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| Coming in for its last ever landing....G-CIVW Photo Dunsfold Aerodrome |
Whilst British Airways may have thrown its Boeing 747s on the scrap heap because of the downturn in business following the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. At least one of these majestic aircraft will get the new lease of life ........ as a film star!
The aircraft, registration G-CIVW, took off from Cardiff Airport this afternoon where it had been in storage and headed to its new home, Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. The four-engined jet did a slow and low flypast before coming into land and now it will be preserved as a film and tv set.
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| Photo SurreyLive/Grahame Larter |
Jim McAllister, Chief Executive, Dunsfold Aerodrome, said: “The 747 is a unique and important piece of aviation history and we are excited to be taking delivery of this retired aircraft at Dunsfold Aerodrome. Whilst G-CIVW will no longer fly, the aircraft will be preserved and given a new lease of life in the world of TV and film, training and special events.”
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| Photo Dunsfold Aerodrome |
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| Photo Dunsfold Aerodrome |
The double-decked 747 will keep its Chatham Dockyard livery will be stored in public view on the airfield. The aerodrome said that in time the 747 will be opened up as an exhibition site for visitors, offering them a chance to get up close to the iconic aircraft that was known and loved as the Queen of the Skies.
Dunsfold Aerodrome is some 13 miles west of London Gatwick Airport and already has a number of other aviation classics including a Hawk, an ex RAF VC10 as well as another former British Airways 747, which has been used in various films including a James Bond feature with Daniel Craig.
The new arrival entered the British Airways fleet on 15 May 1998, registered as G-CIVW, she has operated 11,424 flights, flying over 90,617 hours and around over 45 million miles. Sadly, this giant of the skies flew its last passenger on 28 March operating a return sector from Boston to BA's home base of London Heathrow. Since then she was first flown to Bournemouth when it was thought it would be a much shorter grounding for the double-decked fleet. Then, as it became clear the operational future for her and her sister aircraft had come to an end with the airline, she was flown to Cardiff in June.
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| Photo Dunsfold Aerodrome |
Aerodrome Data
General Info
Dunsfold Aerdrome is a private unlicensed airfield to the south of Guildford by 8NM and west of Gatwick by 13NM.
| Country | United Kingdom |
| ICAO ID | EGTD |
| Time | UTC 0 (+1BST) |
| Latitude | N51°07.033' |
| Longitude | W000°32.150' |
| Elevation | 172 feet amsl |
| Magnetic Variation | 2° W |
| Operating Agency | Dunsfold Park Limited Private Unlicensed Aerodrome |
| Operating Hours | PPR: 07.30 - 19.30* (*+1 BST) Mon - Fri 07.30 - 15.00 Sat |
| Contact for PPR | +44 (0)1483 200 900 - (Aerodrome Opps) |
Communications
| Dunsfold Radio | 119.105 Mhz (Air / Ground) |
Runways
| ID | Dimensions | Surface | PCN | ILS |
| 07 | 1836m x 45m + 280m x 30m overshoot | ASPHALT | 30 Main Runway | No |
| 25 | 1836m x 45m plus Disp. Threshold | ASPHALT | 30 Main Runway | |
| Lighting | Runway edge lighting by appointment | |||
| Heliport | Dunsfold Aerodrome operates a dedicated private landing area for helicopters. PPR as above | |
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