It Was Always Better In My Day - Manchester Airport 40 Years Ago

Enthusiasts an spotters at Manchester Airport often bemoan the ‘fact’ that “It was always better i my day!” Well was it? I thought I’d have a look back to ‘my day’ 40 years ago to have a look at what came and went in February 1981.

SCHEDULED SERVICES

There was some variety of both airlines and types back in February 1981. UK airlines varied from the commuter airlines like Air UK with their Heralds, British Airways with predominantly Tridents, Tristars, 747s and of course the ubiquitous 1-11s, however the first Boeing 737s were about to make an appearance. British Caledonian with 1-11s and DC-10s. Dan Air also flew 1-11s along with Boeing 727s and HS-748s on scheduled and charter services.

Air UK Herald (Pic courtesy of Herald Wikipedia page)

Foreign scheduled flights included daily Boeing 737s from Lufthansa and Sabena. DC-9s from KLM, SAS, Austrian Airlines and Swissair. The daily Air France Caravelles were in their swansong, being replaced by Boeing 727s the following month. Other less regular scheduled carriers included LOT who utilised a number of different Russian types on the Warsaw flight including an IL-18 (SP-LSF) on the 23rd. Cyprus Airways brought 707, 5B-DAK in on the 7th. 

Some notable type first visits in February included the Austrian DC-9-80 - OE-LDS on the 12th along with OE-LDO, a series 51 three days later. On the 25th, Lufthansa finally used a super advanced 737, D-ABFL on the daily visit.

CHARTERS

Charter flights at the time were largely the domain of Britannia Airways and British Airtours all with Boeing 737s. Others around were Monarch, Dan Air and also British Air Ferries with their Viscounts. Looking forward to the summer months charters were also operated by the likes of Aviogenex, Inex-Adria, JAT and from Canada,   Wardair with Boeing 747s and DC-10s and CP Air which in addition to the 747 and DC-10 sometimes racked up with their iconic DC-8s.

Still going strong back then was Laker with its 1-11s and DC-10s; they also had two Boeing 707s stored here at the time and were in the process of basing an Airbus A.310 here.

Two flights which didn't materialise were the Norfly Convair and TAT FK-227 which was due on 22nd for the France V England rugby league match in Heeds. It was also thought that the Air Languedoc Bandeirante on the 18th was something to do with this. Southampton FC. arrived in Twin Otter G-BFGP on 27th prior to their match at Liverpool the next day.

DIVERSIONS

What about those infamous “Div’ days” that everyone remembers, what did we get in February 1981?? Well there were no proper significant days but there were a number of notable diversions. 

First up we had a couple of British Midland Viscounts (G-AYOX and (G-AZLS) on the 1st which diverted in from East Midlands Airport. Next up on the 2nd saw the arrival of G-KILO which was (at the time) British Airways’ only Boeing 747 Freighter. This diverted in from Prestwick which was encountering high winds whilst it’s normal divert, Heathrow was on marginal visibility so a win for Ringway. 

G-KILO, (Pic courtesy of Global Aviation Resource website)

Next up was the 17th which saw some British Airways diverts from Heathrow. They weren’t much interest back then but today, we’d happily welcome them. They were G-ASZG, a Boeing 707; two Boeing 747s (G-BBPU and G-BDXG). Also diverting in was Lufthansa Boeing 727 D-ABKT.

The 22nd saw Manchester receiving more diversions but this time from some of the smaller airports like Birmingham and East Midlands. The visitors were very varied from CS-TBF, a TAP Air Portugal Boeing 707, to the rather more mundane Dan Air Boeing 727 (G-BHVT). In between we had N90DM a Falcon 10, OE-FSK which was a PA-31P Navajo. There was also a helicopter divert when AS.350 Écureuil G-BVHG arrived. The jewel in the crown on the 22nd though was EC-BIB a Trans Europa Caravelle.

CARGO & POST SERVICES

Air Ecosse started flights to Stansted on the 9th as part of the Post Office's ‘Data Post’ Service. There were two flights every night (except weekend). WG9l6 came in from Glasgow at 22.15 departing for  Stansted at 23.00. WG918 positioned in from various places during the evenings before departing to Stansted at 22.45. These flights then returned at 01.05 & 00.50 as WG 917 and WG919. The following morning, WG 917 went to Dundee at 05.55 and returned on the WG700/1, and WG 919 either went out as required or stayed the day to operate the WG 918 in the evening. The WG904 Glasgow - Luton stopped as well on some nights, Bandeirante G-BNOC operated this service on the 18th, whilst rare Bandeirante, G-BSVT appeared on the on the 28th making its first visit since being re-registered from G-BWTV. Eastern Airways operated Dakota G-AMYJ regularly on all it’s flights during February. Also regular was the Guppy of which F-BPPA operated on Tuesdays until 17th, but then F-BTGV came in on Sunday 22nd.

Northwest Orient continued to operate it’s regular Boeing 747 cargo flight with visits from N618US(1st and 20th ), N629US(8th and 13th and 28th ), N619US(21st and 25th). Another (fairly) regular visitor was the Fred Olsen Electra LN-FOH which put in an appearance on the 4th, 11th and 25th.

An unusual visitor on the 26th February saw the welcome appearance of N870TV, a Trans America DC-8, on a night stopping cattle flight.

BIZ JETS & PROPS

February 81 had more than its normal share of bizjets. These included a number of HS.125s - HB-VFA(4th); 9Q-CFW(12th) and the CAA’s, G-AVDX (19th). There was a flurry of Falcons in February, on 2nd/3rd we had F-BVPN, N121EU, G-BGOP all making an appearance, then PH-LPS(16th); N90DM(a diversion on the 22nd) and PH-ILF(23rd). We had three Citations in – D-IANE(12th); D-ICFA(21st) and D-CNCP(24th), the latter two made return visits in the month. A couple of interesting Learjets finished off the month off; OH-GLB, a Finnish example on 12th and I-MABU, an Italian model 25 on delivery on the 20th.

February was also a bust month for Twin Props too. No less than 10 different King Airs visited. Other interesting Pipers included a Cheyenne on the 5th and a Seminole the following day. An Austrian Navajo (OE-FSK) diverted in from Birmingham on 22nd. Other Navajos included D-IASK (16th) and on the 26th, EI-BKI, a new Irish machine appeared. Finally there was a Swiss Seneca (HB-LKM) on 24th, 

MILITARY

As was common at the time, Saudi Air Force Hercules were regular visitors again with no less than 8 visits during the month. Notable in February though were couple of Saudi tanker models with 459 returning from the States after mods on the 15th, this was followed 4 days later by new aircraft on delivery 1620. Little else of note landed. There was an AAC Beaver AL.1 (XV271) on 24th and the Queens flight Andover CC.2 (XS789) on the 12th carrying the Duke of Edinburgh. 

Saudi C-130 (Pic courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)

Military visitors down the ILS was fairly quiet, but what did come through were interesting and most definitely out of the ordinary. A Jaguar T.2, XX841/K on was notable as being from 226 OCU at Lossiemouth, normally the Jaguars we saw came from Coltishall. The other ‘different’ visit being a flyby of 2 Hawks in formation on 26th which was the first time this has happened. The only other military aircraft down the ILS were an RAF Hercules from Lyneham on the 12th and a solo Hawk on the 23rd.

DAN AIR HANGAR

The Dan Air hangar often had some interesting visitors for maintenance, overhaul or re-painting. February 81 saw Maersk HS-748 OY-MBY arriving on the 10th and staying until the 13th.  Cyprus Airways BAC 1-11, 5B-DAG appeared on 15th staying a couple of days until the 17th. Most unusual visitor was Gulfstream 1 N720G which received attention and night stopped on the 25th. Finally Dan-Air’s own Viscount, G-BCZR arrived on 27th to prepare for its return from lease back to Air Bridge Carriers.

OTHERS

A few other visitors that weren’t particularly unusual back then but would be today included G-AREA a DH Dove (CAA from what I remember) on the 11th and DH Heron, G-ANUO on the 24th. 

SO WAS IT BETTER?

In your mind’s eye it was always better back in the day. I remember camping out with my bins, butty box and Zenit-E at the end of Pier A for a day's spotting. From there you always got a good view of the approach to Runway 24, always taking for granted the smoky Tridents and 1-11's on approach. Similarly the head-on view of the 737s was equally regular and distinctive.

I think the difference between then and now (now being pre-Covid) is one of variety versus quantity. 

Today’s great for the number collectors with plenty of flights, problem is they’re nearly all Airbus or Boeing with the odd Embraer. Back in 81 you can count on the fingers of one hand the number of Airbus aircraft visiting. 

What you had back then was a lot of what we would now call legacy or early airline types, this was before airlines started to really standardise on single manufacturers. You were also still seeing a large number of British built types such as Viscounts, 748s, Heralds, Tridents and 1-11s, Apart from the occasional BAe146, the British types are long today. Yes there were lots of great aircraft in 81 like DC-8's, 707s, Tristars and DC-10'S - lots of noise and smoke creating quite a spectacle, but engines have moved on now with an emphasis on being quiet and clean – which is no bad thing!

Another big difference now is that there’s a lot more International flights both to America and the Middle and Far East. This has brought airlines that we could only dream of back in 81. 

So overall I wanted say it was better back then but it certainly wasn’t any worse! As for the difference in facilities for the enthusiasts between now and then – well that’s whole new story.