installed.
8 September 1976
Documentation shows that Air Canada were carrying out maintenance work to prepare the aircraft for a ferry flight.
15 September 1976
Documentation shows that Air Canada were carrying out ground running of the Rolls-Royce Dart engines.
29 September 1976
Aircraft declared serviceable by Bart Stephens (WGM-13) of CAE Aircraft Ltd for a ferry flight.
30 September 1976
Aircraft ferried to Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada flown by Captains I K Davis and M I Davis. The flight took 4 hours 30 minutes direct.
1 November 1978
Aircraft offered to Zaire Aero Services.
September 1976 to December 1979
Zaire Aero Service
9Q-CKE - c/n 279 - a V.757 series Viscount
Zaire registered
1 November 1978
Aircraft ferried from Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada to Cartierville Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. The date of this flight is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
6 November 1978
Aircraft ferried from Cartierville Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada to Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. It departed at 15:25 and arrived at 15:35.
8 November 1978
Aircraft departed from Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada on an air test and landed at Cartierville Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. It departed at 15:20 and arrived at 16:00.
22 November 1978
Aircraft departed from Cartierville Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada on an air test and landed at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. It departed at 09:20 and arrived at 11:30.
These flights were linked to the proposed sale of the aircraft to Zaire Aero Services and the Republic of Zaire registration was applied at some point. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
circa December 1979
Aircraft departed from Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
December 1979 to September 1982
Beaver Enterprises Ltd
C-FTHS - c/n 279 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
circa December 1979
Aircraft departed from Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.
The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
It was now carrying the Canadian registration C-FTHS.
At some point the aircraft returned to Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
12 November 1980
Air tested from Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada flown by Yves Favreau for a period of 25 minutes. The reason is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
1 September 1982
Sold to Western Canada Aviation Museum Inc (WCAM) as a replacement for CF-TIE (C/N 385) which had been fire damaged by vandals.
September 1982 to April 1984
Western Canada Aviation Museum Inc (WCAM)
C-FTHS - c/n 279 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
1 September 1982
Purchased from Beaver Enterprises Ltd.
It would appear that the sale was brokered through Horizon Sales Company Limited. Details please to information @vickersviscount.net
This aircraft was a replacement after the original aircraft that was purchased (CF-TIE C/N 385) was fire damaged by vandals.
22 September 1982
A short-term flight permit was issued to allow three VFR test flights within a 25 mile radius of Dorval Airport and then a direct VFR ferry flight to Gimli Airport, Manitoba, Canada. The documents issued stated that the registration was still CF-THS but C-FTHS was applied to the aircraft for the test and ferry flights. This permit was issued to Horizon Sales Company Limited.
23 September 1982
Temporarily registered to Horizon Sales Company Limited, 1800 Hymus Boulevarde, Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec as CF-THS. Does anyone know why? Perhaps for insurance purposes. Details to information@vickersviscount.net
24 September 1982
An air test was carried out in the Montreal area.
30 September 1982
Aircraft ferried from Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada via Thunder Bay Airport, Ontario, Canada.
The flying times were 3 hours 35 minutes and 1 hour 55 minutes respectively flown by Captain Yves Favreau and First Officer Gus Desjardins.
They departed from Dorval at 14:02, arrived at Thunder Bay at 17:37 and departed from there at 19:22 and finally arrived at Winnipeg at 21:17.
1 October 1982
Aircraft ferried from Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada to Gimli Airport, Manitoba, Canada flown by Captain Yves Favreau and First Officer Gus Desjardins.
They departed at 17:15 and arrived at 17:45.
The aircraft was placed inside the former Saunders Aircraft Company hangar for the winter. The tail had to be removed to allow the aircraft to enter the low hangar.
At this time the museum did not have a hangar at Winnipeg International Airport, hence the temporary use of the hangar at Gimli Airport.
22 October 1982
The short-term flight permit expired.
Replacement serviceable Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines were fitted where applicable.
31 August 1983
Registered to Western Canada Aviation Museum Inc on a temporary basis to allow for the VFR ferry flight from Gimli Airport, Manitoba, Canada to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada still as CF-THS.
September 1983
Performed engine runs prior to taxiing trials at Gimli Airport, Manitoba, Canada without the tail fitted. This must be a unique event.
Engines turned off
for the last time
17 September 1983
Ferried from Gimli Airport, Manitoba to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba as C-FTHS for preservation by Air Canada Captains Jim E Griffith and Gerry D Norberg with Bob Palmer from the museum as the flight engineer. All three volunteered to carry out this task. It departed at 14:44 and arrived at 15:24. Jim's final entry in the aircraft's log book stated 'goodbye to a damn good aircraft'.
The museum is located at Hangar T-2, 958 Ferry Road, Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba R3H 0Y8.
The serviceable Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines were removed and unserviceable replacements were fitted as follows: - No.1 S/N 3046 (TCA #61A-7KA) ex CF-TIE (C/N 385) No.4. 497 hours remaining of its overhaul life. No.2 S/N 3103 (TCA #61A-82K) ex CF-TIE (C/N 385) No.2. 28 hours remaining of its overhaul life. No.3 S/N 3226 (TCA #61A-104KA) ex CF-TIE (C/N 385) No.1. TSO 4572 hours. 0 hours remaining of its overhaul life. No.4 S/N 3085 (TCA #61A-71KA) ex CF-TIE (C/N 385) No.3. TSO 4498 hours. 2 hours remaining of its overhaul life.
30 September 1983
Registration cancelled.
9 March 1984
Towed across to an Air Canada maintenance facility where the aircraft was fully repainted in Air Canada livery including using the old style registration CF-THS.
April 1984
Returned to the museum.
April 1984 to December 2014
Western Canada Aviation Museum Inc (WCAM)
CF-THS - c/n 279 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
April 1984
Returned to the museum hangar after a full repaint by Air Canada in Air Canada livery with the registration restored as CF-THS.
May 1984
Placed outside due to a re-organisation and maintenance of the museum hangar prior to a vist by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September 1984. It then went into an Air Canada hangar for temporary storage.
Placed out in the sunshine in 1984
September 1984
Returned to the museum hangar.
7 October 1984
The museum opened its doors to the public and is located at Hangar T-2, 958 Ferry Road, Winnipeg International Airport, Manitoba R3H 0Y8.
Placed outside for the Winnipeg International Air Show
June 1985
Noted outside having engine ground runs. The reasons for this are not known.
circa 1987
Aircraft returned to the museum hangar.
6 June 1999
Placed outside for the Winnipeg International Air Show.
29 May 2014
A short comedy play was held on board and was performed by local actresses Shawna Dempsey who was smartly dressed in a red 1970s Air Canada Stewardess uniform ably assisted by Lorri Millan, again smartly dressed in a white 1970s Air Canada Stewardess uniform, who checked all the boarding passes. There were three sessions at 19:00, 20:00 and 21:00 and each session was sold out. The three sessions were repeated again on the following Friday evening, again with each session sold out.
The theme of the play was that the 'flight' contained a mixture of weird passengers, such as a highjacker, a nun, a small child who was allergic to peanuts and a newly married couple. Mood lighting, sound effects and even turbulence was reproduced quite realistically. Everyone joined in with the fun and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Certainly a unique event on board a Viscount! Thanks girls and also the museum for allowing the aircraft to be used in this way.
19 December 2014
Museum re-named 'Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada' as granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. A ceremony was held at the museum presided over by Museum Executive Director Shirley Render, with a large gathering of museum staff and invited guests.
December 2014 to
Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada
CF-THS - c/n 279 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
19 December 2014
Museum re-named 'Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada' as granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
A ceremony was held at the museum presided over by Museum Executive Director Shirley Render, with a large gathering of museum staff and invited guests.
The museum is located at Hangar T-2, 958 Ferry Road, Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba R3H 0Y8.
23 March 2016
The registration was finally cancelled by Transport Canada and later re-issued to a Murphy SR2500.
12 June 2017
Cabin stripped out by specialists from AirBase Services Inc and museum volunteers.
Air Canada has funded the complete refurbishment of the seats, panelling, curtains and carpets.
12 September 2017
Completion of the refitment of the refurbished cabin by specialists from AirBase Services Inc and museum volunteers. The result is superb!
3 October 2017
Temporarily moved outside to allow other exhibits to be rearranged prior to a special gala event.
It now occupies a new position and other exhibits have also moved to new positions or left outside for the immediate future. This includes Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.31(M) CF-WAE which will endure the winter weather outside.
22 October 2018
The museum closed its doors to the public as the historic hangar T-2 and the original terminal building will be demolished to allow a modern aircraft maintenance centre to be constructed.
23 October 2018
The Viscount was moved outside. At this stage only the Junkers Ju52-1M replica CF-ARM remained inside.
24 October 2018
The Viscount was towed to a maintenance facility ramp owned by Air Canada / AirBase Services Inc.
The Viscount will sadly be stored outside within the airport boundary and all steps will be taken to protect it from the harsh winter(s).
24 November 2018
Robert W Arnold and fellow museum volunteers carried out some winter protection work by applying a special self-adhesive plastic sheeting to each of the cockpit and cabin windows. These will protect the windows from water ingress and reduce the damaging effect of ultraviolet light on the refurbished cabin interior. Robert also dug out a set of wheel covers and nacelle covers from his aviation collection. Unfortunately two of the nacelle covers were found to be in poor condition and were taken away to be used as patterns to make new ones. Robert will return when these are made and fit them to the inner engine positions. Dedication indeed!
The new museum facility, again within the airport boundary has not yet been finalised or the construction of a purpose built building started.
This October 2018 statement from Helen Halliday, the museum's president and CEO appeared on the museum's facebook page: -
The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is in a holding pattern, waiting to start building its new home while its current location marks its final day of being open to the public.
The Winnipeg based museum, which dates back to 1974, is still awaiting a major piece of government funding. Negotiations for funding from the provincial and federal governments has been ongoing since the NDP was in power in Manitoba and the Conservatives in Ottawa.
Those talks were sidelined when both governments changed in recent years.
"This has been a big effort, working with two different parties, both federally and provincially".
"We absolutely feel very good that this is going to get done. It's just been in an extended process that has been difficult."
Finally, in October 2016, the federal government awarded $1.2 million to the museum with the promise of matching a provincial commitment.
That provincial funding of 8.75millionwasconfirmedinDecember2017withanother8.75 million was confirmed in December 2017 with another 8.75millionwasconfirmedinDecember2017withanother1.25 million if private donation targets are met.
"All that's missing now is the federal government's matching $8.75 million for construction to take off".
"It's been a monthly process of negotiations," she said. "The federal government is the missing piece".
Halliday hopes to break ground as soon as possible and be open 18 months later.
Federal money to help new aviation museum take off.
Winnipeg museum recalls era of airline freebies, smoking on planes.
The current location, since 1984, is an original Trans-Canada Air Lines hangar dating from the 1930s.
The lobby area was designed to resemble a departure terminal with the ticket counter serving as the place to buy admission.
But it must be empty by month's end, said Halliday.
The aviation collection — the second largest in Canada — will be scattered around the province with some stored near the new location on the Winnipeg Airports Authority campus, others in St. Andrews, Brandon, Portage la Prairie, and some private hangars.
That includes several one-of-a-kind aircraft such as Canada's first helicopter, the CL-84 "Tilt-wing", Avrocar "flying saucer", historic military jets, bush planes, and commercial aircraft.
There are also 2,700 boxes of library and archive materials that will be stored at Magellan Aerospace on Berry Street.
It just can't stay in its present space any longer after reaching the end of its lease with the building's owners.
"We want to assure you that EIC (Exchange Income Corporation), which owns the Ferry Road hangar has been an excellent partner and has allowed the museum to stay 19 months longer than the original timeline," states a message on the museum's website.
"We are most grateful for their flexibility and understanding while being a champion and major donor for the new museum."
The proposed 105,000-square-foot museum will be located on Wellington Road, not far from the airport and feature nine exhibition galleries, a kids centre, library, and workshop, among other facilities.
23 July 2019
The funding to enable the building of the new museum facility was finally completed with the Federal Government contribution confirmed.
1 May 2020
Construction of the new museum facility on a 56 year ground lease was finally started at 2088 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg International Airport.
16 October 2021
The Viscount was installed into the new museum facility as one of the last exhibits to do so. This was because a lot of the smaller aircraft had to be suspended from the roof interior first.
It had survived three winters with relatively little damage but some of the tyres needed changing and some of the blue coverings over the cabin windows had now stuck fast and will need some persuasion to get them off without causing any damage to the perspex windows.
A few days later it did make one more trip outside as more smaller aircraft were suspended from the roof interior.
28 October 2021
The Viscount was finally pushed back inside the new museum facility to take up its permanent position as the centre of attraction with access to the cabin.
It will only move back outside in the future to allow for a change in exhibits which could include different smaller aircraft being hung up on wires.
21 May 2022
The new museum opened to the general public with the Viscount restored to its former glory.