[AMcWhirter]

I know that several of you visit Accra, Ghana for work purposes.

So I thought this historical YouTube would be of interest.

It shows a VC-10 proving flight between Heathrow and Accra. I understand some of the early scenes, like those at Heathrow and the cabin interior, are stock footage.

The flight would have departed T3 (BOAC’s long-haul terminal at the time) but the cabin interior shows 2-3 economy seating. That might have been correct at the time but the VC-10 was, from my experience, configured 3-3 in economy.

This was a direct flight. Stopover was in Rome.

By BOAC VC10 to Accra, Ghana (1964).

This was one of the many proving flights before the type entered commercial service.

In addition to training they were necessary to accumulate the 1,000hrs needed by at least one aircraft before the ARB would grant full certification. pic.twitter.com/LkVrL7TpIz

— Captain Brent 🇬🇧 (@Birdseed501) July 18, 2023

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Nick Pike, Bullfrog, LuganoPirate, cwoodward, BackOfThePlane, SenatorGold, GivingupBA, Ekond222, DavidSmith2

[DavidSmith2]

Thanks for that AMc (and Captain Brent) – facinating footage! Those gentlemen who disembarked in their suits and ties would soon have been swealtering in the humidity.

[AMcWhirter]

Indeed. Those suited guys would have sweltered !

I was thinking of how different it would be today with BA’s deploying B777s and, at one stage, moving its Accra service to LGW.

[DavidSmith2]

BA is re-starting Gatwick flight in October, in addition to the LHR service. I think these will be 777s. LHR service is now A350s most of the time, thankfully.

A shame they did not show any footage inside the arrivals terminal – that would have been some comparison! The ‘new’ T3 at Accra is pretty decent, all in all. With airbridges, lifts/escalators, aircon and reasonable passenger traffic management.

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AMcWhirter

[BackOfThePlane]

My late father worked for BOAC and then BA (my first flight was on a VC10). Even in the early to mid 1980s, BA’s policy for staff travel was that one should be dressed smartly. Even as a young teen I can remember being forced to wear a tie to fly BA (and yes, to and from tropical destinations). Fortunately, back then that didn’t result in one sticking out too much. Now, in these times of shorts and flip flops in business and first class, well, it would be mortifying.

[Mark Caswell]

Our recent report on BA restarting Gatwick-Accra this winter:

British Airways to launch Gatwick-Accra route

[LuganoPirate]

Thanks Alex. I too recall 3 x 3 seating in Economy. I have a feeling it’s just the camera angle giving the impression of 2 x 3?
I also loved seeing the (now very) old DC-3 in the background.

It’s also lovely to see all the gents booted and suited and the ladies in their finery. Comfort came second to elegance in those days, unlike today!
Economy of course was much more spacious then as I recall. Mind you, as a slim young lad of just 16, Economy seating seemed cavernous with load of room.

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mar, AMcWhirter

[cwoodward]

We used to often see the RAF VC10 in Hong Kong and I believe that 1or 2 were based here
This I believe is a rather nice image of one of these landing at KaiTak.

It was a very quiet aircraft to fly in but hellishly noisy otherwise. We used to watch them on finals from our roof garden in nearby Yau Yat Cheun and it was the noisiest aircraft coming into HKG by far.

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LuganoPirate, AMcWhirter, GivingupBA

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