Any Caravelles still flying?

astonished to find that the seats in front faced me !So you could hold a conversation with the people in front

You’ll find a few 50 seat ATR42’s around where that is also the case with the front row.

As a Traffic Officer at Stansted in the 80s I used to ramp the Sterling Caravelle 10Bs and 12s, the ultimate stretched Caravelle, a beautiful aircraft in a lovely colour scheme, especially with the polished lower fuselage and wings. … A lovely aircraft, better to look at and fly in than the very capable but soulless airliners of today.

I’m glad Sterlings colour scheme back then didn’t resemble their current rather ghastly red with grey trim.
Having had an Airfix model of one as a child, I was quite pleased when, as a teenager, I found myself flying in one. As you say, very handsome aircraft.

Their old paint job –
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/2618934643_fc881b84a0.jpg?v=0
http://www.scanliners.com/Serie100/Box135/13572.jpg
http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1108463M.jpg

I think this was the airline ?I flew in a Caravelle once from Marseille to Paris and was astonished to find that the seats in front faced me !So you could hold a conversation with the people in front!This would have been about 1978.

Yep! that sounds about right. Air Inter was a very big operator of the Caravelle in more than one version. Air Inter inherited most if not all the Sterling Caravelle 12s leaving Sterling to operate and acquire more of the smaller Caravelle 10Bs. I can remember in 82 or 83 “ramping” an Okada Air of Nigeria Caravelle via Stansted, which I think was an early 6R with the type of seating arrangement you describe, although on that day it carried rolls of old carpet and car spares to Kano via Palma, the cargo just crammed into the passenger cabin as per the airlines instructions…it made you weep to see such a beautiful aircraft treated that way:(

Air Inter Caravelle

I think this was the airline ?I flew in a Caravelle once from Marseille to Paris and was astonished to find that the seats in front faced me !So you could hold a conversation with the people in front!This would have been about 1978.

…..the Sterling Caravelle 10Bs and 12s, the ultimate stretched Caravelle, a beautiful aircraft in a lovely colour scheme, especially with the polished lower fuselage and wings. ….

I couldn’t agree more. 🙂

Vandals. I’ve long had a soft spot for the Caravelle. It was the first aircraft I ever flew in. Luton to Kastrup with Sterling Airways. They painted their aircraft a sensible white back then.

As a Traffic Officer at Stansted in the 80s I used to ramp the Sterling Caravelle 10Bs and 12s, the ultimate stretched Caravelle, a beautiful aircraft in a lovely colour scheme, especially with the polished lower fuselage and wings. Also looked after Transwede Caravelles until their MD80s arrived. Flew on JAT Caravelles, Finnair 10Bs and also Transeuropa 11Rs which had main deck freight doors. Flew the Oslo-Gardemoen to Stansted and Stockholm Arlanda to Stansted a few times courtesy of Sterling. A lovely aircraft, better to look at and fly in than the very capable but souless airliners of today.

Gads, almost ruined my breakfast, what an abomination of a paint scheme to inflict on an innocent and beautiful aircraft.:eek::o

Vandals. I’ve long had a soft spot for the Caravelle. It was the first aircraft I ever flew in. Luton to Kastrup with Sterling Airways. They painted their aircraft a sensible white back then.

I see one to the right of runway 34R at Van Nuys, California.
I wasn’t aware any were still flying, but then I don’t get out much in the world of vintage commercial aviation. 🙂
There also seems to be a while U-2 just to the east of the aircraft.

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?wip=2&v=2&style=r&rtp=~&&msnurl=home.aspx?%26redirect%3dfalse&msnculture=en-US#JnE9eXAudmFuK251eXMrYWlycG9ydCU3ZXNzdC4wJTdlcGcuMSZiYj01My4wNjc2MjY2NDIzODc0JTdlLTc4LjA0Njg3NSU3ZTIzLjI0MTM0NjEwMjM4NjElN2UtMTMyLjE4NzU=

Click on Bird’s Eye.

Also note the A-3 Skywarriors and Hunters, too.
Bonus points for the Pembroke/Sea Prince (which I recall seeing there in 1978).

Is that a scale model Northrop flying wing to the rear of the hangar next to the A3s? And if so, is that another one on the other side of the runway (or could it be the same one towed across?). Oh yes, there is a U-2 there as well close to the Prince.

what an abomination of a paint scheme to inflict on an innocent and beautiful aircraft.:eek::o

Agreed..some people have no scruples

Gads, almost ruined my breakfast, what an abomination of a paint scheme to inflict on an innocent and beautiful aircraft.:eek::o

What about the one Lifetime TV network Bought?

EDIT: it appears to be the same aircraft you’re referring too

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Sud-SE-210-Caravelle/1357768/M/

There are no more caravelle’s flying. The own you spotted has to be N98KT.

The last flying caravelle was with 3D-KIK with Transair, but it crashed august 27 2004 in Rwanda. This plane was the same one that featured in the World Air Routes *Gabon Air Express Caravelle* DVD.

I used to work alot with Sterling Caravelles in the early to mid 80s. They were a very beautiful aircraft, the Super 12B stretch version even more so. Gabon Express was the last known operator of a “combi” version although this operation has now ended. I don’t think that Air Gabon itself operated the type although the Gabon Govt used to operate one in the VIP role, I believe that it was donated to them by France. Many ex French colonies benefited from similar “gifts” The Caravelles that I flew on were operated by Transeuropa, Sterling and Transwede.

Actually, that Caravelle picture you posted, the same caravelle is pictured n the current AW (feb04 edition). Page 13, the F27 picture has in the background a line-up of old planes and the Caravelle is the 2nd from the back. It looks quite airworthy but of course looks can be deceiving.

Aerospatiale SE-210 Caravelle …
Johannesburg – Rand (Germiston) (QRA / FAGM)
South Africa, September 2, 2003
9Q-CNA That Caravelle must be ex Malu Aviation. Malu Aviation was the latest Caravelle reported at Rand grasses in 1999. Current livery is little defferent than Malus’.

There is certianlly none listed in my 2003 airline fleets.
I think the last couple flying were the former French Airforce test aircraft that were sold in 2000?
A great aircraft remember the CTA ones at Gatwick and hordes of Air Inter, EAS and Corse Air ones at Orly in the mid 80’s.

Nope realistic, If you had seen a picture of that plane, you’t think the same. And i highly doubt she’ll recieve the appropriate maintenance down there.

That means there would at least be one around, if she didn’t crash yet…

A tad pessimistic don’t you think????

I would not be so sure ! Last year, one caravelle transited through Maastricht to Africa ! (Benin IIRC). That means there would at least be one around, if she didn’t crash yet…

I read that the Air Gabon Caravelle video was filmed before the retirment of that aircraft. And I have a feeling that that was the last one………..so in that case, the answer is no.